In this guide · 8 sections
- 01Before you start: can this domain be transferred?
- 02Keep DNS running during the transfer
- 03How to transfer a .com domain, step by step
- 04How long a .com transfer takes and what it costs
- 05WHOIS privacy and contact details after the move
- 06Common reasons a .com transfer fails
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Check the domain is over 60 days old and has not changed registrar or owner details in 60 days. Copy your DNS records, unlock the domain, request the EPP code, start the transfer at the new registrar and approve it. The old registrar has up to 5 days to release it.
Before you start: can this domain be transferred?
ICANN's Transfer Policy governs moves between registrars for .com and other generic domains. It lists the situations where the current registrar may, or must, deny a transfer. Check these before you pay anything.
| Check | Rule | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Domain age | Registrar may deny within 60 days of the creation date | Creation date on ICANN Lookup |
| Recent transfer | Registrar may deny within 60 days after a previous transfer | Updated date and registrar on ICANN Lookup |
| Owner details changed | 60-day lock after a Change of Registrant, unless you opted out | Your registrar account history |
| Expiry | Renew first if expired; Cloudflare advises waiting 45 days after a late renewal so the extra year is added | Expiry date on ICANN Lookup |
| Disputes | Registrar must deny during a pending UDRP proceeding | Only relevant if someone has filed a complaint |
ICANN's working group has recommended changes, including a shorter 30-day lock and renaming the code to Transfer Authorization Code (TAC), but ICANN's published policy page still lists the 60-day rules as of October 2026. Expect the terms 'EPP code', 'auth code' and 'TAC' to mean the same thing.
Keep DNS running during the transfer
A registrar transfer moves the registration, not your DNS records. That sounds safe, but many small businesses use the old registrar's free DNS without realising. When the domain leaves, that DNS service may stop, and your website and email go with it.
The safest order is to move DNS first and the registration second. Cloudflare's transfer guide requires exactly that: the domain must be active on Cloudflare DNS, with DNSSEC disabled at the old provider, before you can enter the code. If you keep DNS somewhere independent, such as Cloudflare or your web host, the transfer does not touch it.
Our guide to nameservers vs DNS records explains which setting points where, so you can tell what will move and what will not.
How to transfer a .com domain, step by step
The steps below work for moving to most registrars. Wording in each dashboard differs slightly.
Copy DNS records and note the expiry date
Save a full copy of the zone. Note the expiry date so you can check a year was added afterwards.
Check the registrant email works
Approval emails go to the registrant address. If it is an old staff mailbox, fix access first, keeping the 60-day lock rule in mind.
Turn off DNSSEC if DNS is changing
If the transfer also moves DNS to a new host, disable DNSSEC at the old provider first, wait for the DS record to clear, then switch.
Unlock the domain
Remove the transfer lock (clientTransferProhibited) in the current registrar's dashboard.
Request the EPP code
Ask for the authorisation code in the dashboard. ICANN requires registrars to provide it within 5 calendar days if you cannot generate it yourself.
Start the transfer at the new registrar
Enter the domain and the code, pay for the transfer (usually a one-year renewal) and confirm contact details.
Approve the transfer at the old registrar
Look for an email or dashboard prompt. Approving speeds things up; otherwise the old registrar has up to 5 days before the registry approves by default.
Check everything afterwards
Confirm the new registrar, the new expiry date, nameservers, website and email. Turn the transfer lock back on.
How long a .com transfer takes and what it costs
Active work is short; most of the time is waiting for the old registrar. Under the Transfer Policy, if the registrar of record does not respond within 5 calendar days of the registry's notice, the transfer is approved by default. Cloudflare's docs describe the active work as about 30 minutes, with up to 10 days in total depending on the registrar.
On cost, a .com transfer is normally charged as a one-year renewal added to your current expiry. Cloudflare's FAQ notes that for most generic domains a transfer adds one year, and that ICANN-governed domains are capped at 10 years, so a domain already registered for 10 years gains nothing. Compare renewal prices, not just first-year offers; our registrar comparison lists them.
WHOIS privacy and contact details after the move
Since ICANN's Registration Data Policy took effect, registrars redact most personal registrant data from public lookups, and the Transfer Policy was updated to match. You can still see a domain's registrar, status codes and key dates on ICANN Lookup, which is useful for checking locks and expiry before and after a transfer.
After the move, check the contact details at the new registrar. The registrant should be the company, with a shared company email. If you need to correct the owner details, remember that the change can trigger a fresh 60-day transfer lock, which only matters if you plan to move again soon.
Common reasons a .com transfer fails
- The domain is still locked at the old registrar
- The EPP code was mistyped, expired or regenerated after you copied it
- The domain is within 60 days of registration, a previous transfer or a registrant change
- The approval email went to a mailbox nobody can access
- The domain was registered through a website builder that does not let you change nameservers until it is transferred
- The domain has expired, or was renewed late and the registry has not settled the extra year
If a transfer fails, the domain stays at the old registrar and keeps working, so there is no outage from a failed attempt. Fix the cause and start again. If you cannot get into the old registrar account at all, see our guide on recovering domain access from an agency.
Do it yourself or get help?
Transferring a .com with DNS already hosted independently is a straightforward DIY job. The risk sits in the DNS: if the old registrar hosts your records and you skip the copy step, your email can stop for hours or days.
Domain transfer checklist
If you would rather not risk the email, our Domain & DNS Setup (S$99) transfers the domain into your name, rebuilds and checks the DNS for website and email, verifies HTTPS and sets auto-renew. The transfer fee itself is paid to the new registrar.
Frequently asked questions
An EPP code, also called an auth code or authorisation code, is a password-like string issued by your current registrar that proves you are allowed to move the domain. You enter it at the new registrar to start the transfer. ICANN's policy calls it the AuthInfo code, and a policy review recommends renaming it Transfer Authorization Code.
ICANN's Transfer Policy lets registrars deny a transfer within 60 days of a domain's registration or of a previous transfer. Changing the registrant name, organisation or email can also trigger a 60-day lock unless your registrar offers an opt-out. These rules exist to slow down domain theft.
Not if DNS is handled correctly. The transfer moves the registration, not your records. Downtime happens when DNS was hosted free at the old registrar and stops when the domain leaves. Copy all DNS records first, move DNS to the new provider and test it, then transfer the registration.
Usually between a few hours and about a week. Active work takes around 30 minutes. After you start the transfer, the old registrar has up to five days to respond, and if it does not deny the transfer, the registry approves it by default. Approving the request at the old registrar speeds things up.
No. For .com and most generic domains, a transfer adds one year to the existing expiry date, so the remaining time carries over. The exception is a domain already at the 10-year maximum term, which cannot gain an extra year. Check the new expiry date after the transfer completes.