Domain Transfer - How to go about it

Domain Transfer - How to go about it from Net4 India Ltd.

HOW TO TRANSFER A DOMAIN FROM ONE REGISTRAR TO ANOTHER



Domain Name Transfer



A domain name transfer is in effect. According to Domain name transfer of registration policy, a registered name holder of a domain can transfer the domain management from one registrar to another registrar. A registrar is responsible to carry out the management of records and it will not affect the website, DNS or the relevant email.

To carry out the domain transfer process, you should have a domain registered in your ownership and a registrar to transfer that domain. It is fairly a simple process, but we have to understand the workings, so that it would not get complicated while handling the procedures. Now let us see the steps involved in transferring the domain name registrations between the registrars.

Check with the domain name renewal date

The transfer of domain name may take upto 10 days. So if the renewal date of your domain is within 10 days, then it is good to renew with the current register so that it will not affect the hosted website or email service. The transfer of domain name to another registrar does not affect the website hosting or email services. So we need not worry about the transfer of domain name as it will not  bring down the working of the website.

Get ready with the EPP key to initiate the domain name transfer

The domain name transfer occurs between the current registrar and a new registrar. If the current registrar details are unknown, we can query by doing a WHOIS lookup of the domain name, which helps to find where the domain is registered and the administrative contact details of the registrar which we may need it later. The domain name transfer can be carried out only with the EPP which is also called as authorization key. It is a unique security code required by domain registry to initiate the domain name transfer. Logon to current registrar website and obtain the EPP key.

Check the lock status of the domain name for domain name transfer

To proceed with the domain name status, the domain name should be in the unlock status. Usually the registrar provide the ‘lock’ and ‘unlock’ facility to prevent fraudulent domain name transfer. This lock/unlock status of the domain name can be checked by doing a WHOIS lookup of a domain name.

Initiate the transfer to the new registrar with the EPP key and lock status of the domain name.

Once the EPP key is obtained, and the status of the domain name is checked in unlock position, the transfer procedure can be carried out. Go to the new registrar and initiate the domain name transfer. The EPP key obtained from the current registrar should be prompted while carrying out the transfer to the new registrar.

Approve the domain name transfer to the new registrar through administrative contact email.

The new registrar contacts the domain name owner through administrative contact email address to approve the domain name transfer. By clicking the link given in the email of the new registrar, the transfer is approved. The responding time is 5 days. The domain name owner may allow or deny the transfer. If the domain’s administrative contact email address is not known, it can be retrieved by performing a WHOIS lookup. 

Domain name transfer confirmed through New Registration Confirmation email

After the transfer approval from the domain name owner, the transfer usually takes about a couple of days or a week, which depends upon the new registrar. The successful (or failed) domain transfer is confirmed by confirmation email from the new registrar.

REASONS FOR FAILURE OF DOMAIN NAME TRANSFER

1.      If the EPP key is incorrect, the transfer cannot be carried out as it is needed by the domain registry.

2.      If the domain is in REGISTRAR LOCK status or Client Transfer Prohibited Status, the transfer cannot be carried out.

3.      If the administrative contact email address is not accessible, the transfer approval email cannot be received

4.      The time constraints also influence the activity of domain name transfer. According to ICANN transfer registration policy,   the domain transfer cannot be carried during the first 60 days of the registration or during the first 60 days of domain name registrar transfer.

5.      If the domain name registration with the current registrar has already expired, then it cannot be transferred to another registrar.

As per the transfer registration policy, the domain name transfer can be done without the approval of the losing registrar. The losing registrar can resist the transfer only under certain scenarios such as evidence of fraudulent domain transfer, court order, domain status in ‘REGISTRAR-LOCK’ for non payment of previous registration charges etc. All the requirements of domain name transfer are stated in detail in the ICANN policy on transfer of domain name registrations.