Can I transfer my
domain name from my current registrar.
Top
Domain names can easily be
transferred from one registrar to another. There are over 100 different registrars that
are accredited with
ICANN, the regulatory board that oversees the .com, .net, and org, domain registrations. Most registrars don’t charge an extra
fee for the transfer, just a minimum one-year extended registration fee.
How do I initiate a
transfer order request? Top
Login to your domain home page and
click "Transfers", "Domain Search" or "Domain Login". Click on the
"Transfers" hyperlink. You will see the following screen:
Fill in the domain names
you would like to transfer. Create your own password that you will
use to late manage your domain through the domain control panel if and
when your transfer is successful. Fill out contact info which
needs to be complete and accurate. Then click on the "Transfer"
button at the bottom of the form.
You will go to the next
screen which is the Payment Information:
Fill in your credit card
information and expiration date and click "Purchase". Please note
that your credit card is pre-authorized when you initiate a transfer
order but it is only charged if and when the transfer is successful.
Transfer Confirmation
When you initiate a new
transfer order your current registrar is contacted on your behalf to let
them know you would like to transfer your domain(s). You will most
likely receive a confirmation email from your current registrar.
You will also receive for security, one or more auto-verfication emails
sent with a confirmation link to verify the transfer request from us.
Make sure to check the
email that is listed on the whois database record for the legal
registrant and/or the administrative contact. ( You can check your
whois database record quickly at http://checkdomain.com ) If this is an
old email that you do not check or have access to, you won't be able to
confirm the domain and the transfer will be rejected. You may need to
update your contact record with your current registrar to reflect a
current email you have access to.
Please allow 2-7 days for the transfer to be completed. You will receive
a status email at the end of this time frame to let you know if the
transfer is complete. You will not be able to access your domain with
your password from our home page until the transfer is successful and
complete.
I have many names at
different registrars. Can I transfer names in bulk?
Top
Yes, you can transfer up to five domain
names on the same transfer order.
When should I start to transfer domain that are about to expire?
Top
A domain transfer order request must be made before the current
registrar’s expiration date. First, a transfer order request must be
initiated. The date that is it received is the date your transfer
order has been initiated. In case of possible registrar rejection
and other errors or other problems that can occur during the transfer
process, it is best to start a transfer order several weeks before the
expiration date.
When I transfer a
domain name before the expiration date, do I lose any of the
registration time I had paid for already?
Top
In most cases, when a domain name is transferred, an additional year of
registration is added on to the expiration date. For example, if a
domain is set to expire 6-01-2002 and it is successfully transferred to
another registrar in May 2002, a full year of registration is added on
starting at the expiration date. This makes the new expiration
date effective 6-01-2003. In this way, domains can be
transferred in the middle of a registration year with essentially no
loss of registration time already paid for.
There is one exception
to this, however. After a domain has been renewed at the same registrar,
if the domain is transferred in the next 45 days, the added one year of
registration time will be lost. If the transfer takes place after 45
days of the last renewal date, then the typical full year of additional
registration is added.
Can I still transfer my domain if the expiration date has already
passed? Top
Domain names cannot be
transferred from one registrar to another if there is an outstanding
invoice due for the domain. Once the expiration date passes for domain
renewal, there is an outstanding invoice in effect from the current
registrar (until at least a one-year renewal is paid), which prevents
the domain from being able to be transferred.
Since the expiration
date has already passed on my domain name, what can I do to prevent
losing the name? Top
If the expiration date has passed, you will need to renew the domain for
one year with your current registrar. You can choose to transfer the
domain right after your renewal, but if it is less than 45 days since
the last renewal, you will lose that added year of renewal registration
from the other registrar. After 45 days you will keep the renewal year.
Many registrars will retain the domain in a grace period 10-30 days
after expiration. After the expiration date, your domain is put “on
hold” pending renewal payment. Once you make the renewal payment
during that time, your domain name is updated with another year of
registration. You can then transfer the name to another registrar,
but you will lose the one-year registration if you transfer the
name less than 45 days after the renewal date.
Another option is to try and
re-register your domain after it totally drops off, but this is risky
because someone else could register your domain.
Can I transfer a new domain I recently registered with another
registrar? Top
A domain name cannot be transferred to a new registrar in the first 60
days after its initial registration with the current registrar.
After 60 days has passed, the domain can be transferred to another
registrar. This applies only to “new” domain registrations – there
are different guidelines for renewals.
When a domain name
is transferred, is there any change to the nameserver information?
Top
When a domain name is transferred, there is no change to the current
nameserver information if an outside nameserver has been used (such as
the nameserver of a web hosting company). If a nameserver of the
former registrar was used (an example would be a "parking page" or
"under construction" page provided by the registrar), then after the
transfer these settings would stay the same. You can easily
update nameservers 24/7 from your domain
control panel.
Will I need to confirm the transfer with a confirmation email from my
current registrar?
Top
After a transfer order request is made, the current registrar may ask
for email confirmation from the legal owner or administrative contact to
verify the request to transfer. It is important to check the email
that is listed in the whois database and promptly reply to any
confirmation email. This is one common problem that can delay or
disqualify a transfer order request.
How long does it take for
a domain transfer to take place?
Top
It usually takes between 2-7 days for the transfer to be complete.
How is payment handled
when I initiate a transfer order?
Top
Your credit card is pre-authorized when you initiate a transfer
order but it is only charged if and when the transfer is successful.
Can I transfer my domain away to another registrar in the future?
Top
Yes, in your domain control panel scroll down to the bottom and unclick
the box for "Registrar Lock". This will make your domain available
to be transferred to another registrar if your would like.
What can I do to protect my domain from an unauthorized transfer by
another party? Top
You can protect your domain by
activating "Registrar Lock". This prevents an outside source
from transferring your domain to another registrar in their
account by falsifying documents and requests.
On the domain control panel
for your domain name, scroll down the bottom of the screen and choose
“Registrar Lock” feature and update. You can deactivate this
feature at any time if you would like to transfer to another registrar.
My
transfer was rejected - What could have gone wrong?
Top
There are several reasons that your
transfer might be declined or rejected. Please review below and then
resubmit your request for a new transfer order if it is still before the
expiration date. (Please note that your credit card was not charged if
the transfer did not go through)
1) You need to respond to one or more verification / confirmation
emails. One is from us, and one may be from your current registrar. You
need to respond to these emails within an allotted time period (Verisign
/ Network Solutions requires a response to accept/decline a transfer
request within 72 hours, we require a response within 6 days - others
registrars may vary or not require a verification email).
2) If your current registrar requires a verification email it would have
been sent to the email listed in the current whois database. You may not
have checked that email if it isn't an email address that you check on a
regular basis.
3) Your current email listed in the whois database may not have been
valid or functional.
4) A domain name cannot be transferred to a new registrar in the first
60 days after its initial registration with the current registrar. After
60 days has passed, the domain can be transferred to another registrar.
This applies only to “new” domain registrations – there are different
guidelines for renewals.
5) You may have made the transfer request after the domain's expiration
date. Domain names cannot be transferred from one registrar to another
if there is an outstanding invoice due for the domain. Once the
expiration date passes for domain renewal, there is an outstanding
invoice in effect from the current registrar (until at least a one-year
renewal is paid), which prevents the domain from being able to be
transferred.
Many registrars will retain the domain in a grace period 10-30 days
after expiration. After the expiration date, your domain is put “on
hold” pending renewal payment. Once you make the renewal payment
during that time, your domain name is updated with another year of
registration. You can then transfer the name to another registrar,
but you will lose the one-year registration if you transfer the
name less than 45 days after the renewal date.
Another option is to try and
re-register your domain after it totally drops off, but this is risky
because someone else could register your domain.
6) Your current registrar may have a registrar lock feature. Contact
your registrar directly to turn this off.
7) Your registrar may have refused to respond or release it. Call and
email your registrar to verify and confirm your transfer request. Your
registrar may have a minimum number of years to keep the domain before
transferring.
My transfer
was not successful - what can I do now?
Top
At this point since your most recent transfer order was not successful,
you can start again and initiate a new transfer order.
You can do this only if it is done prior to the expiration or renewal
date. If the expiration date has passed, you will need to renew
the domain for one year with your current registrar. You can choose to
transfer the domain right after your renewal, but if it is less than 45
days since the last renewal, you will lose that added year of renewal
registration from the
other registrar. After 45 days you will keep the renewal year.
When you initiate a new transfer order, make sure to check the email
that is listed on the whois database record for the legal registrant
and/or the administrative contact. For security, one or more
autoverfication emails will be sent with a confirmation link to verify
the transfer request. ( You can check your whois database record quickly
at http://checkdomain.com ) If
this is an old email that you do not check or have access to, you won't
be able to confirm the domain and the transfer will be rejected. You may
need to update your contact record with your current registrar to
reflect a current email you have access to.
Write down the password you enter during the transfer order sign-up
process. When the transfer is successful, you will be able to
login to manage your domain with this password from our home page.
Please allow 2-7 days for the transfer to be completed. You will receive
a status email at the end of this time frame to let you know if the
transfer is complete. You will not be able to access your domain with
your password from our home page until the transfer is successful and
complete.
FYI - Your credit card is pre-authorized when you initiate a transfer
order but it is only charged if and when the transfer is successful.
