Moving a domain name from one registrar to another sounds risky, but it is a well-understood process with clear rules. Handled in the right order, a transfer is routine and your website and email keep running throughout. The mistakes that cause downtime almost always come from skipping preparation, not from the transfer itself. This guide walks through exactly what to do in 2026, why each step matters, and the pitfalls worth avoiding.

A domain transfer changes the company that manages your registration. It does not, on its own, move your website files, your databases, or your mailboxes. Those live on your hosting and your DNS, which is why noting your current settings before you start is the single most important safeguard.

Before You Start: Prepare the Domain

Good preparation is what makes a transfer boring, which is exactly what you want. Work through the following before you touch the new registrar.

1. Record your current DNS settings

Log in to your current registrar or DNS provider and note every record: A and AAAA records, CNAMEs, MX records for email, TXT records (including SPF, DKIM and DMARC), and any SRV or CAA records. Take screenshots or export a zone file if the option exists. A transfer can move DNS management to the new registrar, and if the new provider does not carry these records across, your site and email can drop offline until you recreate them. Having the full list to hand means you can rebuild the zone in minutes rather than scrambling to remember what was there.

2. Confirm the domain is eligible to transfer

ICANN rules place a 60-day lock on generic domains (such as .com, .net and .org) after initial registration and after any previous transfer. If your domain was registered or last transferred inside the last 60 days, you will need to wait for that window to clear. Check the registration and last-transfer dates in your account, or run a WHOIS lookup, so there are no surprises once you begin.

3. Check the domain is not expiring soon

A transfer is not the time for the domain to lapse. If your registration is close to its expiry date, either renew it first or make sure the transfer will complete comfortably before it expires. A domain that expires mid-transfer can fail the process and, in the worst case, become available for someone else to register.

4. Unlock the domain

Registrars apply a transfer lock (sometimes called a registrar lock or client transfer prohibited status) to protect against unauthorised moves. Open your domain management panel and switch this off. Some domains also carry a stronger registry lock, which the registrar has to lift for you, so raise a support ticket if you cannot clear the lock yourself.

5. Make sure the admin contact email is reachable

The transfer approval email goes to the administrative contact listed on the domain. If that address is old, points at a mailbox you no longer check, or sits on the very domain you are moving, update it to a reliable inbox first. Missing this email is one of the most common reasons a transfer stalls.

6. Disable WHOIS privacy if needed

WHOIS or domain privacy masks your contact details behind a proxy. Many registrars now handle transfers without touching it, but some still require privacy to be switched off temporarily so the authorisation email and contact verification can go through. If your registrar asks, disable it for the duration and re-enable it once the transfer completes.

7. Get the authorisation (EPP) code

Request the authorisation code, also called the EPP code, auth code or transfer code, from your current registrar. This unique string proves you have the right to move the domain, and the new registrar needs it to begin. It is often shown in the domain settings, or emailed to the admin contact on request. Treat it like a password and do not share it more widely than necessary. For Australian domains such as .com.au and .net.au, the same idea applies: auDA-accredited registrars issue an auth code (previously handled via a domain password) that the gaining registrar uses to authorise the transfer.

Running the Transfer

With the domain prepared, the transfer itself is short. The heavy lifting is already done.

8. Choose the new registrar and create an account

Pick a registrar that supports your domain extension and offers the pricing, DNS tools and support you want. Some extensions, particularly country-code domains like .au, can only be held by accredited registrars, so confirm they handle your extension before you commit. Create your account with accurate, current contact details.

9. Note or recreate your DNS at the new registrar

Using the records you captured earlier, decide where DNS will live after the transfer. If you want the new registrar to manage DNS, add your records there before the domain moves so the zone is ready the moment it lands. If your DNS is hosted elsewhere (for example with your host or a service like Cloudflare) and you simply want to keep it there, make sure the domain still points at those nameservers so nothing changes for visitors.

10. Initiate the transfer at the new registrar

Log in to the new registrar and start the domain transfer. You will enter the domain name and the authorisation code from step 7. The gaining registrar then contacts the current registrar to request the move. A transfer of a generic domain typically also renews it by one year and adds that year to your existing registration, so you are paying for a renewal as well as the move rather than losing time already paid for.

11. Approve the confirmation email

You will receive an email asking you to confirm the transfer, sent to the admin contact address. Follow the link or instructions to approve it. Until you do, the transfer waits. Your current registrar may also send its own notice, and some let you speed things up by approving the release at their end rather than waiting out the default window.

12. Wait for completion and verify

Generic domain transfers usually complete within five to seven days, though they can finish faster once both sides have approved. Some country-code domains, including .au, often move more quickly. Keep an eye on the status, then once it completes, confirm your website loads, your email sends and receives, and every DNS record from your original list is present and correct. Re-enable WHOIS privacy and set the registrar lock back on to protect the domain going forward.

Common Pitfalls

Losing DNS records: assuming records carry over automatically. If the new registrar starts with an empty zone, your site and email go dark until you rebuild it, which is why you noted everything first.
The 60-day lock: trying to transfer a domain that was registered or transferred within the last 60 days. The move will be refused until the window clears.
An unreachable admin email: the approval email lands in an inbox you cannot access, so the transfer never gets confirmed.
Leaving the domain locked: forgetting to unlock, or not realising a registry lock also needs lifting by support.
Cutting expiry too fine: starting a transfer days before the domain expires and risking failure or loss.
A wrong or stale auth code: codes can be regenerated, so request a fresh one if the transfer is rejected.
Forgetting to re-secure the domain: not turning privacy and the lock back on after the move.

Conclusion

A domain transfer is simply a sequence of small, careful steps: record your DNS, confirm eligibility, unlock the domain, sort the admin email, get the auth code, initiate at the new registrar, and approve the confirmation. Do them in order, allow a few days for it to complete, and the change is invisible to anyone visiting your site or emailing you. Rushing or skipping the preparation is where problems creep in, so give yourself the time to do it properly.

If you would rather not manage any of this yourself, that is where a managed host earns its keep. WPGuard is an Australian WordPress security and hosting service where experienced people, not an automated system, handle transfers, DNS and full site migrations using procedures refined over more than 20 years. We can move your domain, keep your DNS and email intact, and bring your WordPress site across without downtime, so you can stay focused on your business while we take care of the details. If a domain move or migration is on your list, get in touch and we will handle it for you.

Comprehensive Guide to Moving a Domain Name from One Registrar to Another