How do I transfer a domain name?

Transferring Domain Names is a relatively easy process.  Sadly there are several areas where transfers can grind to a halt ? mainly due to the fact that there will be around 5 or 6 separate parties dealing with your transfer!  However, the process itself is fairly easy, and if you understand what should be happening, it will make your transfer a lot easier.

To begin with, it is important that you bear in mind that there is always an Administrative fee somewhere for every transfer, into or away from a company.  Some companies (NuBlue, for instance!) are very nice and absorb this fee for you.  Some companies do not ? so, for example, if you are transferring a domain to NuBlue, we won?t charge you for it, but your current Registrar may bill you.

Secondly, the transfer process depends on the type of domain you have.  For this guide, we will deal with .com transfers ? they are the most common domain name, and they also form the template for many transfers ? and we will also deal with .co.uk transfers, as they are slightly different compared to other domain names (and, it has to be said, a lot easier to move).

Transferring a domain name will not cause any down time for your web site.  The existing information for your domain name ? i.e., who it is registered to, what the DNS records are etc ? will transfer across with your domain.

Finally, you cannot transfer any domain name within 60 days of initially registering it.  Domain names that require renewal cannot be transferred either, and changing DNS on a domain does not constitute transferring the domain to another registrar ? you will still have to pay your current registrar to renew the domain name every year (or every 2 years if you have a .uk domain).

.COM Transfers

First of all, you will need to unlock the domain (a locked domain will never transfer between registrars), and generate an EPP Authority Code.  This Authority Code will be used by your new registrar to request the domain and guards against illegal domain transfers.

You may be able to unlock the domain and generate the Authority Code yourself, depending on the options available to you with your current registrar.  If you are unable to do this, you will have to contact your current registrar and ask them to do this for you.

Once you have received the EPP Authority Code, you will have to supply this code to your new registrar.  They will then use this code to request the domain from your current registrar, who will recognise the code and accept the transfer.  The domain will now be transferred across to your new registrar and the transfer is complete!

It is worth knowing that a domain will often lock itself again if nothing has happened within a few days.

.CO.UK Transfers

Transferring a .co.uk domain is an incredibly easy process.  .UK domain names are assigned IPS TAGS, and these tags signify the company that is in charge of the registration of the domain name.  For instance, all .uk domains that are registered through eNom have the IPS TAG ?ENOM?.

To transfer a .uk domain, you need to find out what IPS TAG you need for your new registrar.  You should then contact your current registrar and request that they change the IPS TAG to the new TAG.

Once the TAG has been changed, your domain has transferred!

You may be able to change the TAG yourself, depending on the options available to you with your current registrar.