How to Transfer a Domain: EPP Code & the 60-Day Rule
Last updated: 23 September 2026
A domain transfer is the process of changing the company a domain is registered with. The domain is always yours; only its management moves from one provider to another. Done correctly, your site and email move with no downtime. This guide walks through the process step by step, along with the pitfalls.
Pre-transfer checklist
- The domain is at least 60 days old. ICANN rule: a domain cannot be transferred in the first 60 days after registration or after a previous transfer.
- It is not expiring soon. Do not start a transfer on a domain that is within its last 15 days; renew it at the current provider first.
- Your WHOIS contact email is current and accessible. The approval email goes there.
- You have noted your DNS records. Nameservers, A/CNAME/MX records — to check after the transfer.
Transfer step by step
1. Remove the transfer lock at the old provider
Domains come transfer-locked by default (registrar lock / clientTransferProhibited). In your current provider's panel, under the domain settings, turn off the "Transfer lock" or "Registrar Lock" option.
2. Get the EPP (Auth) code
The EPP code — also called "Auth Code", "Authorization Code" or "Transfer Key" — is the password that proves the transfer is authorised by you. You obtain it in the old provider's panel via "Show/send EPP code"; some providers email it to your registered address.
! @ # $ %. Copy and paste it, do not type it by hand — a single wrong character will get the transfer rejected.
3. Start the transfer request at the new provider
Enter the domain and the EPP code on the new provider's "Domain Transfer" page. Payment is taken (explained below).
4. Confirm the approval email
A confirmation link is sent to the administrative (admin) email address in WHOIS. You click the link and approve the transfer. If you do not approve it, the transfer cancels itself after 5 days (for some extensions it completes automatically).
5. Wait
The old provider has up to 5 days to reject or approve the transfer. Your domain keeps working during this time. When it completes you receive a notification email from the new provider.
Is a transfer paid? What happens to the term?
| General extensions (.com, .net, .org) | .tr extensions | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | One year's renewal fee | Usually free |
| Effect on term | +1 year added to the current term | Term unchanged |
| Completion | ~5 days (faster with approval) | Usually faster |
So with a .com transfer, the situation "I paid for a year but the term did not extend" does not happen — the year you pay for is added on top of the current expiry date.
Will my site go down during the transfer?
No — as long as you do not change your nameservers. The transfer only changes "which company the domain is registered with"; as long as your DNS stays the same, nothing is interrupted.
If you want to move to the new provider's DNS, first recreate every record (A, CNAME, MX, TXT) identically in the new DNS, and then change the nameservers. Do it in the reverse order and your site and email will be down for a while. Details: DNS Records Guide.
Why is a transfer rejected?
- The domain is not 60 days old (newly registered or recently transferred)
- The transfer lock is still on
- The EPP code is wrong or expired
- The WHOIS contact email is incorrect → the approval email does not arrive
- The domain is in the "redemption" period or in a legal dispute
- The registrant name/organisation was changed in WHOIS within the last 60 days (some registries apply a 60-day transfer lock)