Domains
Move your domain without moving your website
A registrar transfer changes who manages the registration, not where the site lives. Your DNS records, nameservers and email keep working throughout.
Before you start
Transfers fail for administrative reasons far more often than technical ones. Check these first and the move is routine.
- Unlock the domain at your current registrar
- Copy the authorisation (EPP) code, which some registrars hide behind a menu
- Make sure you can read email at the registrant address on the domain
- The domain must not be within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer
- The domain must not be expired beyond the registry grace period
- Note your current nameservers so you can confirm nothing changed afterwards
How the transfer runs
- 1
Start it in your account
Enter the domain and the authorisation code. The transfer price is shown before you confirm; it normally includes one added year.
- 2
Approve the email
The registry emails the registrant address for approval. Click the link; if you do not, the transfer expires on its own.
- 3
Wait for the registrars
Most transfers complete in five to seven days. Your current registrar can release the domain earlier, and the status is visible in your account.
What does not change
Your website stays online
The transfer does not touch DNS or nameservers, so the domain keeps resolving to the same hosting throughout.
Your email keeps flowing
MX records stay where they are. If email is hosted with the old provider, stay on their DNS or move DNS deliberately after the transfer.
Your DNS records stay intact
Records are managed at the nameservers, which the transfer does not move. Only change nameservers if you actually want to change DNS provider.
Your registration term is preserved
The remaining time is kept and a completed transfer usually adds a year on top, extending the expiry date.
Why a transfer can be refused
- The domain is still locked at the current registrar
- The authorisation code is wrong or has been regenerated since you copied it
- The domain was registered or transferred less than 60 days ago
- The registrant email is not verified, so the approval email cannot be delivered
- The current registrar disputes the transfer or the domain is in a legal or billing hold
- The extension does not support transfers between registrars in the usual way
If a transfer is refused, the reason appears against the domain in your account. Send us a ticket with the domain name and we will tell you which side needs to act.
Questions people ask
What do I need before starting a transfer?
Three things: the domain must be unlocked at the current registrar, you need the authorisation (EPP) code from them, and the registrant email address must be one you can read, because the transfer has to be approved by email.
How long does a transfer take?
Most transfers complete within five to seven days. The registry controls the schedule, and the current registrar can approve the transfer early. We keep the status visible in your account the whole time.
Will my website go offline during the transfer?
No. A registrar transfer does not touch your DNS records or nameservers, so the site keeps resolving as before. Keep the existing nameservers unless you are deliberately moving DNS as well.
Does a transfer extend my registration?
A completed transfer normally adds one year to the domain expiry date, and the transfer is charged at the registry transfer price shown in your account. Some extensions handle this differently, and the price shown at checkout is authoritative.
Can every domain be transferred?
Domains cannot be transferred within 60 days of registration or of a previous transfer, and expired domains are handled differently by each registry. If a transfer is refused, your account shows the reason and our team can advise on the next step.
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