How do you transfer a domain? Domain transfer and hosting migration guide

How do you transfer .com and .net domains? Step by step

Transfers of domains with generic extensions (gTLDs) such as .com, .net and .org follow ICANN’s Transfer Policy. Although screens vary by registrar, the sequence proceeds as follows:

1. Remove the domain’s transfer lock in the current registrar’s panel.
2. Request the transfer code, meaning the EPP or auth code, from the same panel; the code appears in the panel or is sent to the registered email address.
3. Enter the domain using the transfer option at the new registrar, enter the code and pay the transfer fee.
4. Check the notification or approval email sent to the registered email address; do not click a link that stops the transfer.
5. When the current provider’s objection period expires, the transfer completes and the domain moves into the new provider’s panel.
6. Compare nameserver and DNS records individually in the new panel.

Under ICANN’s Transfer Policy, the registrar must provide the transfer code and remove the transfer lock within five calendar days of the domain owner’s initial request. The registry also completes the operation if the current provider does not reject the transfer within five calendar days.

Why does a transfer include a one-year extension?

The same policy states that a transfer authorized by the domain owner extends the existing registration by one year; the total remaining term can never exceed 10 years. In practice, the transfer fee pays for this one-year extension, and the existing term is not lost but added to. The rule is different for .tr extensions and is addressed separately below.

ICANN’s 60-day transfer lock and other rules

ICANN’s FAQ page for domain name holders lists three 60-day situations in which a transfer may be rejected or cannot take place:

• 60 days after initial registration: The registrar may reject the transfer request.
• 60 days after the previous transfer: The request may be rejected if the domain has recently moved to another provider.
• 60 days after a registrant change: A transfer to another provider cannot take place for 60 days after changing the registrant’s name, organization or email address; some providers offer an option to opt out of this lock.

The third item causes the most common planning mistake: changing the whois email or registrant immediately before transfer can postpone the transfer by two months. If the change is essential, first ask the provider about an opt-out; if the email is accessible, complete the transfer and update the information afterward.

The policy also limits the circumstances in which a registrar may reject a transfer. Nonpayment for a future registration period, or a payment problem between the provider and a partner (such as a reseller agency) when the registrant has paid the domain fee, cannot be used as grounds for rejection. Nonpayment for a previous or current period can be grounds for rejection; because ICANN can update its rules, checking the current text before proceeding is recommended.

.com.tr ownership changes and the TRABİS era

Management of .tr domains moved to the registrar model with TRABİS (.tr Network Information System), launched on September 14, 2022. Transactions previously conducted through nic.tr are now carried out through the registrar selected by the domain owner, and fees are paid to that registrar. From the same date, previously unallocated com.tr, net.tr and org.tr names not on restricted lists began to be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis without documentation.

For .tr extensions, the question of how to transfer a domain divides into two separate operations that are often confused: changing registrar and changing the rights holder. In the first, the domain owner stays the same and only the service provider changes; in the second, ownership of the domain changes.

Steps for changing registrar

Communiqué on Internet Domain Names states in Article 24 that changing registrar proceeds in this order:

1. The domain owner or an authorized party requests the authorization code through the current (losing) registrar’s website.
2. The losing registrar immediately supplies the domain owner with the authorization code transmitted by TRABİS.
3. Apply through the new (gaining) registrar’s website using this code; the gaining registrar forwards the application to TRABİS.
4. If the conditions are met, TRABİS forwards the request to the losing registrar; the losing registrar responds within 24 hours, and a request unanswered within that period is considered accepted.
5. TRABİS notifies the gaining registrar of the result, and the gaining registrar notifies the domain owner.

Under the Communiqué, a registrar cannot block access to the authorization code or reject a transfer request on grounds such as the domain owner’s debt. A transfer is rejected if the code does not match, 60 days have not passed since initial allocation or transfer to the losing registrar, or the domain is frozen. Unlike .com, the allocation period does not change after transfer, meaning no year is added.

How is a rights-holder change carried out?

Moving a domain from an agency or employee to the business itself is a rights-holder change. Under Article 22 of the Communiqué, the transfer form on the current registrar’s website is completed, the required information and documents are submitted to TRABİS through the registrar, and the request is assessed and approved or rejected. In circumstances such as a merger or acquisition, transfer of trademark rights, death or a declaration of absence, supporting documentation is required; the allocation period of the transferred domain does not change.

What can be done if the former agency does not provide the transfer code?

The former agency’s failure to provide the code often results from the domain being held in the agency’s reseller account or from a breakdown in communication, rather than bad intent. When the process drags on, the route to follow is clear:

• Written request: Request the transfer code and removal of the lock by email, specifying the domain and date.
• Whois check: If the business is the registrant, the agency is only an intermediary; the request can also be sent directly to the registrar.
• Contacting the registrar: Write to the provider’s support channel with documents identifying the registrant or company.
• ICANN complaint for a gTLD: According to ICANN’s FAQ page, a complaint can be submitted to ICANN if the code is not supplied within five calendar days.
• .tr registrar and TRABİS: The registrar cannot block access to the authorization code; if the problem remains unresolved, TRABİS’s own contact channels can be used.
• If the domain is registered in the agency’s name: A rights-holder change is required first; keep the agreement and payment invoices ready, and consulting a lawyer is recommended if the dispute escalates.

At this stage, an invoice showing to whom payment was made is important because gTLD rejection grounds are tied to payment status. The email showing when the code was requested also serves as evidence when calculating the time limit.

How do you migrate hosting? The sequence for switching without downtime

The aim in hosting migration is for visitors and email users not to notice the moment of migration. The right sequence matters more than technical skill in achieving this:

1. Open the new hosting account; do not close the old hosting at this stage.
2. Take a complete backup of website files and the database from the old server.
3. Install the website on the new server and test it using the hosts file or a temporary address.
4. Lower the DNS records’ TTL values a few days before switching.
5. Create email accounts with the same names on the new side.
6. Point the A record or nameservers to the new server and check MX records.
7. Install the SSL certificate on the new server and open the website over https.
8. Keep the old hosting running in parallel for a few days and transfer emails in the old mailbox to the new account.

The domain transfer can be performed outside this sequence after the website is running smoothly on the new server; performing both migrations on the same day makes troubleshooting harder. For WordPress websites, plugins, themes and URL structure are also considered; details are explained on the WordPress website migration page. For the new server’s effect on speed and search visibility, consult the web hosting selection guide .

Email, DNS and SSL: the most common trouble spots in migration

Email and MX records

The MX record determines which server receives incoming email. If MX continues pointing to the old server when hosting changes, mail goes to the old mailbox and may not be delivered at all once the old hosting closes. For businesses using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, copying MX and verification TXT records exactly to the new DNS is sufficient; for those wishing to set up email from scratch, the business email guide provides guidance.

DNS service

If the domain uses the old provider’s free DNS service, those records may not automatically appear in the new panel when the domain leaves. The DNS backup taken before transfer is useful here: prepare the records on the new side in advance and change nameservers last.

SSL certificate

An SSL certificate is installed on the server and does not move with the domain. When hosting changes, reinstall the certificate on the new server; without it, the browser displays a ‘Not secure’ warning and visitors may leave the website.

Why should the domain be registered in the business’s name? Common practice and our approach

A common industry practice is to create the domain and hosting in the agency’s own account, often in the agency’s name. No problem is visible until the relationship with the agency ends; at that point, how to transfer domain ownership becomes an urgent problem. Yet email addresses, Google accounts and years of accumulated search visibility depend on the domain.

At Onur Freelance, the domain and hosting are created in the business’s name: a domain costs 1,000 TL annually, hosting 2,000 TL annually, and the two together 3,000 TL annually. The difference between the two approaches becomes clear at these points:

• Registrant: In common practice the agency appears; in our approach it is the business itself.
• Whois email: In common practice it is the agency’s address; we use an address accessible to the business.
• At separation: Common practice requires a rights-holder change and the agency’s approval; with us, the business can request the transfer code directly.
• Invoices: Payment documents are issued in the business’s name and can be retained as proof of ownership.

If the domain has not yet been purchased, points to consider when choosing a name are in the domain selection guide, and current extension options are on the domain prices page.

Common domain transfer mistakes and the correct method

Even when people know how to transfer a domain, most transfers get stuck because of planning mistakes rather than technical faults. The most common mistakes and their correct alternatives are as follows:

• Changing whois information immediately before transfer: This can trigger the 60-day lock for a gTLD; ask the provider about the opt-out option first.
• Starting a transfer without a DNS backup: Export records in advance and compare them exactly in the new panel.
• Closing the old hosting on migration day: Because DNS changes take time to propagate, keep the old server running in parallel for a while.
• Forgetting the MX record: The website opens, but emails do not arrive; check MX, SPF and DKIM records separately.
• Starting just days before expiration: A stalled transfer can coincide with expiration; start the process sufficiently before the expiration date.
• Sharing the transfer code openly: The code is the key to the domain and is entered only in the new provider’s transfer screen.
• Registering the new domain in someone else’s name again: The same problem returns a few years later; register it in the business’s name.

The basic structure of the correct method does not change: backup and checks first, hosting next, and the domain last. At every stage, confirm that the business is the registrant.

How does migration with Onur Freelance proceed?

At Onur Freelance, based in Maltepe/Istanbul since 2019, migration begins with documenting the current situation: the whois record, DNS records, email setup and website backup are examined. New hosting is then opened in the business’s name, the website is migrated and tested, and DNS and SSL are configured. The domain is transferred after the website runs smoothly on the new server.

Current packages are listed on the hosting prices page. If updates and backups are also requested after migration, website maintenance is planned at 500–2,000 TL per month. The transfer code and panel password stay with the business as far as possible; the code is entered only on the transfer screen.