TRANSFERS
How to transfer a domain in 2026: rules, timing and zero downtime
A domain transfer moves your name from one registrar to another. Done right, nobody notices: your website stays up, your email keeps arriving and, on most extensions, the domain gains a year. This guide covers the rules in force today, the steps in order, and what ICANN has approved to change.
Before you start: a five-minute checklist
- Check the dates. The domain must be more than 60 days old and must not have been transferred in the last 60 days. Look at the expiry date too: if it is very close, renew first or start the transfer at least two weeks ahead.
- Check the owner's email. Transfer notices go to the domain owner's email address on file. If it points to an old inbox, update it first, keeping in mind that changing the owner's name, organization or email can trigger a 60-day lock (see below).
- Copy your DNS records. Export or screenshot every record: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT (including SPF, DKIM and DMARC) and SRV.
- Unlock the domain. In your current registrar's panel, turn off the transfer lock.
- Get the authorization code. Request it from the same panel and treat it like a password.
The rules in force today
Transfers of generic domains such as .com, .net and .org follow ICANN's Transfer Policy. Registrars have had to apply the current version since 21 August 2025. These are the points that matter to a domain owner:
- 60 days after registration or a transfer. Your current registrar may deny a transfer requested within 60 days of the domain's creation date or of its last transfer.
- 60 days after a change of owner. When the owner's name, organization or email address changes, the registrar must apply a 60-day transfer lock, unless you opted out before the change.
- The authorization code. If your registrar has no self-service option, it must give you the code and remove the lock within five calendar days of your request.
- Five days to respond. Once the transfer starts, your current registrar has five calendar days to object for a valid reason. If it does not respond, the transfer is approved.
- Country extensions such as .co, .us or .com.co follow their own registry's rules, which are often similar but not identical.
What ICANN has approved to change
On 7 June 2026, ICANN's Board adopted the 47 recommendations of its Transfer Policy review. For domain owners, the two biggest changes are that the 60-day lock after a registration or transfer will be replaced by a mandatory 30-day (720-hour) lock, and the mandatory lock after a change of owner is set to be removed.
These changes are not in force yet. ICANN has not published an effective date, and registrars will need time to implement them. Until then, the 60-day rules above still apply. We will update this guide when the date is announced.
Step by step
- Unlock the domain and get the code at your current registrar.
- Start the transfer here. Search the domain on our transfer page, add it to the cart and enter the authorization code at checkout. For many domains, use the bulk transfer option and paste the list with their codes.
- Approve it or wait. Your current registrar may email you about the outgoing transfer. Approving it can speed things up; if you do nothing, it completes once the five-day window closes.
- Check the result. The domain appears in your account with its new expiry date. Turn on auto-renew so it never lapses.
How to keep your website and email online
Downtime almost never comes from the transfer itself. It comes from DNS, and there are two cases:
- Your DNS is hosted elsewhere (your web host, Cloudflare or another DNS provider). Nothing changes: the nameservers travel with the domain, and your site and email keep working.
- Your DNS is hosted at your current registrar. Some registrars delete the DNS zone when a domain leaves. Copy every record before you start and recreate them in your new account as soon as the domain arrives, or move your DNS to your host first and transfer afterwards.
Our 24/7 support team can review your records with you before you start.
What you keep and what you gain
- Your remaining time. On most generic extensions, one year is added on top of the current expiry date, so you lose none of the days you already paid for.
- Your name and settings. The domain, its nameservers and its records stay as they are.
- Exceptions. Some country extensions work differently. A .co.uk, for example, moves with a free "tag change" that does not add a year.
- Privacy. Domain privacy is included free on every extension that allows it. The .us registry does not allow it.
Why transfers fail, and how to fix them
- Wrong or expired code: request a new code and paste it without spaces.
- The domain is still locked: turn off the transfer lock, wait a few minutes and try again.
- Inside a 60-day window: wait until the date has passed.
- Expired or in its redemption period: renew or restore it at your current registrar first. A domain pending deletion cannot be transferred.
- Registry lock: some high-value domains carry an extra lock set by the registry at the owner's request. Your current registrar has to remove it first.
Frequently asked questions
Will my website or email go down during the transfer?
No, as long as the DNS records stay the same. If your DNS is hosted at your current registrar, copy every record before you start and recreate them as soon as the domain arrives.
How long does a domain transfer take?
Usually 5 to 7 days. Your current registrar has five calendar days to respond, and approving the outgoing request can make it faster.
Can I transfer a domain I registered less than 60 days ago?
Not under the rules in force today. ICANN has approved shortening this lock to 30 days, but the change has no effective date yet.
Do I lose the time left on my domain?
No. On most extensions the transfer adds one year on top of the current expiry date.
Can I transfer many domains at once?
Yes. Use the bulk transfer option: paste the list of domains with their authorization codes and approve them in one step.
Ready to move your domain?
The transfer includes a year on most extensions, and you renew at the same fair price every year.