In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
First check that your business owns the domain, hosting and Google accounts. Then ask the old agency in writing for logins, a full backup and licence details, give the new agency access during an overlap of two to four weeks, and remove old access only after testing.
Before you give notice: check what you own
Start quietly. Check your contract for the notice period, handover obligations and who owns the design and code; our website design contract checklist lists the clauses to look for. Then confirm the essentials are already in your name.
Ownership check
If any of these are held by the agency, fix them first while the relationship is friendly. Our website ownership checklist explains each point. If the agency is not cooperating, see getting website and domain access back from an agency instead.
The full handover inventory
Send this list to the outgoing agency in writing with a target date. Ask them to hand over logins through a password manager share, not email or WhatsApp.
| Item | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Registrar name, account access or transfer code, renewal date | Lapsed domains take the website and email down |
| DNS | Export of all records, where DNS is hosted | Email and verification records live here |
| Hosting | Control panel login or migration copy, server details, PHP version | The new agency needs to run or move the site |
| Website admin | Administrator login; remove shared or agency-named admin accounts later | Content and settings access |
| Backups | Latest full backup (files and database) handed to you | Your safety net during the switch |
| Licences | Premium themes, plugins, fonts and stock images: whose account, expiry | May stop updating or be revoked when the agency leaves |
| Integrations | Payment gateway, forms, CRM, newsletter, chat, booking tools | Webhooks and API keys often sit in the agency's accounts |
| Documentation | Custom code, cron jobs, special settings, known issues | Saves the new agency days of discovery |
Domain and DNS: transfer only if you need to
You don't have to move the domain to a new registrar when you change agency. If it is already registered to your company on an account you control, simply give the new agency DNS access or make the changes yourself.
If the domain sits on the agency's reseller account, moving it to your own registrar account is worth doing. For .sg domains, the SGNIC FAQ explains the process: get a domain transfer password from the current registrar, give it to the new registrar, and SGNIC approves the transfer after 7 days if the losing registrar doesn't approve or reject it first. For .com and other generic domains, ICANN's Transfer Policy lets registrars deny a transfer within 60 days of registration or of a previous transfer, and applies a 60-day lock after a change of registrant unless you opted out.
Whatever you do, export every DNS record before any change. Losing MX or email authentication records is the classic way an agency switch takes email down.
Timeline: a switch with a parallel-run window
Paying both agencies for a short overlap is cheaper than a gap with nobody responsible for a broken site.
Week 0: check ownership and contract
Confirm you own the core accounts, read the notice period and decide the switch date.
Week 1: give notice and request the handover
Send the written inventory list and a deadline. Ask for a full backup and licence list first.
Week 2: new agency gets access
Add the new agency as users on hosting, website, Google and Meta accounts, with their own logins. They review the site and confirm the backup restores.
Weeks 2 to 4: parallel run
The old agency stays on call for questions. The new agency replaces licences, updates documentation and takes over updates and monitoring.
Switch day: remove old access
Remove the old agency's user accounts, change shared passwords, rotate API keys they set up, and end their reseller or billing arrangements.
After: test and confirm
Submit forms, place a test payment, check email delivery and confirm domain renewal billing is on your card.
Access to remove on switch day
Old access left in place is a security risk, even with a friendly agency, because their staff change too.
- Website admin accounts belonging to the agency or its staff
- Hosting control panel users, SFTP and SSH keys
- Registrar and DNS host user access
- Google Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager and Business Profile users
- Meta Business partner access and ad account roles
- Payment gateway, newsletter and CRM team members
- Any shared passwords the agency knew, plus API keys they created
If you are moving hosting at the same time, follow our guide to moving your website to a new host so email records are left intact.
Questions to ask the new agency
Use the switch to avoid repeating the old setup. Before signing, ask:
A good answer
- Accounts stay in your name; they are added as users
- Licences bought in your name or itemised
- You get a full backup on request and a written handover if you leave
- Clear monthly scope: updates, backups, monitoring, response times
Red flags
- They want the domain moved to their account
- "We'll handle all the logins" with no admin access for you
- Hosting only available on their server with no export
- No written exit or handover terms
Do it yourself or get help?
Collecting logins and running the inventory is something an office manager can do with this checklist. The technical parts, checking backups restore, replacing licences, moving hosting and cleaning up access, are where an experienced pair of hands saves time.
Our Website Migration (S$490) takes over a site from a previous agency or host, keeps email records intact and checks forms and payments. Afterwards, our Care plan (S$129 a month) covers updates, backups and monitoring on accounts you own.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your contract and who holds the accounts. If the domain, hosting and Google accounts are in your company's name, you can give a new agency access yourself. Code and design ownership follows the contract's intellectual property clause. Ask for handover items in writing and keep records of payments made.
No, not if the domain is registered to your company on an account you control. The new agency only needs DNS access. Transfer it only if it sits on the agency's reseller account. For .sg, get a transfer password from the current registrar; for .com, transfers can be refused within 60 days of registration or a prior transfer.
Two to four weeks suits most small business sites. That gives the new agency time to confirm a backup restores, replace licences, document the setup and take over updates, while the old agency can still answer questions. Align the end of the overlap with your notice period so you aren't paying for longer than needed.
If the agency bought them on its own developer licence, the licence usually stays with the agency, and your site stops receiving updates or support for those plugins. Ask for a licence list during handover and buy your own licences, or have the new agency replace them, before the old agency removes theirs.
Yes. Once the new agency confirms access, change every password the old agency knew, remove their user accounts, rotate API keys and webhook secrets they set up, and check for leftover admin accounts. This is routine housekeeping, not a sign of distrust, since agency staff and devices change over time.