How Do You Transfer Ownership of a Domain Name?

Transferring domain name ownership becomes simple once you understand the actions to take and other processes.

Whether you're selling a domain, have a change of registrants, or transferring for any other reason, you need to know how the domain transfer process operates. This allows for the successful transfer ownership of domain name.

This article discusses all about the goal of transferring domain ownership to help you understand how the process works.

Transferring Domain Name Ownership: Everything You Need to Know

Domain owners can choose to move their domain names from one registrar to another. For example, transferring from Bluehost to GoDaddy. These transfers could happen for a variety of reasons:

Cost Consideration

One key reason domain registrants switch registrars is the pricing. The renewal price may have changed, or a domain owner may have neglected to confirm the renewal fee prior to purchasing a domain.

Usually, registrars offer first-year discounted rates, which could be far less expensive than the renewal cost. When you find yourself in such circumstances, you might choose to switch providers.

Change of Ownership

You may also have to change registrars when transferring a domain name to a new owner. Should the individual wish to use a different registrar, you will have to transfer the domain name to the chosen registrar.

User Experience

Should the registrar's website be challenging to navigate and your overall experience is not great, you could choose to transfer your domain name to another registrar offering better services. 

Among the things that could cause a bad experience are a difficult-to-manage dashboard or poor customer service.

Eligibility for Domain Transfer

Before starting one, you must find out if your domain qualifies for the transfer. These are some important things to consider before you transfer a domain name:

60-Day Lock: According to ICANN regulations, domains should be locked for 60 days after registration or a previous transfer. This implies that the opt-out cannot work if the domain is new or has been recently moved within 60 days. However, some registrars provide a means to opt out of the 60-day lock.

Domain Status: Ensure your domain is not in redemption or expired, as this will cause transfer issues.

Registrar Policies: Each registry may have specific policies regarding transfers. So, familiarize yourself with these before proceeding.

How to Transfer a Domain Name to a New Registrar

To transfer a domain name to a new registrar, you must follow these steps:

Disable WHOIS Privacy

If you have WHOIS privacy enabled, disable it. The new registrar must verify the domain owner's identity, which cannot be done if privacy settings remain active.

Update Contact Information

You'll need to make sure your domain administrative contact and email address you're using are current. An outdated email account can prevent you from receiving important transfer notifications.

Create Another Email Address

If your professional email address is linked to your domain, you should create a new one before starting the transfer. This is because your email may be turned off during the transfer, causing you to miss crucial information if you do not have a backup email.

Unlock the Domain

Domain registrars always lock domains to prevent unauthorized transfers. So before transferring, you have to unlock it by heading to your dashboard or portfolio and following the domain unlocking steps provided by your registrar.

Obtain the transfer authorization code.

The auth-code, also known as the EPP password code, is essential for transferring your domain. It protects your domain from authorized transfers, and you must provide this code before any transfers can take place. To obtain the code, request it from your current provider's registry.

Initiate Domain Transfer

Carefully research and choose a new domain registrar that meets your requirements for cost, customer support, and extra features.

Create an account.

Sign up with your chosen registrar and follow their specific instructions for initiating a transfer.

Submit Transfer Request 

Provide your domain name and the authorization for the new registrar.

Approve the Transfer

Confirm Transfer Request

You will get an email at the administrative address linked with the domain following your submission of the transfer request. You can approve the domain transfer by following the email confirming the directions.

Pay for the Transfer

Some registrars will require you to pay for the transfer. As per ICANN regulation, this payment must not be higher than the amount they will charge for a regular renewal. 

Besides that, you may also have to pay for at least the first year of registration with your new provider. However, sometimes they offer promo that makes it cheaper or even free.

Monitor Transfer Status

Track the state of your domain transfer by constantly looking out for notifications sent by both registrars.

While the rest of the process may differ based on the registrars involved, it usually takes five to seven business days.

Also, ensure you don't make changes to your domain during this period, as this could interfere with the transfer process.

Activate Domain Protection

Once you have finalized the transfer process, you must decide whether or not to hide your contact information through domain protection. Your personal information will be displayed on the WHOIS database.

However, if you want to keep it private, you can choose domain name protection, which protects your information by replacing it with that of the registrar.

Cancel Your Previous Service

Cancel your service with the previous provider to avoid being charged. However, you must first ensure that the transfer process has been fully completed before you do this.

Domain Name Transfer FAQs

Moving your domains could cause problems, but the following troubleshooting tips will help you fix any that develop:

If I registered a new domain name through one registrar, am I allowed to switch to a different registrar?

Definitely, you can always transfer your domain registrar if you no longer want to use the current one again. However, the exception to the rule is when you just newly registered your domain and it's still within the 60 days lock period or when there are other limitations set by your current registrar.

How do I transfer my domain name to an alternative registrar?

To transfer your domain name:

●     Disable WHOIS privacy and unlock your domain to prepare it for transfer.

●     Your current registrar is required to send the transfer code.

●     Initiate the transfer by giving your new domain registrar the required information.

●     Authorize the transfer proposal via email.

Why can't I transfer a name I just registered to another registrar?

If your domain was recently transferred or is a new registration, you will not be able to transfer it to another registrar. ICANN has implemented this process to stop fraud and illegal transfers, requiring newly registered domains to be locked for sixty days.

Making your transfer will require waiting till the previous registration period ends.

If you want to transfer your domain name to someone else. 

Use these rules when transferring ownership of your domain name to another person:

1. Deactivate WHOIS privacy.
2. If required, update contact information.
3. Get a code.
4. Let the new owner initiate a transfer proposal through their selected registrar using the authinfo code given.

Someone has contacted me to purchase my domain name; what do I do?

Should a buyer want to purchase your domain:

1. Agree on a selling price.
2. Follow the usual processes to get ready for the transfer.
3. Once they have made payment, provide the buyer with the auth-info code.
4. Verify the transfer proposal on both sides using the procedures of your respective registraries.

Why is my registrar refusing to transfer my domain name?

For a number of reasons, your registrar may refuse to transfer your domain:

1. The 60-day lock period hasn't run out.
2. The domain is either in the redemption stage or has expired because you didn't renew it after the registration period elapsed.
3. Your account has outstanding payments or problems connected with them.

If such problems arise, you need to contact customer support for help.

My registrar is charging me a fee to transfer to a new registrar; is this allowed?

Indeed, as part of their business strategy, some registrars could impose fees for moving names outside of their service. Still, they are not to charge more than they would for an additional year. This complies with ICANN rules on the transfer process.

What can I do if I believe my registrar is in violation of the ICANN Transfer Policy?

If your registrar violates ICANN policies:

1. Record every correspondence and any downtime problems found during the process.
2. File a complaint with ICANN using their official channels.
3. If needed, especially in cases of financial losses, think about consulting legal advice.