A domain transfer is moving a domain registration from one registrar to another while you keep ownership of the name.
A domain transfer moves the management of your domain from one registrar to another. You still own the same name, and nothing about the address changes. What changes is the company you pay for renewals, the control panel you use to edit settings, and who you contact when something goes wrong.
For example, you might have registered example.com with one company years ago, then moved your hosting elsewhere. Transferring the domain to the same provider as your hosting puts your bills, DNS and support in one place.
How a domain transfer works
Transfers between registrars follow rules set by ICANN for generic extensions like .com and .org. The usual steps are:
- Unlock the domain at your current registrar by turning off the domain lock.
- Get the EPP code, the authorisation code that proves you control the name.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar and enter the code.
- Approve the transfer by email if asked. The old registrar may also give you a chance to cancel.
- Wait for the registry to complete it, which usually takes a few hours and can take up to five days.
Most transfers add one year to your registration, so you don't lose the time you've already paid for.
Will a domain transfer cause downtime?
It shouldn't. A transfer changes who manages the registration, not where your website lives. As long as your nameservers and DNS records stay the same, visitors and email keep working throughout. Problems only appear if the old registrar was also hosting your DNS and deletes the zone once the domain leaves. Copy your records first, or point the domain at your new DNS before you start.
When you can't transfer a domain
A few things will block a transfer:
- The domain was registered or transferred in the last 60 days. This is the ICANN transfer lock.
- The domain lock is still on.
- The domain has expired or is in the redemption period.
- The registrant email address is out of date, so you can't receive the approval message.
- Country-code extensions such as .uk or .de have their own processes, and some don't use EPP codes at all.
Domain transfer vs changing nameservers
People often mix these up. Changing nameservers points your domain at a different DNS host, which is how you move a website to new hosting. A domain transfer changes the registrar. You can do either without the other, and moving your hosting doesn't require a transfer.
At AblePage, transfers in cost the same as a registration for that extension, and transfers away are free once the 60-day ICANN lock has passed. You can see prices on the domain registration page.