Domain Transferring

By USWebworx-Clayton | January 2, 2020

I currently use Namecheap for my domain names registering and renewals, far better experience than any of the others!

If you need help with another Registrar please use the form to the right to contact me for help!

How to Transfer a Domain

When you are transferring a domain registration from one Registrar to another, there are specific steps you will need to take to prepare your domain. Below are the details to prepare your domain for transfer with your current Registrar and then submit the transfer request with Namecheap. Requirements may vary for some ccTLDs (for example .UK and .ES).
More details on the transfer process and on how to move from a specific Registrar can be found here.

Note: If your domain expired with your old Registrar and you renewed it with them, please do not transfer it within 45 days of the previous expiration date. Otherwise an extra year would not be added to your domain name since losing Registrar revokes renewal in such cases. And you’d lose renewal fees paid to the old Registrar.
Your website will experience no downtime if your domain is pointed to your host's custom DNS servers (hosting or private nameservers). To minimize downtime during transfer in case your domain is using current Registrar's default DNS servers, please read this help article (optional).
Additionally, be aware that once a domain transfer is initiated, it won't be possible to update the domain's nameservers. If you need to perform any urgent DNS changes, make sure to do it before the transfer starts. Otherwise, you will be able to do it only upon the transfer completion.
Steps to transfer your domain to Namecheap:

1. Verify that the domain name is eligible for transfer.

To make sure your domain name can be transferred, sign in to your current Registrar and check the following:
  • The initial registration of the domain name was at least 60 days ago and the domain has been with your current Registrar for at least 60 days:

Per ICANN's Policy on Transfer of Registrations between Registrars, domains that are less than 60 days old or were transferred between Registrars within the last 60 days cannot be transferred. Please wait at least 60 days before transferring.

  • The domain name is not on hold with your current Registrar.

2. Prepare your domain for transfer:

  • Unlock your domain – remove the Registrar lock you may have set for added security;
  • Obtain the Auth/EPP code from the current Registrar:

Auth/EPP codes are required for all .com, .net, .org, .us, .biz, .info, .me, .co, .io, .ca, .tv, .in, .mobi, .cc, .pe, .com.pe, .net.pe, .org.pe, .tech, .top, .party, .loan, .faith and other new gTLD domains. If you cannot request an EPP code in account with your Registrar, contact them and ask to provide it to you.

3. Submit your transfer through your Namecheap account:

  • Once logged in, select Domains from the top menu and select Transfer;
  • Enter your domain name, then click 'Transfer';
  • On the next page, verify whether the domain is fully ready for transfer and enter the Auth code in the respective field;
  • Click the black 'Add to Cart' button, then click the red 'View Cart' button to the right of the page;
  • If you have a coupon code, enter it in the 'Promo Code' field, then click 'Apply';
  • Click 'Confirm Order' and proceed with the checkout.

Shortly after order submission, the transfer gets initiated at the Registry, and the domain acquires 'pendingTransfer' status. Transfers that have reached this stage are automatically confirmed within 5 days. Finally, it may take additional 24-48 hours for the Registry to complete the transfer.

You can locate the domains that you're transferring to us in your account. Go to Domain List, then select Filters -> Pending Transfer.

Avoiding possible payment issues during a promotion.

If you follow the steps above, your domain name transfer should be processed within just a few days. However, if you are preparing for a promotion, we recommend you take a few extra moments to check your payment options. The details below will assist you in getting the transfer initiated quickly, within the special, and without errors.

Have funds available within your account.
For best chances of getting into a promotion, especially one that has a time or usage limit, make sure your payment method will not give you any issues. Having the funds in your account is the best possible option. You can add funds to your account at any time. This will allow you to bypass any third party payment systems or bank errors on credit cards when completing your purchase.

To add funds to your account log in and click on Top-up next to Account Balance on the Dashboard page.
Don't forget to add an additional $0.18 ICANN fee for each com and net domain.

Have a credit card saved within your account settings.
If you prefer not to add funds to your account, we recommend you have a saved credit card within your account settings. You can do this on the Checkout Settings page.

More details on domain preparation & what can cause a transfer to fail.

There are a few things that will cause a domain transfer to fail. If you have followed the preparation steps, you have eliminated the majority of these possibilities. The information below will help you understand why you will take each of these steps:

Domain is not more than 60 days old or has been transferred within the last 60 days.
Per ICANN regulations, a domain that has been newly registered or transferred from one Registrar to another within the last 60 days is not eligible for transfer.

The domain is locked or on hold with the current Registrar.
Most domains will have a Registrar Lock in place for added security. We recommend you leave these in place unless you are transferring a domain from one Registrar to another. You should have access to remove these directly within your account at your Registrar. If you do not, contact their help department for assistance;
If the domain has a hold in place, it will be reflected in the domain status when you do a WHOIS lookup. These are usually put in place at either the registry or Registrar level. You will not have direct access to remove these and will need to contact the loosing Registrar for assistance in removing.

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