A transfer lock is the 60-day period after a registration or a transfer during which the domain can't be transferred again.
A transfer lock is a waiting period during which a domain can't be moved to another registrar. Under ICANN's transfer rules for generic domains like .com, .net and .org, it applies for 60 days after a domain is first registered and for 60 days after it has been transferred between registrars. During that window, a domain transfer request will be refused.
So if you register a domain on 1 March, you'll typically have to wait until the end of April before you can transfer it elsewhere. If you then transfer it, a fresh 60-day lock starts at the new registrar.
Why the transfer lock exists
The lock is a protection against fraud. Domain hijackers sometimes take over an account, then move the domain quickly from registrar to registrar to make it hard to recover. Forcing a 60-day wait gives the real owner time to notice and dispute the move. It also makes it less attractive to register domains with stolen payment cards and move them straight away.
Transfer lock vs domain lock
These two are easy to confuse:
- Transfer lock (60-day): set by policy, starts automatically after registration or transfer, and you can't switch it off.
- Domain lock (registrar lock): a status you control in your registrar account. It blocks transfers until you unlock the domain, which you do when you're ready to move.
- Registry lock: a stronger lock at the registry level that needs manual verification to change.
To transfer a domain you need the 60-day period to be over, the domain lock turned off, and the EPP code from your current registrar.
Other changes that can trigger a transfer lock
Many registrars also apply a 60-day lock after a change of registrant, such as a new owner name or organisation. ICANN's rules let the registrant opt out of that particular lock when making the change, though not every registrar offers the option. Country code domains like .uk follow their own registry's rules, which can be quite different.
How to check if your domain has a transfer lock
- Look up the domain's creation date in WHOIS or RDAP, and check when it last changed registrar.
- Count 60 days from the most recent of those dates.
- Check the domain's status codes. A status of clientTransferProhibited means the registrar lock is on, which you can usually remove yourself.
If you're still inside the 60 days, there's nothing to do but wait. AblePage doesn't charge to transfer a domain away once the 60-day ICANN lock is over.