"Starting a transfer" and "completing a transfer" are two different events with very different wait times. Starting it takes minutes: you enter the domain name and EPP code at the new registrar. Completion depends on how quickly the registrant confirms the request and whether the previous registrar raises an objection — it's this second stage that stretches out over days.
Domain transfer checklist
| Step | Action | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remove the transfer lock | At the current registrar |
| 2 | Obtain the EPP/Auth code | At the current registrar |
| 3 | Check the WHOIS contact email | whois.domaintools.com |
| 4 | Start the transfer | At the new registrar |
| 5 | Confirm it by email | At the email from WHOIS |
| 6 | Wait for completion (5–7 days) | — |
Points to keep in mind
- The domain must have been registered more than 60 days ago
- A transfer extends the registration by 1 year
- DNS records are not carried over automatically — configure the NS records at the new registrar in advance
- WHOIS Privacy must be temporarily disabled so that the confirmation email can be delivered
The WHOIS Privacy requirement stems from ICANN's 2016 transfer confirmation policy: the confirmation request email goes to whatever address was on file for the registrant contact at the moment the transfer started. If that contact is hidden behind a privacy service's proxy address, the email may physically fail to reach you in time — the proxy isn't obligated to forward it instantly.
Moving DNS without changing the registrar
# Changing the NS servers (to move DNS without changing the registrar)
# In the registrar control panel:
NS1: ns1.newdnsprovider.com
NS2: ns2.newdnsprovider.com
# Checking the update
dig yourdomain.com NSChanging NS is not the same thing as transferring between registrars: it doesn't require an EPP code, has no 60-day restriction, and takes effect as fast as the NS record's TTL in the parent zone allows. A detailed breakdown of the difference between delegation and a registrar transfer is in the article transferring a domain to ZevsHost.
Error Messages When Starting a Transfer
| Message | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The Domain Name Registrant has not approved this transfer request | The registrant didn't confirm the Form of Authorization (FOA) email within the allotted 5 days | Request the email again and confirm it as soon as it arrives |
| Transfer prohibited by the Registry | The zone registry placed a server-side block, for example due to an open domain dispute | Contact registry support or wait for a resolution, see the UDRP procedure |
| The requested authorization code is incorrect | The code is outdated or was copied with a mistake — often a trailing space | Request a new code from the current registrar |
| Domain is locked (60 Day Lock) | Fewer than 60 days have passed since registration or a change to the registration data | Wait out the ICANN lock period |
Most of these messages are worded not by the registrar itself but by the EPP protocol in response to a request — the exact text may differ a little between panels, but the error code and its cause stay the same, because the standard is set by the registry, not by any one company.
Registrar Changes With Special Procedures by Zone
| Zone | Special procedure | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| .ua | No EPP transfer like gTLDs have — transfer happens via a request and a code from the .UA registry | the .ua registry's own policy |
| .uk | Instead of an auth code, changing registrars uses an IPS Tag change | Nominet — the .uk registry |
| .de | Transfer via AuthInfo2, which is only valid for a limited period — usually 30 days | DENIC — the .de registry |
Before starting a transfer in a zone like this, always check the current policy page for that specific registry rather than relying on the general gTLD instructions — procedures change, and what was true two years ago may have shifted to a new authentication scheme since.
Verifying the Registrar Change
# Confirm the registrar shown has changed
whois yourdomain.com | grep -i registrar
# Confirm the domain has left pendingTransfer status
whois yourdomain.com | grep -i statusNo errors in these two commands doesn't mean everything is fine with the site and mail themselves — the registrar and DNS delegation are independent of each other, see the checklist in the article configuring DNS for a domain.
When This Checklist Doesn't Apply
- An internal transfer between accounts at the same registrar (a push) — no EPP code is needed, this isn't a transfer between registrars
- The domain is in pendingDelete status after its registration expired — restoration is needed first, not a transfer
- A ccTLD zone with its own registrar-change procedure — the ICANN Transfer Policy formally doesn't apply to it, see the table above
- A bulk move of a portfolio of dozens of domains — that needs the registrar's bulk tool, not a single-domain form, see managing a domain portfolio