Transfer a domain to another registrar

To move a domain to a different registrar: unlock it at your current registrar, get its authorization (EPP) code, start a transfer at the new registrar and enter the code, then approve the transfer if you're asked to. Transfers usually finish within 5–7 days, and they normally add a year to the registration.

Before you start

1. Check the 60-day rule. Registrars may refuse a transfer within 60 days of registration or of a previous transfer, and nearly all do. A change to the registrant's name, organization or email can also start a 60-day transfer lock, unless you opted out before the change. These limits are currently 60 days at most registrars.
2. Check the expiry date. Don't leave a transfer to the last few days before expiry. If the domain has already expired, renew it at the current registrar first.
3. Make sure the registrant email works. Approval messages and codes often go there.
4. Write down your current nameservers. For an Oogle-hosted domain, they're the two Cloudflare nameservers we sent you. You'll want the new registrar to keep them.
5. Check DNSSEC. Some registrars ask you to remove it before a transfer (Squarespace does). See DNSSEC basics.
6. Let us know with a short Website Support ticket, so we can watch for any effect on your website or email.

Transfer the domain

1. At your current registrar, turn off the transfer lock.
2. Request or reveal the authorization code. Exact labels for seven registrars are in Transfer locks and authorization codes, by registrar.
3. At the new registrar, start a transfer (often called "transfer in") for the domain.
4. Enter the authorization code when asked.
5. Choose to keep the current nameservers, if the new registrar asks.
6. Pay for the transfer, which normally adds a year to the registration.
7. Approve the transfer if an email asks you to, and watch for messages from both registrars.
8. When the transfer completes, sign in to the new registrar and check the nameservers.

You'll know it worked when

The new registrar lists the domain in your account, and ICANN Lookup shows the new registrar's name. Your website and email carry on as normal.

To confirm the nameservers didn't change during the move:

dig ns example.com @1.1.1.1

Replace example.com with your domain. You should see the same two Cloudflare nameservers as before. Without a command line, enter the domain at Google Public DNS, select Resolve, and check the NS records.

Troubleshooting

• The transfer was refused straight away. Usually the domain is still locked, the code was mistyped, or you're inside a 60-day window.
• No approval email arrived. Check spam, and check the registrant email at the old registrar. Your domain privacy service may forward messages; see WHOIS, RDAP and domain privacy.
• The website or email stopped after the transfer. The new registrar may have replaced the nameservers with its own. Put the two Cloudflare nameservers back (see How to change your domain's nameservers) and tell us.
• The domain stopped resolving entirely. A DNSSEC mismatch is likely. See DNSSEC basics.
• You're moving the domain to Cloudflare Registrar. Domains registered there must use Cloudflare nameservers. If the domain will sit in your own Cloudflare account, open a ticket first so we can agree how DNS will work.
• The transfer is taking longer than a week. Ask the new registrar for the status; it can see where it's stuck.

Next steps

• Transfer locks and authorization codes, by registrar
• How domain registration, renewal and expiry work