How to Transfer a Domain Between Registrars Without Downtime

Moving a domain from one registrar to another is routine, and it should not take your website or email offline. Outages happen because people confuse the registrar (where the domain is registered) with the DNS host (where records are served), or let the domain expire while a transfer is stuck. This guide gives a safe sequence, explains the restrictions that block transfers, and shows how to keep DNS answering throughout. The differences between registrar, registry and DNS host are explained in DNS explained for website owners.

What a transfer changes, and what it does not

A transfer changes the sponsoring registrar, the company that holds your registration record and bills you. It does not change where your website is hosted, and it does not by itself change your nameservers. If you keep the same nameservers, DNS keeps working during and after the transfer.

Most gTLD transfers also add one year to the registration, and you pay the new registrar for that year. The remaining time you had does not disappear for gTLDs; the extra year is added on top, up to the maximum registration period. Prices and rules for ccTLDs differ.

The risk comes when the transfer is combined with a DNS host change. If your registrar also hosts your DNS for free, moving the domain out may end that service. Plan for it before you start.

Before you begin: preparation checklist

1. Confirm you are the registrant and can receive email at the contact address in WHOIS. Transfer approvals and notices go there. Check your current record with the WHOIS lookup. If WHOIS privacy hides the email, make sure the forwarding address works.
2. Check expiry. Do not start a transfer in the last days before expiry. If the transfer does not finish in time, you can be left in a messy state. Many registrars recommend several weeks of margin; renew first if it is close. Use domain expiry watch to see the date.
3. Check status codes. In WHOIS, look for clientTransferProhibited (the lock). serverTransferProhibited or pendingDelete, redemptionPeriod or clientHold indicate other problems that block a transfer.
4. Check the 60-day rules (see below).
5. Export your DNS zone. Download or copy every record from the current DNS host. A zone export or screenshot is the best insurance.
6. Decide where DNS will live. Either keep the existing nameservers, or move DNS first (see change nameservers without downtime), or let the new registrar host the zone. Do not combine these steps in one shot.
7. Disable DNSSEC if you use it and plan to change DNS providers, or coordinate DS records carefully. A mismatch breaks resolution for validating resolvers. See DNSSEC explained.

The 60-day rules

ICANN's transfer policy contains two situations that stop transfers for 60 days:

• New registrations. A newly registered domain cannot be transferred to another registrar for 60 days after registration. This is a registry-wide ICANN restriction.
• Registrant changes. After a change to the registrant's name, organization or email, a registrar must lock the domain against transfer for 60 days, though registrars can let you opt out of that lock before making the change. Policies vary, so read your registrar's help pages before editing contact details if you plan to move the domain soon.

There is also a limit after a transfer: many registrars block another transfer for 60 days after a completed one. Check your losing and gaining registrar's terms, because those rules are partly contractual.

If you are blocked by a lock, you generally just wait. Registrars cannot normally override the ICANN restriction on new registrations.

Step-by-step transfer

1. Unlock the domain at the current registrar

Find "Domain lock", "Registrar lock" or "Transfer lock" in your control panel and turn it off. Technically this removes the clientTransferProhibited status. The change is usually immediate, though WHOIS may take a short while to reflect it.

2. Get the authorization code

The code, called an auth code, EPP code, transfer key or authinfo code, proves you are authorized to move the domain. Request it in the panel or by contacting support. ICANN requires registrars to provide it within five calendar days of your request, and it is typically instant. Newer ICANN policy changes call it a Transfer Authorization Code (TAC) with stricter generation and expiry rules, so some registrars issue codes that expire after a limited time. Use it promptly and copy it exactly, since a code with a trailing space fails.

3. Start the transfer at the new registrar

Create an account at the new registrar, add the domain to your cart as a transfer, paste the auth code, and pay. The new registrar contacts the registry, which notifies the old registrar.

4. Confirm the approval emails

The registrar currently holding the domain may email the registrant to approve or reject the transfer. Approve it to speed things up; otherwise, many registrars let it auto-approve after five days if you do not respond. The five-day period is typical for gTLD transfers, and it can be much quicker if you approve immediately.

5. Watch the status

While pending, the domain may show pendingTransfer. When complete, the sponsoring registrar changes in WHOIS, and the new registrar's panel shows the domain as active. Most transfers finish in a few days.

whois example.com | grep -iE 'registrar:|status:|expir|name server'

6. Verify nameservers and records

Immediately after the transfer, confirm that the nameservers are what you expect. Some registrars reset nameservers to their default on transfer, which would take your site offline if the zone is not at that host. Check with the nameserver lookup or:

dig +short NS example.com
dig +short example.com A
dig +short example.com MX

If the nameservers changed, set them back at the new registrar straight away, since resolvers will begin picking up the new delegation after the old TTL elapses.

7. Re-enable lock and review settings

Turn the registrar lock back on, set auto-renew, enable two-factor authentication on the new account, and confirm WHOIS contact data and privacy. Confirm the new expiry date.

Keeping DNS and email working throughout

The golden rule: change one thing at a time.

1. If your DNS is at a third-party host (Cloudflare, Route 53, your hosting company), you do not need to touch it. Transfer the registration and leave the nameservers as they are.
2. If your DNS is at the old registrar, first copy the zone to a standalone DNS host, switch the nameservers at the registrar, wait for propagation (see how long does DNS propagation take), and only then start the transfer.
3. If the new registrar is also the DNS host, you can replace nameservers after the transfer, again with the zone pre-built and a reduced TTL.
4. Make sure MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification TXT records are in the new zone before any nameserver switch. Compare old and new with the DNS checker, and compare history with the DNS history tool.

During the whole process, monitor the site and mail. The uptime monitor can alert on DNS changes and downtime in minutes.

Common problems and fixes

After the move

• Add a calendar reminder and monitoring for renewal. Domains lapse more often after a registrar move, because notices go to a new account that nobody checks. Learn the timeline in domain expiry grace and redemption.
• Keep the old account until you are sure everything works, then remove saved payment details.
• Document where the domain is registered and where DNS is hosted, so the next person does not have to rediscover it.

Next steps

• Review the current registrar, expiry and status codes with the WHOIS lookup.
• Verify delegation using the nameserver lookup and compare records with the DNS checker.
• Set up expiry reminders with domain expiry watch.
• Compare past records using DNS history.

FAQ

How long does a domain transfer take?

For many gTLDs, up to five days if you do not approve the request manually, and often faster if you do. ccTLD transfers vary by registry.

Will my website go down during the transfer?

Not if the nameservers stay the same. A transfer changes the registrar, not where DNS is served. Downtime is caused by changing or resetting nameservers incorrectly.

Can I transfer a domain that is about to expire?

It is risky. Renew first or allow plenty of margin. Transfers can fail or time out near expiry, and recovery is more complex if the registration lapses mid-transfer.

Do I lose the time left on my registration?

For most gTLDs, the transfer adds a year to the existing term, so you do not lose remaining time. Check your registrar's policy and the specifics for country-code domains.

This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.