Guides 1 min read · Updated
How to Transfer a Domain: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Moving your domain to a new registrar? Here is the complete transfer process — EPP codes, unlocking, and avoiding downtime.
Transferring a domain to a new registrar sounds technical, but it is a simple, well-defined process. Done right, your website and email keep working the whole time. Here is exactly how to do it.
Before you start
- The domain must be at least 60 days old and not transferred in the last 60 days (an ICANN rule).
- You need access to the email on the domain's admin contact.
- Have your current registrar login ready.
Step 1 — Unlock the domain
Log into your current registrar and turn off the "Registrar Lock" / "Transfer Lock" for the domain.
Step 2 — Get the EPP (Auth) code
Find the EPP code (also called auth code or transfer key) in your current registrar's panel. This is the password that authorises the transfer.
Step 3 — Disable WHOIS privacy temporarily
Some registrars block transfers while privacy is on, because the verification email can't reach you. Turn it off for now — you can re-enable free WHOIS privacy after the transfer completes.
Step 4 — Start the transfer at the new registrar
Begin the transfer order, enter the domain and the EPP code, and pay. A domain transfer usually adds one extra year to your registration, so you are not losing time.
Step 5 — Approve the transfer
You will receive a confirmation email. Click the approval link. Approving speeds things up; otherwise it auto-completes after a few days.
Step 6 — Wait for completion
Transfers usually finish within 5–7 days, depending on the extension and how quickly the current registrar releases the domain. You will be notified when it is done.
Will my website or email go down?
No — as long as you do not change your DNS/nameservers, your site and email keep running throughout the transfer. The transfer only changes who manages the domain, not where it points.