How to transfer a domain?
Domain transfer is a process of passing the domain from one Registrar to another. Transfer rules might differ for some TLDs.
For the domain transfer to go smoothly you might want to check the FAQ of both Registrars (the releasing one and accepting one) for guidelines. As transfer rules differ between TLDs, there can be several articles dedicated to domain transfer. So you need to find the article for corresponding TLD and follow the steps. While following your current Registrar’s domain transfer guide you should receive an Auth code (a.k.a. EPP code, Authorization code, or AuthInfo password).
Now you go to the receiving party (Registrar) and follow their guidelines on transferring the domain in. As a result, your domain will be transferred to another Registrar.
What issues you might face during transfer?
Even if you follow the Registrar’s guidelines, there might be a few issues with the transfer process. Some ccTLDs (like .de or co.uk) might have additional transfer requirements. For example, the current domain contacts should match the contacts indicated in the account on the side of the accepting Registrar. So it is better to change the domain contacts before transferring such domain.
Alternatively, the current domain holder can create an account with the accepting Registrar, transfer the domain there and afterward transfer the domain within the same Registrar to avoid the hustle with the domain contacts. Some Registrars also have domain ownership checks that might make the transfer process a bit harder.
The vast majority of gTLDs (.com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, etc.) have no additional rules or requirements and can easily be transferred. There might be a status ‘Domain transfer prohibited’ set for a domain but it can be removed by Registrar’s support team or via the domain control panel.
There are many peculiarities to domain transfers and we couldn’t list them all here, so we mentioned the most common ones. If you would like us to add some details that we didn’t mention in the article, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.
You might want to check out our rating of best WHOIS services that will be helpful in domain-related matters.
