The transferring of a domain name is viewed by some people as dealing with a bomb and that is why they get nervous immediately. It could be a case of getting better pricing if you switch registrars, or you may want to consolidate your domains under one provider, or you are simply selling your website. Anyhow, learning the transfer process makes a seemingly complicated thing a simple line of steps.

Why People Dread Domain Transfers

Their fear is understandable. Your domain is basically your online address so if you lose it, your email will stop working, your site will disappear, and all your SEO efforts over the years will go to waste. There are plenty of stories about the transfers that have gone badly, domains held for ransom, or the websites going offline for days. The reality is that most transfers go smoothly if you know what to do.

Getting Your Domain Ready to Move

First off, find out whether your domain is eligible. Domains must be a minimum of 60 days old and not recently transferred. Go to your current registrar and unlock your domain the majority of them keep domains locked by default as a security measure to prevent unauthorized transfers. The feature that allows you to do this is very simple and it is often found in the account settings under security options.

Besides, you need to briefly disable WHOIS privacy protection. Even though the privacy service hides your personal details from spammers, it may cause problems during the transfer verification. You can put your protection back on at your new registrar when the transfer is finished.

The authorization code, AKA EPP code or transfer key, is the thing that opens the door for you. You get this from your current registrar and almost always they send it to you in an email within a few minutes. It is like a password that confirms that you own the domain and that you permit the transfer.

Choosing the Right Time

You might not imagine it but timing is very important. Under no circumstances should you transfer domains right before their expiry date as it can take up to 7 days to complete the process and you don’t want any issues with the overlapping period. On the other hand, don’t do the transfer when you have a very busy period in your business. If you have an online store, it will be disastrous if you transfer it during the big sales day called Black Friday.

The Transfer Process Itself

Right after you have the authorization code, you just go to your new registrar to launch the transfer request. You type in the domain name and the code of the authorization. It is common for registrars to run transfer campaigns with a discount and it is not unusual for them to throw in a free year of registration.

It won’t take long  an email will get to you shortly asking you to confirm the transfer. It is really important that you always check not only your email but even the spam folder because in that folder could be your confirmation email which you need to reply to very soon as it expires in five to seven days.

Also, an email will be sent to you by your old registrar. They might try to keep you as their customer by giving you counteroffers or by asking you to approve the transfer release. Try to respond quickly in order to prevent any delays that are not necessary.

After the Transfer Completes

Once the transfer is completed, check your DNS settings at the new registrar. They should be the same as what you had before. Try to access your website and if you have an email, test it too. Don’t forget to change your payment details and turn WHOIS privacy protection back on.

The truth is, domain transfers are quite simple and everyday tasks of which registrars do thousands. When you follow the guide, all your worries will just disappear.