How to transfer a domain to a new registrar

Transferring a domain moves who you renew and manage it with. It does not touch your website or email in any way — those are controlled by whichever nameservers the domain points at, and a registrar transfer does not change that unless you deliberately change nameservers as a separate step. Understanding that one fact removes most of the anxiety people bring to their first domain transfer.

Before you start

Check the domain is old enough to move

ICANN rules require a domain to have been registered, or to have completed its last transfer, at least 60 days ago before it can be transferred again. This applies to the common generic extensions such as .com, .net, and .org. Some country-code extensions, including .co.uk, follow a different registry policy and a different transfer mechanism entirely, so check the specific rules for your extension if it is not one of the generic ones.

Check it is not about to expire

A domain very close to its expiry date can usually still be transferred, and the transfer typically adds a year of registration on completion — but leaving very little margin adds risk if anything about the process is delayed. If the domain has already expired, see how to recover an expired domain first; you generally need to renew it before you can transfer it.

Make sure you can receive the approval email

Most transfers are confirmed through an email sent to the address listed against the domain's registrant contact. If that inbox is one you no longer check, update it at the current registrar before you begin, or the confirmation step will stall waiting for an email nobody sees.

The transfer process

1. Unlock the domain

   Registrars apply a transfer lock by default to prevent a domain being moved without the owner's knowledge. In your current registrar's control panel, find the domain's status settings and turn the lock off. See what a domain transfer lock is if you cannot find the setting.

2. Get the EPP code

   Also called an authorisation code, this is a unique code the current registrar provides that proves you control the domain. Request it from their control panel; it is often emailed rather than shown immediately. See how to get an EPP code for where to find it.

3. Start the transfer with the new registrar

   Enter the domain name and the EPP code where prompted, and pay the transfer fee. This fee usually includes a year added to the domain's registration, so you are not paying to transfer and then separately paying to renew shortly afterwards.

4. Approve the transfer

   You will normally receive an email asking you to confirm the transfer. Click through to approve it. If you take no action, most registries move the transfer forward automatically after a set number of days rather than cancelling it, though an explicit approval is faster and more certain.

5. Wait for it to complete

   A domain transfer typically finishes within five to seven days, though it can be quicker. During this window the domain continues to work exactly as before — the site and email keep running on whatever nameservers were already set, completely independent of which company is processing the transfer.

What happens to your DNS during the move

Nothing, unless you make it happen. A registrar transfer moves the account that manages the domain's registration; it does not touch the nameserver settings, which is what actually controls the website and email. If your new registrar is also going to run your DNS going forward, that is a separate step — see pointing a domain at your hosting once the transfer itself has finished.

After the transfer completes

• Check the domain shows the new registrar. A WHOIS lookup or your new account's dashboard will confirm this.
• Check nameservers did not change unexpectedly. Some registrars reset nameservers to their own defaults during a transfer; if that happens and you wanted to keep your existing DNS, you will need to set them back.
• Renew the transfer lock. Most registrars re-enable the transfer lock automatically once the domain settles in; if not, turning it back on yourself protects against an unauthorised transfer later.

If a transfer stalls, is rejected without a clear reason, or the domain stops resolving during the process, contact our support team with the domain name and we can check its current status.