How does the domain transfer process work?
To make things easier, we will give names to the parties involved.
- Customer: This will be the domain owner
- Oldreg: This is the registrar that currently has the domain registration (the losing registrar)
- Newreg: This is the registrar that the owner is moving the domain to (the winning registrar)
In this case, Customer is transferring their domain from Oldreg to Newreg.
Step 1: Customer contacts Oldreg and requests the EPP or transfer code. They also make sure that the domain is unlocked and the email on file is active. This is also a good time to ensure the nameservers are correct, as they may not be able to update them after the domain transfer is started.
Step 2: Customer contacts Newreg, requests the domain transfer, and provides them with the EPP or transfer code. Newreg will most likely create an invoice for the domain transfer (this is typically just a one-year renewal).
Step 3: Once Customer processes any required invoices, Newreg now contacts Oldreg and submits a transfer request.
Step 4: Oldreg then sends a verification email to the email address listed in the domain's contact information, requesting that the recipient verify they want to transfer the domain.
Step 5: Once, and only once, Customer verifies the transfer request, then Oldreg approves the transfer. The domain status will now show as pendingTransfer, and the transfer should complete within 5-7 business days from the time it was verified (not initiated). During this time, the domain will remain active, but Customer may not be able to make changes to the nameservers or contact information.
Step 6: Once the transfer completes, Newreg will (typically) send an email to Customer to advise that the domain transfer has completed and is now with Newreg.
Important Domain Transfer Notes
There are a few things you should know about domain transfers:
- Whenever you update the contact information on the domain, it may be locked for 60 days, which prevents you from transferring the domain. If you want to transfer the domain before renewal, you will need to plan ahead.
- If you need to update your contact email, it is advisable not to use an email address from the same domain as the one in question. For example, if your domain is example.com, it is not good practice to use an email that ends in @example.com. If the domain is disabled for any reason, there would be no way to contact you to correct the issue.
- If you are also changing your hosting, it is a good idea to update your nameservers before starting the transfer process. This way, you will not experience any service disruptions during the transfer.
How do I transfer my domain to a new registrar?
Overview
While moving your domain to a new registrar is not quick (this is intentional to protect domains from being stolen), it is not difficult. In this guide, we will show how to transfer your domain to us from another registrar or how to transfer a domain to a new registrar.
Domain Transfer Prep
There are several things to check before transferring a domain to a new registrar. Most of this can be done from within your client area.
- Nameservers: If you are migrating your domain services at the same time, you may want to update your nameservers before the transfer process begins. If your nameservers are synced before the transfer starts, there will be no downtime when the transfer completes.
- Contact Information:
- Very Important: If you update your contact information, a 60-day hold will be placed on your domain, making it ineligible for transfer. This hold is an ICANN policy and cannot be waived.
- The contact information associated with your domain should always be kept up to date, as required by ICANN.
- While most of the information can be updated after the transfer, the email address must be set to an active mailbox that you have access to. If you cannot verify the transfer request sent to the email address on the registration, the transfer will fail.
- Domain Lock: Ensure your domain is unlocked before attempting to transfer it. You can unlock your domains from the Managing Domain page in your client area.
- Domain Privacy: You should not need to disable domain privacy on the domain, but if the transfer fails, you may want to disable it and try again.
- Domain Status: Ensure the domain is not expired and does not have any holds. You will want to check with your current registrar to ensure the domain is available for transfer.
- EPP or Transfer Code: Finally, and possibly the most important thing you will need is the domain EPP or transfer code. You will need to request this from your current registrar. Typically, they will email the code to you.
How do I transfer a domain into my account?
To transfer a domain to us, you will first need the Transfer Authorization Code (also known as the EPP code) from your current registrar. You will also need to make sure that your domain is unlocked and eligible for transfer. You may need to contact your current registrar to ensure the domain is ready for transfer.
Step 1: Go to: https://manage.christianwebhost.com/ or click the "Login" button located at the top right of our website. Unless you change them, your login details are the email address and password used when the account was created.
Step 2: Once logged in, click the Domains block to navigate to the My Domains page.
Step 3: From the Actions menu on the left, click Transfer in a Domain.
Step 4: Once the Transfer Domain page loads, fill in the required fields.
- Domain Name
- Authorization Code
Step 5: Enter the captcha code and then click Order Now. This will take you to your order summary. The “transfer fee” is for a one-year renewal of the domain.
Step 6: Once the order is processed, the domain transfer will be initiated.
Step 7: You will now want to keep an eye on your emails, as your current registrar will send you an email requesting that you verify the transfer.
Step 8: Once the request is verified, the domain transfer will proceed, and the domain status should change to pendingTransfer. Once in this status, the transfer should complete within 5-7 business days.
How do I transfer a domain out of my account?
To transfer a domain to another registrar, you will need to do a few things first:
Step 1: Go to: https://manage.christianwebhost.com/ or click the "Login" button located at the top right of our website. Unless you change them, your login details are the email address and password used when the account was created.
Step 2: Once logged in, click the Domains block to navigate to the My Domains page.
Step 3: Select the domain you wish to update by clicking the row. You can click anywhere on the box, except the domain name (this will take you to the domain’s website).
Step 4: Once you are on the domain management page, you should see the Manage menu to the left. Select Contact Information and ensure that your email address is set to an active mailbox. Important: If the email is not active, this will need to be updated before the domain is available for transfer. However, if you update it now, the domain will be locked from transfer for 60 days. Unfortunately, this is ICANN policy and not something we can waive.
Step 5: Next, select Registrar Lock and ensure it is unlocked.
Step 6: Additionally, disable ID Protection if you have this service. It can be found in the Addons menu.
Step 7: Finally, select Get EPP Code. This is the code that your new registrar will need to start the transfer process. This will either be displayed on your screen for you to copy or emailed to the email on the domain contacts (not necessarily your account email address).
Step 8: Once your new registrar initiates the transfer process, you will receive an email requesting that you verify the transfer.
Step 9: Once the request is verified, the domain transfer will proceed, and the domain status should change to pendingTransfer. Once in this status, the transfer should complete within 5-7 business days.