Quick answer
Why can't I transfer my domain?
If you can't transfer your domain, a lock is usually the cause. The three common ones are the 60-day period after registration or transfer, a change-of-registrant lock, and the clientTransferProhibited status. As of October 2026, TransferOffshore shows the failure reason in My domains, where you can send a corrected code.
Transfer locks: key facts
| Lock after registration or transfer | 60 days; registrars may deny within it, many do, and some registries enforce it |
|---|---|
| Change-of-registrant lock | 60 days after a change of name, organisation or email; the registrar must deny unless you opted out |
| Registrar lock | Status clientTransferProhibited; you can turn it off in the dashboard |
| Registry lock | Status serverTransferProhibited; only the registrar or registry can lift it |
| Redemption period | No transfer at all; restore the domain at the old registrar first |
| Must-deny cases | Pending UDRP, court order, TDRP, URS |
| Where to read the status | ICANN Lookup (lookup.icann.org), which reads RDAP data |
| Coming change | 30-day locks under the policy adopted on 7 June 2026; no effective date as of 19 October 2026 |
Which lock is stopping your transfer?
Match what you see to a row. The cause column says whether the old registrar may deny, must deny, or is simply waiting for you.
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Less than 60 days” error, or the code shows as unavailable | The domain was registered or transferred in the last 60 days; registrars may deny, and many do | Wait until day 61 after the Created date or the last transfer date |
| Transfer refused soon after you edited the owner's name, organisation or email | 60-day change-of-registrant lock; the registrar must deny | Wait 60 days; before the next change, ask the registrar for the opt-out |
| Status shows clientTransferProhibited | The registrar's transfer lock is on | Turn off “transfer lock” or “domain lock”; some registrars switch it back on after a few days |
| Status shows serverTransferProhibited | A registry-level lock: a dispute, a redemption period or a registry lock service | Ask the registrar which one it is; a paid registry lock needs its own release procedure |
| “Invalid auth code” or “wrong code” | Typing error, a newer code replaced it, or a ccTLD code expired | Request a fresh code and paste it without spaces; resend it from My domains |
| Status shows redemptionPeriod | The domain was deleted after expiry | Restore it at the old registrar (it sets the fee), then transfer |
| Status shows pendingDelete | The domain is about to be released | No transfer or restore is possible; wait for release and register it again |
| Refusal citing a dispute or court order | Pending UDRP, court order, TDRP or URS; the registrar must deny | Wait for the proceeding to end and follow its decision |
| Refusal citing an unpaid past period, with status clientHold | Non-payment for a previous or expired period; the registrar may deny after a Registrar Hold | Settle the past period with the old registrar |
| No code arrives, or the confirmation email never comes | The registrant email is outdated or broken | Fix the mailbox or update the email; ask for the opt-out first, since this can count as a change of registrant |
Why do registrars block transfers for 60 days?
Because the current ICANN Transfer Policy allows it, not because it requires it. A registrar may deny a transfer within 60 days of the creation date, or within 60 days after a previous transfer. Many registrars apply that rule, and some registry agreements turn it into a registry lock.
To count the days, read the domain's Created date, or the date of its last transfer, in ICANN Lookup. Add 60 days, and plan the move for the day after.
The policy adopted on 7 June 2026 replaces this with a mandatory 30-day lock (720 hours). It applies after creation and after a transfer. It is not in force: as of 19 October 2026, no effective date has been published. The changes are on ICANN transfer policy changes.
What is the change-of-registrant lock, and can you avoid it?
It is a 60-day block on transfers after a change to the domain's owner details. Under the current policy, a material change to the registrant's name, organisation or email counts as a change of registrant. The registrar must then impose a 60-day inter-registrar transfer lock, and must deny any transfer during it.
The registrar may let you opt out before the change is made. Some offer it as a checkbox or a “skip” option; others build it into their terms. Once the lock is set, there is no shortcut: wait out the 60 days.
The lesson for a move: update contact details after the transfer, not before, unless you take the opt-out. The new policy removes this lock and its opt-out, but only once it takes effect.
How do you read a domain's status with ICANN Lookup?
Open lookup.icann.org, type the domain name and read the Domain Status lines. ICANN Lookup reads the registration data over RDAP, the protocol that replaced WHOIS for gTLDs. It shows the data the registry and the registrar publish.
Look the domain up
Go to lookup.icann.org and enter the name, for example example.com.
Read the statuses
Each Domain Status line is an EPP code. clientTransferProhibited is your registrar's lock; serverTransferProhibited is the registry's.
Read the dates
Created, Updated and Expiration dates tell you whether the 60-day period has passed and whether the domain has expired.
Read the registrar
The Registrar field names the losing registrar, the one that must release the domain.
A domain showing only “ok” (or “active”) has no status lock. Country extensions publish less data, and some do not use RDAP; check them at the registry or the registrar.
What can a registrar never use to block your transfer?
The policy lists reasons a registrar may not use. If your old registrar gives one of these, it breaks its ICANN contract:
- non-payment for a pending or future registration period;
- no response from the registrant or the admin contact to its emails;
- a lock you had no reasonable way to remove yourself;
- the expiration or non-renewal of the domain, per ICANN's registrant FAQ.
It also may not hold back the auth code over a payment dispute. Without a self-service tool, it must provide the code within 5 calendar days. More on the code in what an auth code is.
What do you see in TransferOffshore when a transfer fails?
The domain's row in My domains turns to Failed and states the reason. Typical reasons are a wrong transfer code, a domain still locked, or less than 60 days since registration. A form on the same page takes a corrected code, so you do not start over.
If the block is a time-based lock, note the date and come back after it. If it is a status lock, remove it at the old registrar, then resend. Where each registrar keeps its lock switch is in the transfer from… guides. Prices are on the price list.
Transfer lock questions
How do I remove clientTransferProhibited?
Turn off the transfer lock (also called domain lock or registrar lock) in your current registrar's dashboard. Check ICANN Lookup afterwards to confirm the status is gone. Some registrars switch the lock back on after a few days (OVHcloud after 7). Request the code and submit the transfer soon after unlocking.
Can the 60-day lock after registration be waived?
Sometimes. Under the current ICANN policy the 60-day period after registration or transfer is a reason a registrar may use, not one it must use. A registrar can choose not to apply it, but many do, and some registries enforce the lock themselves. The policy adopted in June 2026 will make it a fixed 30 days.
I changed my email and now cannot transfer. Why?
Changing the registrant's email can count as a change of registrant, which sets a 60-day transfer lock. The registrar must deny transfers during it, unless you opted out before the change. Wait for the lock to end, and next time ask for the opt-out before editing contact details.
Can I transfer a domain during a UDRP dispute?
No. Once the registrar has been told about a UDRP proceeding, it must deny any transfer until the case ends. The same applies to a court order, a TDRP case or a URS proceeding. The rule applies offshore too: at TransferOffshore, UDRP panel decisions are applied, as ICANN requires of every registrar.
My domain expired. Is that why the transfer fails?
Not by itself: registrars may not deny a transfer because a domain expired. The blocks come from the redemption period, where the domain must be restored first, or from an unpaid past period with a Registrar Hold. See expired domain transfers.
What does serverTransferProhibited mean?
The registry, not your registrar, has blocked transfers. ICANN describes it as uncommon and often tied to a dispute or a redemption period. Some owners also buy a registry lock service that sets it on purpose. Ask your registrar which case applies, because only it can ask the registry to lift it.
Sources (7)
- Transfer Policy (updated 21 February 2024) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- Transfer Policy (2016 text) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- Registrant FAQs on domain name transfers — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- EPP Status Codes: What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know? — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- ICANN Lookup — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- Transfer Policy Review PDP Final Report — ICANN GNSO (checked 2026-10-19)
- Transferring an outgoing domain name — OVHcloud (checked 2026-10-19)
Lock lifted? Send the transfer
Enter the domain and its auth code. Nameservers are kept, .com costs $12.49 with a year added, no ID, paid in crypto.