Transferring a domain is a kind of a tough job (If you don’t know what you are doing, we have make this process really simple for you, by the way, read on…) and one want to avoid this at all cost, but there are situation (outlined below) when you have no other option but to transfer your domain to other registrar.
- You are not satisfy with your current domain registrar for N number of reason and want to Transfer Domain Name
- You sold your Domain Name to someone else
Whatever you reason for transferring a domain is, keep these things in mind when you are about the transfer a domain.
- Make sure 60 days passed since you registered or last transferred your domain name
- You have to have all the contact details of domain, especially email address
- Unlocked the domain at old registrar
- Privacy protection removed (not necessary but most of registrar urge you to do that)
There are 2 parties (domain registrar) involved in Domain Transfer process, first one is your current (domain losing) registrar (we’ll call it Old Registrar) & the second one is your domain gaining registrar (we called it New Registrar).
Steps to Transfer a Domain Name
The steps mentioned below may be a bit different between domain name registrars, but the basic steps for transferring a domain name are the same.
1. Check & make necessary changes to your Domain settings at Old Registrar
Make sure you domain is unlock, if the domain you want to transfer is locked, it can’t be transfer, unlock the domain before the transfer to take place. Note that apart for domain unlocking, if you are using domain privacy protection; you need to remove it, because some domain registrars ask you to remove domain privacy protection before they initiate a transfer. You can check this with the new registrar to find out what are their requirements of a domain transfer.
2. Initiate Domain Transfer from New Registrar
After successfully completing the 1st step, you need to have all the details of the domain i.e. email address and possibly all the other contact information, because the New Registrar will try to contact you on these information. So make sure all the data is accurate and you have access to it. Log into control panel at the New Registrar, find the “Transfer” or “Domain Transfer” type of link, most registrars will have a prominent Transfer link on the control panel, where you can make the domain transfer request. If you don’t see the link, contact your (new) registrar or just Google it.
3. Confirm Domain Transfer
In this step to confirm that the domain name transfer request is from the original domain registrant, the New Registrar will contact you, usually by email, or the person listed as the domain name administrative contact in the whois records. This step lets domain name holders know if someone else is trying to transfer their domain away from them and prevents the transfer if the registrant doesn’t reply. So be careful and follow the steps asked in the email to initiate domain transfer.
4. Get the authorization code/Auth-Info or EPP
In the step you will be asked to provide a domain transfer authorization code or Auth-Info code, which you can get from the admin panel of old domain registrar. Once you get the code, follow the instructions in the email from the new registrar to confirm the domain transfer request within the specified time (usually 5 days). During this time frame, you will also get an email from old registrar informing you of about the pending transfer.
5. Wait for the Domain Transfer to take place
After you’ve done all of the above instruction successfully, you’ll probably receive an email from the new registrar informing you that the transfer will take place within the next 5 days. Once the domain transfer is completed, you will receive an email from the new registrar that the domain name transfer has been completed.
All in all if you properly follow the above steps carefully, transferring a domain is smooth process without creating any trouble for you. We have reviewed top domain registrars, feel free to read it before you choose your new registrar.
