General

If a domain is transferred to a new registrar, this is called a domain transfer.

Even if the reasons for a domain transfer are different, there are at least uniform guidelines for the rules to be followed. The ownership of the domain in question remains unaffected by a domain transfer, only the responsible entry in the registry database is changed, which determines which registrar is responsible for the administration of this domain and its owner.

Procedure

For the procedure of a domain transfer the corresponding Wikipedia article is quoted at this point:

The starting point is always the end customer, i.e. the owner of a domain. His first contact is the future registrar, who then contacts the current registrar via the responsible registry:

1. 1. The registrant (end customer) authorizes and legitimizes himself to the future registrar.
2. The registrant applies to the future registrar for the transfer of the domain to be transferred.
3. The future registrar forwards the request to the parent registry (if necessary after additional reconfirmation by the domain owner).
4. The registry contacts the current registrar and asks for approval or rejection (if there is no response within five days, it is considered as approval).
5. The current registrar sends an e-mail to the customer's administrative contact.
6. The administrative contact confirms the transfer (if there is no confirmation, it is considered as a refusal).
7. The current registrar forwards the confirmation or rejection to the parent registry.
8. The registry performs the transfer by making changes in its database.

If the transfer is carried out as a service through a third party (e.g. a hosting provider), the latter can act as an intermediary between the registrant and the registrar, handling individual or all interactions with the registrars involved on behalf of the latter. The registrant only has to provide him with the documents for legitimation and authorization.

Notes

Using the example of transferring a .biz, .com, .info, .net or .org domain, the following steps are necessary:

1. After requesting the transfer, our backend system sends a confirmation email to the owner / admin-c of the domain (based on the whois data). To initiate the transfer, it is successful that this email is confirmed.
2. After this confirmation the transfer is initiated by the responsible registry and the giving registrar receives a transfer request.
3. The donating registrar then sends an e-mail to the owner / admin-c, which should allow to deny the transfer. If there is no response to this email, the transfer will be automatically completed after 5 days.

Transfer notes

A domain transfer must be initiated with a so-called Authorization Code, which can be obtained from the Owner or Admin-C via the current registrar. It must be ensured that the domain to be transferred does not have a lock status (registrar lock or HOLD). If the domain is locked, then the owner can request that it be unlocked.

A domain must be at least 60 days old to be transferred. Otherwise the transfer will be denied.

Transfer time

Usually transfers are successfully completed after 5 days.

Other domain names have similar mechanisms, for more detailed info feel free to contact us.