Quick answer
How do I transfer a .com domain?
Unlock the .com at your current registrar, copy its auth code, and paste both into the TransferOffshore transfer form. Verisign then adds one year to the expiry date. The old registrar has 5 calendar days to object; after that, the move completes. As of 19 October 2026, the .com transfer costs $12.49, billed once and paid in crypto.
Start your .com transfer
Popular extensions
- .com $12.49
.com transfer facts
| Registry | Verisign |
|---|---|
| How the domain moves | EPP auth code (AuthInfo) from the current registrar |
| Year added by the transfer | Yes, one year; the total term is capped at 10 years (ICANN) |
| Code validity | No fixed expiry under today's ICANN policy; 14 days under the adopted TAC rules, not yet in force |
| Lock after registration | 60 days: ICANN lets registrars refuse, and many do |
| Typical time | Up to 5 calendar days |
| WHOIS privacy | Free |
.com price per year
| Extension | 1st year | Renewal | Transfer | WHOIS privacy | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .com | $12.49 | $12.49 | $12.49 | Free | None |
What happens when a .com domain changes registrar?
A .com transfer follows ICANN's Transfer Policy, in the version updated on 21 February 2024. Verisign runs the registry, but it does not decide on its own. It passes your request to the losing registrar and waits.
- Day 0. You submit the domain and its auth code. Verisign checks the code.
- Days 1 to 5. The losing registrar may approve, refuse for a reason the policy allows, or stay silent.
- Day 5. Silence counts as approval, and the domain moves.
The new expiry date is the old one plus one year, so time you already paid is kept. One limit applies: the unexpired term can never pass 10 years. A .com already renewed far ahead gains less than a full year.
If the old registrar auto-renewed the name less than 45 days ago, the registry cancels that renewal year when the transfer lands. You still end one year past the old expiry, not two. Ask the old registrar whether it refunds the renewal it charged.
What should you check before moving a .com domain?
- Age of the name. A .com registered or transferred less than 60 days ago can be refused. Wait for day 61.
- Recent owner change. A change of registrant starts a 60-day lock, unless you opted out before the change.
- Status.
clientTransferProhibitedmust be gone. An RDAP lookup shows it. - DNS hosted at the old registrar. Export the zone first. Our form keeps your nameservers, but free DNS from the old company may stop when the domain leaves.
- DNSSEC. If you plan to change nameservers, remove the DS record first.
What does a .com transfer cost?
$12.49 for the .com transfer, then $12.49/year to renew (all prices). That payment covers the year Verisign adds, so the transfer is also your next renewal. Without Domain protection, nothing else is billed when the transfer completes.
Who uses .com domains?
.com is the default for companies, shops and personal brands worldwide. Portfolios often hold dozens of .com names with mixed expiry dates. Our tip: move the names that expire soonest first, up to 20 per request, so none lapses while it waits.
.com transfer questions
Does a .com transfer reset my expiry date?
No. Verisign keeps your current expiry date and adds one year to it. A .com that expires on 1 March 2027 will expire on 1 March 2028 after the move. The only limit is the 10-year maximum term set by ICANN.
Why was my .com transfer refused after 3 days?
The losing registrar used one of the refusal reasons ICANN allows. The usual ones are a registration or transfer less than 60 days old, a recent change of registrant, or a pending dispute. My domains shows the reason, and you can correct the code and send it again.
Will the .com auth code expire?
Under the ICANN policy in force today, each registrar sets its own code lifetime. The adopted Transfer Policy Review rules will limit a code to 14 days and one use, but ICANN has published no start date. Use a fresh code to be safe.
Sources for .com (4)
- Transfer Policy (updated 21 February 2024) — ICANN (2026-10-19)
- Transfer Policy, 2016 text (sections I.A.3 and I.A.5) — ICANN (2026-10-19)
- .com registry rules — CentralNic Reseller (2026-10-19)
- Transfer Policy Review: Final Report to the GNSO Council — ICANN GNSO (2025-02-04)