Quick answer
How do I transfer domains from my current registrar?
Unlock the domain at your current registrar, get its auth code, and paste both into TransferOffshore. The losing registrar has up to 5 days to release it. As of 19 October 2026, these 18 guides show where each registrar puts the code and how to approve early. They also list the DNS or email that stops when the domain leaves.
What the 18 guides found
| Registrars covered | 18, from GoDaddy and Namecheap to Njalla and Epik |
|---|---|
| Code shown on screen | 11 of 18 (the other 6 known ones send it by email; Njalla unverified) |
| Documented way to approve early | 11 of 18: a dashboard button, an email link or support |
| Contact-change lock opt-out documented | 4 of 18: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Hover |
| Own email or site stops on transfer | Gandi Mail, Hover email, Wix site and business email |
| Transfer-out fee published | None of the 18 states a fee, and none states that leaving is free |
| .com transfer at TransferOffshore | $12.49 with one year added, as of 19 October 2026 |
Where is the code at each registrar, and what stops when you leave?
One row per registrar, from their help pages read on 19 October 2026. "Search excerpt" means the official page did not load and we read a search-engine excerpt of it. Full detail, prices and sources are in each guide and in the transfer-out index.
| Registrar | Where the code is | Approve early | Known hold | DNS or email that stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoDaddy | On screen and by email | "Approve Transfer" (search excerpt); else up to 7 days | Domain Protection; 120-day bundle lock | Not stated |
| Namecheap | Email to registrant | Not documented; 5 days to release | Some ccTLDs: renew 12 days before expiry | Not stated |
| Cloudflare | Dashboard | Approve in dashboard; day 5 by default | 30-day lock after an account move | Zone after the move undocumented: check |
| Porkbun | Dashboard | "Approve Transfer Out" | Grace-period names may need support | Not stated |
| Squarespace | Email within 24 hours | Tucows names: confirm link | Only the newest code works; DNSSEC off | Records not kept; MX to redo |
| Wix | Email to registrant | Not documented | Owner or paying Admin only | Site disconnected; business email |
| Hostinger | Dashboard ("Get code") | Not documented | DNSSEC off; 12-hour relock rule | Not stated |
| IONOS | Dashboard, after a delay | Not documented | 60 days in your name for 8 TLDs | Not stated |
| OVHcloud | Dashboard ("AUTH/INFO") | Confirm the email | Protection back on after 7 days | Not stated |
| Gandi | Dashboard ("Transfer out") | Click the email link | Reseller domains via the reseller | Gandi Mail stops; data deleted after 7 days |
| Dynadot | Dashboard | Confirm "Transfer Away" email | Account lock; aftermarket locks | Not stated |
| NameSilo | Email to admin contact | Transfer manager (search excerpt) | Support cannot lift 60-day lock | Unverified |
| Network Solutions | Email to registrant | Not documented; 5 days | 30-day lock after a password reset | No DNS edits during transfer |
| Name.com | Dashboard (search excerpt) | Support can expedite | Code "unavailable" for 60 days | Export DNS first |
| Spaceship | Dashboard (secondary) | Email approval (secondary) | No expediting if it expires first | Disclaimer shown (secondary) |
| Hover | Domain overview | Owner email link | 60-day lock cannot be lifted early | Hover email; no NS change mid-transfer |
| Njalla | Unverified: ask support | Unverified | Njalla is the registrant of record | Unverified |
| Epik | Email (search excerpt) | Unverified | Unlocking may reset the code | Unverified |
"Not stated" means the registrar's transfer-out page says nothing on the point; it does not mean nothing stops. Copy your DNS records before any transfer.
What do all 18 registrars have in common?
The same ICANN rules sit under every guide. For .com and other gTLDs, a registrar must give you the auth code within 5 calendar days of your request. It may not hold the code back over a payment dispute.
Once the gaining registrar files the transfer, the losing one has 5 calendar days to answer. Silence counts as approval. A registrar may refuse a transfer within 60 days of a registration or a previous transfer, and many of the 18 say they do.
A change of registrant triggers a 60-day lock, unless the registrar lets you opt out first. The transfer lock guide explains each case.
Screen or email: where will my code appear?
On screen at 11 of the 18 registrars, including Cloudflare, Porkbun, Gandi, OVHcloud and Dynadot. GoDaddy does both: it shows the code and emails it.
Six send it by email only: Namecheap, Squarespace, Wix, NameSilo, Network Solutions and Epik. The address matters. Namecheap, Squarespace and Network Solutions write to the registrant contact. NameSilo writes to the administrative contact. Fix an outdated contact email before you ask for the code.
Njalla is a case apart: it is the registrant of record, per its terms as quoted on a forum, and its transfer-out steps could not be read on 19 October 2026.
What should I do before requesting any code?
Three checks save most failed transfers:
- Dates. Look up the creation and last-transfer dates in WHOIS. Under 60 days, many registrars refuse.
- DNS. If your nameservers belong to the old registrar, rebuild the zone elsewhere first. Cloudflare, Hover and Network Solutions make this step mandatory in practice.
- Email. Gandi, Hover and Wix stop their own mail or site when the domain leaves. Move mailboxes and MX records first.
Then paste each name and code on the transfer form. TransferOffshore keeps your current nameservers by default and takes up to 20 domains per request. Prices are on the price list.
All 18 registrar guides
Questions about leaving a registrar
Can my registrar refuse to give me the auth code?
Not for long. ICANN's Transfer Policy says a registrar must provide the code within 5 calendar days of the registrant's request. It may not withhold the code over a payment dispute. It may still deny a transfer for set reasons, such as the 60-day period after a registration. Our auth code guide covers the details.
Does any registrar charge a fee to transfer out?
None of the 18 states one on the pages we read on 19 October 2026, but none says leaving is free either. Third-party sites claim a fee at Squarespace, with conflicting amounts. TransferOffshore charges no exit fee, and its auth code is free, from your account, at any time.
How long does a transfer from my registrar take?
Up to 5 days for most gTLDs, since the losing registrar has 5 calendar days to answer. GoDaddy states up to seven days, and Squarespace says the whole move can take up to 15 days. Approving early, where the registrar allows it, often ends the wait the same day.
Will my website go offline during the transfer?
Not if your nameservers keep answering. A transfer changes the registrar, not the DNS host. The risk comes from DNS or email hosted by the old registrar, which can stop when the domain leaves. TransferOffshore keeps current nameservers by default; see transfer without DNS downtime.
My registrar is not in the list. What then?
The same three steps apply: unlock, get the auth code, approve or wait. Look for "transfer out", "auth code" or "EPP code" in its help center. The how transfers work guide covers the general case, and [email protected] can help with a specific registrar.
Sources (6)
- Transfer Policy — ICANN (2026-10-19)
- Transfer my domain away from GoDaddy godaddy.com/en/help/transfer-my-domain-away-from-godaddy-3560 — GoDaddy (2026-10-19)
- Transferring a domain away from Squarespace — Squarespace (2026-10-19)
- Transfer out from Cloudflare — Cloudflare (2026-10-19)
- Frequent Questions: Domain Transfers docs.gandi.net/en/domain_names/faq/transfers.html — Gandi (2026-10-19)
- Transferring your domain away from Hover support.hover.com/support/solutions/articles/201000064729 — Hover (2026-10-19)
Have your code? Start the transfer
.com transfer $12.49 with a year added · up to 20 domains per request · no ID · paid in crypto