Changing your domain registrar does not have to be complicated or risky. Transfers are a routine process governed by ICANN rules for generic domains and by CIRA for .ca domains. With the right preparation, your domain moves seamlessly with zero downtime.
Why You Might Transfer a Domain
The most common reasons to transfer a domain include:
- Better pricing - renewal rates vary significantly between registrars
- Consolidation - keeping all your domains at one registrar simplifies management and billing
- Better support - switching to a registrar with stronger customer service
- Better features - such as improved DNS management, domain privacy, or an easier-to-use control panel
- Your current registrar is closing - rare, but it does happen
Whatever the reason, the transfer process is the same.
Step 1: Check Eligibility
Before you can transfer a domain, it must meet a few conditions:
- The domain must be more than 60 days old from the date it was registered or last transferred. ICANN enforces this lock to prevent domain hijacking. If your domain was just registered or recently moved, you will need to wait.
- The domain must not be within 30 days of expiry - some registrars extend this, but it is safest to transfer well before the expiry date. A transfer extends your registration by one year.
- The domain must not have a transfer lock at your current registrar (see Step 2).
Step 2: Unlock the Domain at Your Current Registrar
Most registrars apply a transfer lock to domains by default as a security measure. You need to disable this before a transfer can proceed.
Log in to your current registrar's control panel, find the domain you want to transfer, and look for a setting called "Transfer Lock," "Registrar Lock," or "Domain Lock." Toggle it off. Some registrars require you to confirm this via email.
Step 3: Get the EPP/Authorization Code
The EPP code (also called an Authorization Code, Auth Code, or Transfer Key) is a unique password that authorizes the transfer. Your current registrar is required to provide this to you on request.
Look for an option in your domain management panel to "Get EPP Code" or "Request Authorization Code." The code is usually emailed to the domain's registered email address within a few minutes to a few hours.
Note: .ca domains managed by CIRA use a slightly different process - you request the authorization code through your current registrar, and CIRA sends it to the registrant email on file.
Step 4: Initiate the Transfer at the New Registrar
Go to the new registrar - such as dotCanada - and use the domain transfer tool. Enter your domain name and, when prompted, paste in the EPP authorization code.
You will typically pay for one additional year of registration as part of the transfer. This extends your expiry date by one year from when it would have expired, not from the current date - so you are not losing any registration time you already paid for.
Step 5: Confirm the Transfer
After initiating the transfer, you will receive confirmation emails at the domain registrant address. You may need to click a link to approve the transfer, or it may proceed automatically after a waiting period.
ICANN allows up to five days for the transfer to complete. Most transfers finish within 24 to 48 hours. During this window, your domain continues to function normally - your website stays up and email continues to work uninterrupted.
What Happens to Your DNS During a Transfer?
Your DNS settings (which point your domain to your hosting server and mail servers) remain in place throughout the transfer. The domain transfers to the new registrar, but your DNS records stay the same unless you actively change them.
If you were using your old registrar for DNS hosting, you may want to switch to dotCanada DNS or Cloudflare DNS beforehand to avoid any dependency on the old registrar.
After the Transfer
Once the transfer completes, log in to your new registrar and confirm:
- Your DNS records are correct
- Domain privacy protection is enabled
- Auto-renewal is turned on so the domain does not accidentally expire
- Your contact information is accurate
Transferring a domain is a routine operation. With a bit of preparation, it is one of the easiest moves you can make in managing your online presence.
