Domain transfer: moving a domain to another registrar, step by step

Last checked: Oct 20, 2026

You can move your domain to a registrar that is cheaper, gives better support or already hosts everything else you use. A transfer usually takes a few days, your website and e-mail keep working and you do not lose the time you already paid for, as long as you do the steps in the right order.

In short

The domain must be unlocked, and you need a transfer code (EPP/AuthInfo code) from your current registrar.
For generic extensions such as .com, a transfer is usually not possible within 60 days of registration or of a previous transfer.
For generic extensions a transfer adds one year to the expiry date; the time you have left is kept.
If your name servers belong to the old registrar, move your DNS records first, or the website and e-mail can go down.

Check before you start

Look the domain up: if the status shows clientTransferProhibited, the transfer lock is on; remove it in your registrar's control panel.
Check the expiry date. Too close to expiry or already in redemptionPeriod, the transfer is refused or an automatic renewal may be wasted; start at least two weeks ahead.
Make sure the registrant's e-mail address is current; some registrars send a confirmation e-mail.
If the domain was registered or transferred in the last 60 days, wait. A change of registrant details can also trigger a 60-day lock at some registrars.

The transfer, step by step

At the current registrar, remove the transfer lock and get the transfer (EPP/AuthInfo) code. The code works like a password; do not share it.
At the new registrar, order a transfer for the domain and enter the code. For generic extensions you pay for one year of renewal.
Approve the confirmation e-mail if one arrives. The old registrar can approve sooner; if it does nothing, generic-TLD transfers are approved automatically after 5 days.
Once the transfer is complete, turn the transfer lock back on at the new registrar and enable auto-renew and two-factor authentication.

Switching DNS without downtime

If your name servers are at a host or an independent provider such as Cloudflare, the transfer does not touch DNS; the records stay as they are.

If your name servers belong to the old registrar, it may switch off DNS after the transfer. To avoid that, first copy every record (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, especially SPF, DKIM and DMARC) to the new DNS provider, then change the name servers and confirm with the DNS propagation check that the change is visible everywhere. Start the transfer after that.

Time and cost

Topic	Generic extensions (.com, .net, .org…)
Duration	Usually 5–7 days; within hours if the old registrar approves.
Cost	One year of renewal at the new registrar; one year is added to the expiry date (up to 10 years in total).
Remaining time	Kept; the transfer adds a year and does not erase the existing ones.
Blockers	Lock, wrong code, registration/transfer in the last 60 days, unpaid invoices or a dispute.

Country-code extensions work differently

Country-code extensions have their own rules. Some use a different method instead of a code (for .uk, for example, the registrar tag is changed), and a transfer does not always add a year. Turkish .com.tr and .tr domains are transferred between accredited registrars through TRABİS; see the guide to .tr registrars.

After the transfer

Look the domain up again: the new registrar, the expiry date and the clientTransferProhibited lock should show.
Test the website, sending and receiving e-mail and the SSL certificate.
Add the domain to Watch so you hear about it if the registrar, the name servers or the expiry date change.

Sources

This guide summarizes public information and is not legal advice. Rules can change; the official texts and announcements prevail.