What Is a Domain Transfer?
Domain transfer is the practice of switching a domain name from one registrar to another.
A domain transfer meaning is simple – it is a process only for transferring a domain name. Services like web hosting, emails, etc. remain with the existing web hosting provider.
Before getting into more details, it’s important to understand domain transfer meaning.
Domain Transfer Meaning: A domain name transfer is changing of a domain name’s registrar whereas a transfer of domain ownership is a change in the entity who owns the domain name.
Why Transfer a Domain Name?
1. Cost and value
A domain registrar determines pricing based on the products and services they sell.
Some registrars offer free perks with the domain registration (like email forwarding, URL forwarding, and more).
2. Domain management and user-friendliness
Domain name management should be hassle free without any stress.
It is essential to choose a registrar that helps with ease of use and offers add-on features like email and hosting
3. Customer support
A domain transfer process involves obtaining a domain transfer key after which one can transfer domain name to new host.
For a successful domain name transfer, the process of getting a domain transfer key and the subsequent steps of name server change etc. must be very smooth.
24x7x365 support is a fundamental requirement to transfer domain name to new host.
At Exabytes, our team is present 24x7x365 to provide you support for any kind of issues, queries, doubts that you.
How to Transfer Domain From One Registrar to Another?
There are three essentials to a successful domain name transfer.
- The domain name governing body i.e. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) prescribes that a domain name should have been with a registrar for a minimum of 60 days before it can be transferred. Therefore, it is essential to wait for 2 months before a switch is made to overcome a registrar lock. This applies for domain names which have been registered as new and for a domain which has recently been moved.
- Any domain name which is to be transferred must be in an unlock status with its current registrar. A domain transfer key cannot be generated when a domain is locked.
- When one wants to transfer domain name to new host, its admin contact and domain registrant information must be up to date. If it is not so, then the domain transfer key and all other important domain transfer details will go to an incorrect email address.
The actual steps involved in a domain transfer are as below.
- Update the contact information
- Set up an email sending domain name.
- Unlock the website domain.
- Request for an authorization code.
- Make sure the domain is eligible for a transfer.
- Create an account with the new registrar.
- Enter the authorization code.
- Authorize the domain transfer.
Related topic: How to Transfer Domain to Exabytes
Does domain transfer affect website hosting?
A domain name transfer by itself does not result in any downtime or unavailability to website hosting.
There may be some downtime once the domain name transfer from old registrar to new registrar AND uses the default nameservers of the new registrar.
Does transferring a domain name affect custom email address?
When you transfer a domain name, it does not impact email hosting services.
There could be some impact if the custom email address is hosted with the domain provider.
To overcome this, one must transfer the email account’s MX records to the new registrar while transferring the domain.
This ensures that the email account is linked to the domain name.
As a policy – Exabytes Singapore makes no changes to the name servers of a domain during the transfer process.
Exabytes helps with domain transfer, webhosting, email hosting and multiple other related services.
Will the website go down during a domain transfer?
There will be no downtime for the domain if the DNS to the domain isn’t managed by the current registrar.
Is it safe to transfer domains?
It is absolutely safe to transfer the domain. However, one must ensure that the domain is unlocked when the domain transfer is initiated.
There could also be registrars who mandate that Whois privacy protection be removed before attempting to transfer a domain.
How long does a domain transfer take?
A domain transfer takes anything between 7-10 days commonly. It is important to note that transferring a domain does not affect the Nameservers.
Also, nameservers cannot be updated until the domain transfer is successfully completed.
Can I make changes to a domain while it’s being transferred?
There cannot be any changes made in the domain name when it’s actively in the domain transfer process.
Additionally, there are some other actions that cannot be performed while a domain name registrar transfer is in progress. These are:
- Update nameservers.
- Change the WHOIS registration information.
- Renew domain registration.
If there is an urgent need for any of these actions to be performed, the domain name transfer process must be cancelled by the outgoing registrar.
Alternatively, one may have to wait for standard 5-7 business days for the domain transfer process to finish.
Can I transfer an expired or expiring domain name?
A domain name have to be in an active state for it to be transferred.
If there are 10 days or less for the domain to expire, most domain registrars request that the domain name be renewed for a year before transferring.
Related article: How Often Do You Have to Renew Domain Names?
How Do I Prepare My Domain Name for Transfer?
A domain transfer requires you to follow the below steps to ensure a smooth transfer
- Unlock the domain name.
- Disable the domain’s privacy settings.
- Ensure the admin contact information is updated and correct.
- Get the transfer authorization code from previous registrar, also known as an EPP code. Depending on your registrar, you may need to contact them directly for your code.
- Ensure the domain is at least 60 days old or opt-out of your domain lock.
- Ensure there are no pending legal issues or litigation on the domain name itself.
*An authorization code or domain transfer key (also called authorization code, EPP key, or AUTH code) is actually a code supplied by your existing registrar when moving a domain name to a different registrar.
Exabytes domain transfer service helps you transfer your domain from your old registrar.
If you need any assistance, guidance or even a consultation session on the process and requirements, please feel free to connect with our team.
Related article: Difference Between Domain Transfer and DNS Update
