# How domain transfers work: the ICANN rules, step by step

> How domain transfers work under ICANN rules: who does what, the 5-day timeline, auth codes, locks, the year added, denial reasons. .com $12.49, crypto.

- URL: https://transferoffshore.com/how-domain-transfers-work/
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- Publisher: TransferOffshore (https://transferoffshore.com)

Four parties, one code and a 5-day window. This guide follows a gTLD transfer from the first click to the new expiry date, and shows where country extensions differ.

**Quick answer — How do domain transfers work?**

A gTLD domain transfer moves a name from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another with an auth code. Under the ICANN Transfer Policy in force as of October 2026, the old registrar has 5 calendar days to answer. Then the transfer is approved by default. At **TransferOffshore** a .com transfer costs **$12.49** and adds one year.

## Domain transfer rules in force today

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Policy in force | ICANN Transfer Policy, version updated 21 February 2024; mandatory for registrars since 21 August 2025 |
| Losing registrar's window | 5 calendar days after the registry's notice; no answer means the transfer is approved by default |
| Auth code deadline | Within 5 calendar days of your request when the registrar has no self-service tool; never held back over a payment dispute |
| Lock after registration or transfer | 60 days: a reason registrars may use to deny; many registrars apply it, and some registries enforce it |
| Change-of-registrant lock | 60 days after a change of registrant; the registrar may offer an opt-out before the change |
| Time added on gTLDs | One year added to the current expiry date, with the total capped at 10 years |
| Rules coming next | Transfer Policy Review adopted by the ICANN Board on 7 June 2026 (30-day locks, one-time code); no effective date published as of 19 October 2026 |
| Transfer price here | .com $12.49, the same as the renewal; all prices on the [price list](https://transferoffshore.com/pricing/) |

## Who does what in a domain transfer?

Four parties take part, and only one of them is you. The registry runs the extension, the two registrars sell it, and you hold the name.

| Party | Who it is | Its job in the transfer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Registrant | You, the holder of the domain | Removes the lock, gets the auth code, gives it to the new registrar, keeps the contact email reachable |
| Losing registrar | The registrar of record today | Issues the auth code, removes clientTransferProhibited, then approves, denies for a listed reason, or lets the 5 days run out |
| Gaining registrar | The registrar you move to; at TransferOffshore, our ICANN-accredited registrar partner, shown in the RDAP record | Takes the code, sends the transfer request to the registry, verifies the registrant email |
| Registry | The operator of the extension (Verisign for .com) | Checks the code, sets pendingTransfer, tells the losing registrar, completes the move and extends the expiry date |

The registry is the referee. It holds the authoritative record of the domain: its sponsoring registrar, its statuses, its expiry date and its nameservers. A transfer changes the sponsoring registrar in that record. It does not change the nameservers, which is why a website can stay online through the whole process.

## What happens between day 0 and day 5?

A gTLD transfer completes on day 5 at the latest, unless the losing registrar denies it for a reason the policy allows. Many registrars also let you approve the outgoing transfer early, which can finish it within hours.

| When | What happens | Domain status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Before day 0 | You turn off the transfer lock and copy the auth code at the losing registrar | Lock removed |
| Day 0 | The gaining registrar sends the request with the code; the registry checks the code and notifies the losing registrar | pendingTransfer |
| Days 1 to 5 | The losing registrar may email you, approve early, or deny for a permitted reason | pendingTransfer |
| Day 5 | Without an answer, the registry approves the transfer by default | Back to ok, new registrar |
| After the move | The new registrar may block another transfer for 60 days | Often clientTransferProhibited |

In your TransferOffshore account, My domains shows the same timeline: **Requested → Waiting for the current registrar (up to 5 days) → Completed** or **Failed**. A failed row shows the reason, such as a wrong code or a domain still locked, with a field to send a corrected code.

## What is the auth code, and who must give it?

The auth code (also called EPP code or AuthInfo) is a password stored at the registry for each domain. The gaining registrar must send it with the transfer request, and the registry refuses the request if it does not match.

The losing registrar must give you the code. If it has no self-service tool, the policy gives it 5 calendar days from your request. It may not refuse the code because you owe it money. Country registries set their own rules: a .de AuthInfo is valid for 30 days, and .uk uses no code at all. Details in [what an auth code is](https://transferoffshore.com/auth-code/).

## Which locks and statuses stop a transfer?

Two kinds of lock exist: a status you can remove yourself, and a time-based rule you can only wait out. RDAP shows the statuses, and ICANN's Lookup tool reads them for any gTLD domain.

| Lock or status | Set by | What it means | What you do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| clientTransferProhibited | Losing registrar | The registry rejects any transfer request | Turn off the transfer lock in your registrar's dashboard |
| serverTransferProhibited | Registry | A registry-level block, often tied to a dispute or a redemption period | Ask the registrar why it is set |
| pendingTransfer | Registry | A transfer request is open | Wait, or approve it early at the losing registrar |
| 60 days after registration or transfer | Registrar policy, sometimes the registry | The registrar may deny the transfer | Wait until day 61 |
| 60-day change-of-registrant lock | Registrar | The registrar must deny the transfer | Wait, or ask for the opt-out before the next change |
| redemptionPeriod | Registry | The domain was deleted after expiry | Restore it at the old registrar first |

The full list of causes, with a fix for each, is in [why a domain cannot be transferred](https://transferoffshore.com/transfer-lock/).

## What is added to the expiry date after a transfer?

On gTLDs such as .com, .net and .org, a completed transfer adds one year to the existing expiry date. The time you already paid is kept. The policy caps the total unexpired term at 10 years, so a domain renewed close to that limit cannot take the whole extra year.

An example: a .com expires on 1 March 2027 and moves on 10 November 2026. Its new expiry date is 1 March 2028.

**Auto-renew grace period.** If the old registrar auto-renewed the domain in the last 45 days, the registry cancels that renewal and credits the losing registrar. The transfer then adds its own year. The net result is one year after the old expiry date, not two. If you paid the old registrar for that renewal, a refund depends on its own policy.

Country extensions differ. A .uk transfer leaves the expiry date as it is. A .ai transfer adds two years since 15 January 2025, according to the registry operator's statement to Domain Name Wire; TransferOffshore bills it as 2 years: $86.49 plus one renewal, $172.98. A .ch transfer adds no year.

## How do country-code (ccTLD) transfers differ?

ccTLDs do not follow the ICANN Transfer Policy: each registry writes its own rules. The mechanism, the waiting time and the year added can all change. The table below covers the extensions people ask about most; the [transfer rules by extension](https://transferoffshore.com/data/domain-transfer-rules-by-extension/) table covers 40.

| Extension | How it moves | Year added | Speed | Confidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| .uk | IPS tag change by the current registrar, no code; code-based transfers from 9 February 2027, according to Realtime Register | No, expiry unchanged | Not stated by Nominet | Mixed |
| .de | AuthInfo valid 30 days, one transfer only | Depends on the registrar | Immediate once the AuthInfo matches (DENIC) | Primary for the mechanism |
| .nl | Token the registrar must give within 5 days | Depends on the registrar | Immediate (SIDN) | Primary and secondary |
| .ch | Transfer code from the registrar | No | Not stated | Mixed |
| .ai | EPP auth code | Two years since 15 January 2025 | Losing registrar has 7 days, according to secondary sources | Secondary |

Each extension we take in also has its own guide in the [transfer guides by extension](https://transferoffshore.com/transfer/).

## When must, may, or may not a registrar deny a transfer?

The Transfer Policy sorts denial reasons into three lists. A registrar that denies for a reason outside them breaks its ICANN contract.

| Rule | Reason | Policy section |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Must deny | A UDRP proceeding the registrar has been told about | I.A.3.8 |
| Must deny | A court order | I.A.3.8 |
| Must deny | A pending TDRP (Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy) case | I.A.3.8 |
| Must deny | A URS proceeding or a URS suspension | I.A.3.8 |
| Must deny | The 60-day change-of-registrant lock, unless the holder opted out | I.A.3.8 |
| May deny | Evidence of fraud | I.A.3.7 |
| May deny | A reasonable dispute over the identity of the person asking | I.A.3.7 |
| May deny | Non-payment for a previous or expired period, after placing the domain on Registrar Hold | I.A.3.7 |
| May deny | Express objection from the transfer contact | I.A.3.7 |
| May deny | Less than 60 days since creation, or since a previous transfer | I.A.3.7 |
| May not deny | Non-payment for a pending or future period | I.A.3.9 |
| May not deny | No response from the registrant or the admin contact | I.A.3.9 |
| May not deny | A lock the holder had no reasonable way to remove | I.A.3.9 |
| May not deny | Expiration or non-renewal of the domain, per ICANN's registrant FAQ | I.A.3.9 |

## Will these rules change soon?

Yes, but not yet. On 7 June 2026 the ICANN Board adopted the Transfer Policy Review (resolution 2026.06.07.04). It brings 30-day locks instead of 60, a one-time Transfer Authorization Code (TAC) valid 14 days, and the end of the 60-day change-of-registrant lock.

As of 19 October 2026, ICANN has published no effective date. Until it does, every rule on this page stays in force. The [ICANN transfer policy changes](https://transferoffshore.com/news/icann-transfer-policy-changes/) page tracks the details.

## How does a transfer into TransferOffshore run?

You enter each domain and its auth code in the [transfer form](https://transferoffshore.com/app/domains/transfer?lang=en), one row per domain, up to 20 rows per request. Your current nameservers are kept by default, so the website and email keep working. You pay from a crypto balance, and the requests go to the registries once the payment is credited. The registrar of record becomes our ICANN-accredited registrar partner, shown in the RDAP record.

The transfer price equals the renewal price of the extension and is billed once per domain (a .ai is billed 2 years, transfer + one renewal): .com $12.49, .net $12.99, .org $12.49. The full walk-through is in [how to transfer a domain to an offshore registrar](https://transferoffshore.com/transfer-domain-offshore/).

## Domain transfer questions

### How long does a domain transfer take?

A gTLD transfer takes up to 5 calendar days. The registry notifies the losing registrar, which has 5 days to answer before the transfer is approved by default. Approving it early at the losing registrar can cut this to hours. Some country registries, such as DENIC for .de and SIDN for .nl, complete a transfer at once when the code matches.

### Can the old registrar block my transfer?

Only for the reasons the ICANN Transfer Policy lists. It must deny during a UDRP case, a court order or a change-of-registrant lock. It may deny for fraud, an identity dispute, an unpaid past period or the 60-day period after registration or transfer. It may not deny because the domain expired or because you did not answer an email.

### Do I lose the time already paid when I transfer?

No. On gTLDs the registry keeps your current expiry date and adds one year, up to a 10-year total. If the domain was auto-renewed in the last 45 days, the registry cancels that renewal. The transfer adds one year instead, so you end one year after the old expiry date.

### Does a transfer change my nameservers?

No. The nameservers are stored at the registry and stay the same through the transfer. Downtime happens only when the DNS itself is hosted by the old registrar and stops once the domain leaves. TransferOffshore keeps your current nameservers by default. See [transfer without DNS downtime](https://transferoffshore.com/transfer-without-dns-downtime/).

### Why must I wait 60 days after registering a domain?

The current ICANN policy lets a registrar deny a transfer within 60 days of the creation date or of a previous transfer. It is a permitted reason, not an obligation, but many registrars apply it and some registries enforce it. The policy adopted on 7 June 2026 will shorten it to 30 days once it takes effect.

### Who emails me during a transfer?

Usually the losing registrar, which may ask you to confirm or reject the transfer. Under the current policy you do not need to answer: silence leads to approval after 5 days. The gaining registrar also verifies your email. ICANN requires that verification within 15 days, or the domain is suspended.

### Do ccTLDs follow the same rules?

No. Country-code registries set their own transfer rules. A .uk domain moves by changing its IPS tag, with no code and no year added. A .de or .nl transfer completes at once when the code matches. The [rules by extension](https://transferoffshore.com/data/domain-transfer-rules-by-extension/) table lists each one with its source.

## Sources

1. [Transfer Policy (updated 21 February 2024)](https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/accredited-registrars/resources/domain-name-transfers/policy) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
2. [Transfer Policy (2016 text)](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
3. [Registrant FAQs on domain name transfers](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/name-holder-faqs-2017-10-10-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
4. [EPP Status Codes: What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know?](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/epp-status-codes-2014-06-16-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
5. [Registrar Advisory on the auto-renew grace period (6 June 2002)](https://www.icann.org/news/advisory-2002-06-06-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
6. [Grace periods explained](https://identity.digital/help-articles/grace-periods-explained) — Identity Digital (checked 2026-10-19)
7. [Approved resolutions, regular meeting of the ICANN Board, 7 June 2026](https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-resolutions-regular-meeting-of-the-icann-board-07-06-2026-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
8. [Provider transfer of .de domains](https://www.denic.de/en/products/de-domains/provider-transfer/) — DENIC (checked 2026-10-19)
9. [Transferring your domain name](https://www.sidn.nl/en/nl-domain-name/transferring-your-domain-name) — SIDN (checked 2026-10-19)
10. [Nominet standardises .uk domains from February 2027](https://realtimeregister.com/blogs/nominet-standardises-uk-domains-from-february-2027) — Realtime Register (checked 2026-10-19)
11. [Identity Digital is now managing .ai domains](https://domainnamewire.com/2025/01/23/identity-digital-is-now-managing-ai-domains-heres-what-this-means-for-registrants/) — Domain Name Wire (checked 2026-10-19)

**Ready to move a domain?** Enter the name and its auth code. Nameservers are kept, one year is added on gTLDs, and you pay in crypto with no ID. [Start a transfer](https://transferoffshore.com/app/domains/transfer?lang=en) · [See all prices](https://transferoffshore.com/pricing/)

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TransferOffshore: TransferOffshore is the domain transfer service of DomaineGoat LLC, a company incorporated in Panama: move one domain or a whole portfolio with its auth codes, keep your DNS running, and pay in crypto with no ID. Domains are registered through our ICANN-accredited registrar partner, shown in the RDAP record.