What happens when you transfer a domain

A domain transfer moves your registration from one registrar to another — the company that manages your domain name. The domain itself stays the same, your website keeps working, and your email continues to function. The registrar change is mostly behind-the-scenes; your visitors and email contacts notice nothing.

The process takes three to five business days once you start it. During that time, your domain is locked to prevent accidental transfers, then unlocked, moved to the new registrar, and locked again at the destination. You pay a transfer fee (usually $8 to $15) and your registration period extends by one year automatically.

You need three things before you begin: access to your current registrar account, an authorization code from that registrar, and the new registrar's name and website. The authorization code proves you own the domain and want to move it.

Key Takeaways

  • You must unlock your domain at your current registrar and request an authorization code before the transfer can start.
  • The authorization code is a unique string of characters that proves ownership; your current registrar emails it to you or displays it in your account dashboard.
  • The new registrar initiates the transfer on their end, and you confirm it by clicking a link in an email sent to your domain's administrative contact address.
  • Your domain stays active and your website and email work normally throughout the transfer process, which takes three to five business days.
  • You will pay a transfer fee to the new registrar, and your registration period automatically extends by one year.

Step 1: Log into your current registrar and unlock the domain

Go to your current registrar's website and sign in with your account credentials. Common registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, Network Solutions, and 1&1 IONOS. If you are not sure who your registrar is, search for your domain at WHOIS.net — the results show the registrar name.

Once logged in, find your domain in the account dashboard. Look for a section called "My Domains," "Domain Management," or similar. Click on the domain name to open its settings. Find the lock icon or a toggle labeled "Domain Lock" or "Registrar Lock." Click it to unlock the domain. This step is required; registrars lock domains by default to prevent unauthorized transfers.

Unlocking takes effect when ready. You do not need to wait. Move to the next step right away.

Step 2: Request the authorization code from your current registrar

While still in your domain settings, look for a button or link labeled "Authorization Code," "Auth Code," "Transfer Code," or "EPP Code." (EPP stands for Extensible Provisioning Protocol — different registrars use different names for the same thing.) Click it. Your registrar will either display the code on screen or email it to the administrative contact address on file for the domain.

The code is a string of 8 to 16 characters, usually a mix of letters and numbers. Copy it exactly as shown — spaces and capitalization matter. If your registrar emails it, check your inbox and spam folder. Some registrars send it within seconds; others take a few minutes.

Keep this code safe. You will need it in the next step, and it usually expires after 60 days if unused.

Step 3: Start the transfer at your new registrar

Go to your new registrar's website. Look for a button or link that says "Transfer Domain," "Move Your Domain," or "Domain Transfer." Click it and enter your domain name in the search box. The registrar will check whether the domain can be transferred and show you the transfer fee (usually $8 to $15) and the new expiration date (one year from today).

Add the domain to your cart and proceed to checkout. You will need to create an account at the new registrar if you do not already have one. During checkout, you will be asked to enter the authorization code you received in Step 2. Paste it exactly as you copied it.

Complete the payment. The new registrar will then send a confirmation email to the administrative contact address on file for the domain — usually the email address you provided when you first registered it.

Step 4: Confirm the transfer by email

Check the email inbox for the address listed as the administrative contact on your domain. You should receive an email from the new registrar with the subject line "Domain Transfer Confirmation" or similar. The email contains a link you must click to confirm the transfer.

Click the link. This confirms that you authorized the transfer. If you do not click the link within a set time (usually 5 to 7 days), the transfer request expires and you must start over.

After you confirm, the new registrar sends a request to your old registrar. Your old registrar then has a set time (usually 5 days) to approve or deny the transfer. Most registrars approve automatically unless there is a problem with the authorization code or the domain is locked.

What to expect while the transfer is in progress

Your website and email continue to work normally during the transfer. You do not need to do anything else. The registrar change happens in the background.

You can check the status of your transfer in your new registrar's account dashboard. Look for a section called "Pending Transfers" or "In Progress." The status will show whether the transfer is waiting for confirmation, pending approval from the old registrar, or complete.

The entire process usually takes three to five business days from the moment you click the confirmation link. Once complete, your new registrar becomes the official registrar of record for your domain. You will manage all future renewals and settings through the new registrar's dashboard.

Common problems and how to fix them

The authorization code does not work. Check that you copied it exactly, with no extra spaces before or after. If it still does not work, go back to your old registrar and request a new code — the first one may have expired. Authorization codes are usually valid for 60 days.

You do not receive the confirmation email. Check your spam and promotions folders. If it is not there, log into your new registrar's account and look for a "Resend Confirmation" button. If you cannot find the email address on file, contact your new registrar's support team with your domain name and the email address where you expect to receive the confirmation.

Your old registrar denies the transfer. This is rare but can happen if the domain is too new (less than 60 days old), if you have an unpaid balance, or if the domain is locked. Contact your old registrar's support team to ask why the transfer was denied. They will tell you what to fix before you can try again.

The transfer takes longer than five days. Check the status in your new registrar's dashboard. If it shows "Pending Approval," your old registrar has not yet approved it. Wait one more business day, then contact your old registrar's support team if it still shows pending. If the status shows "Complete," the transfer is done and you can manage the domain through your new registrar.

After the transfer is complete

Once the transfer is complete, your new registrar is now the official registrar of record. You will receive a confirmation email from the new registrar. Log into your new registrar's account and verify that all your domain settings are correct — nameservers, DNS records, and contact information should all match what you had before.

If you use custom nameservers (for example, if your website is hosted elsewhere), make sure they are still pointing to the correct host. Most transfers preserve nameserver settings, but it is worth checking. If your website or email stops working after the transfer, the nameservers are usually the cause.

You can now delete your account at the old registrar if you wish, though some people keep it for reference. Your domain will not renew through the old registrar — all future renewals happen through the new one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a domain if it is less than 60 days old?

Most registrars do not allow transfers of domains registered less than 60 days ago. If your domain is newer than that, wait until the 60-day mark has passed, then start the transfer process. Some registrars have different rules, so contact your registrar if you are unsure.

Will my website go down during the transfer?

No. Your website and email continue to work throughout the transfer because the nameservers (the servers that point your domain to your website) do not change unless you change them. The registrar change is separate from the nameserver settings.

What if I entered the wrong email address as the administrative contact?

You will not receive the confirmation email. Log into your old registrar's account, find your domain settings, and update the administrative contact email address to one you can access. Then request a new authorization code and start the transfer again.

Do I have to transfer my domain right away, or can I wait?

You can wait as long as you want. The authorization code expires after 60 days, but you can request a new one whenever you are ready. There is no penalty for waiting, and your domain will continue to work at your current registrar.

What happens to my domain renewal date after the transfer?

Your registration period extends by one year automatically as part of the transfer. So if your domain was set to renew on January 15, 2025, it will now renew on January 15, 2026. You pay the transfer fee once, and that covers the one-year extension.