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How to Transfer a Domain Name to a New Provider

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Introduction

So, you just got an expiration notification from the company where you registered your super cool domain name a few years ago.  You could let it auto-renew, except now you've found a better provider and would rather have your super cool domain at the new provider.  Luckily the process is very easy, and only takes a week or two to complete, so it should be able to be completed in plenty of time if you start right after you get your 1-month-prior expiration notice.


Process Overview

The process consists of 6 basic steps to be completed at your old and new provider:

At Your Old Provider (where you are transferring the domain FROM)

Step 1: Do WHOIS lookup to verify your Administrative Contact email address will reach you directly; modify if required.
Step 2: Unlock the domain.
Step 3: Request a Transfer Authorization Code.

At Your New Provider (where you want to transfer the domain TO)

Step 4: Initiate transfer process and pay the fee (which also adds an extra year of service)
Step 5: Enter your authorization code when emailed by new provider (at the Administrative Contact address)
Step 6: Lock domain at new provider

Process Details - Real-World Example


Here I will give details behind each of the steps above.  In this example, I will transfer a domain from Network Solutions to MyDomain.  Back in the early days of the internet, I registered my wife's domain with Network Solutions for 10 years.  Since then, better and cheaper providers have risen, and through some research and experience, I have decided that MyDomain is the best around.  They have some of the best prices, they give you some features for free that other providers charge a lot for or don't even offer, and when you call their support, you get real people.

Anyway, here's the detailed process at those providers.

At Your Old Provider (where you are transferring the domain FROM)

Step 1: Do WHOIS lookup to verify your Administrative Contact email address will reach you directly; modify if requried.

Do a WHOIS database lookup to verify the email address
  1. Go to MyDomain
  2. Click WHOIS lookup at the bottom left of the page.
  3. Enter the domain, (and the captcha)
  4. Scroll down to verify the email address for the Administrative Contact
Modify if required:
  • Be aware that any change you make to the Adminstrative Contact can take up to a full day to propagate to the WHOIS database, so don't expect instant results.
  • If the address is outdated, you will need to update it at your old provider. 
  • If the address is one you don't recognize, it's because you have a Private Registration service at your old provider.  You'll need to turn that off. 

Step 2: Unlock the domain.

This is called different things depending on the provider.  Network Solutions calls it "Domain Protect."  MyDomain calls it "Transfer Lock."  Whatever it's called, it prevents your domain from being transferred, and you need to deactivate it.


Step 3: Request a Transfer Authorization Code.

At Your New Provider (where you want to transfer the domain TO)

  1. Initiate transfer process and pay the fee (which also adds an extra year of service)
  2. Enter your authorization code when emailed by new provider
  3. Lock domain at new provider
Add Services
Change WHOIS contact info