Learning how to transfer a domain name between registrars is simpler than it looks once you know the three things that actually gate it: the EPP (auth) code, the registrar lock, and ICANN's 60-day rules. This guide walks the full process step by step, states the real domain transfer cost (and answers the question everyone asks — "do you pay twice to transfer a domain?"), and tells you exactly how long it takes. By the end you will be able to move a .com from any registrar to another with no downtime and usually a bonus year added to your registration.
The domain transfer cost for a standard gTLD (.com, .net, .org) is typically one year's registration fee — about $10–$15 — at the gaining registrar. Crucially, that fee is not a pure charge: it adds a year to your domain's expiry. So if your domain had 8 months left and you transfer, you end up with roughly 1 year 8 months. That is why the honest answer to "do you pay twice to transfer a domain?" is no — you are buying an extra year, not re-buying the time you already own.
| TLD | Typical transfer fee | Adds a year? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com / .net / .org | $9–$15 | Yes (+1 year) | Most common; includes ICANN fee |
| .co | $25–$35 | Yes (+1 year) | Higher registry price |
| .io | $40–$60 | Yes (+1 year) | Pricey ccTLD |
| .ai | 2-year block | Adds 2 years | 2-year minimum; see our .ai cost calculator |
| Some ccTLDs (.de, .us) | $0–$15 | Varies | A few are free to transfer |
When transferring is actually free: a handful of ccTLDs allow free transfers, and "leaving" a registrar never costs anything — registrars cannot charge you an exit fee, per ICANN policy. You only pay the gaining registrar's transfer price, which buys that bonus year.
Domain transfer time for gTLDs is normally 5 to 7 days, and often faster if you approve promptly. Here is the timeline:
The EPP code domain transfer step trips up most first-timers. An EPP code (also called an authorization code, auth code, or transfer secret) is a per-domain password that proves you have the right to move it. You get it from your current registrar — usually in the domain's settings, sometimes emailed to the registrant on request. Paste it into the gaining registrar's transfer form. Notes:
ICANN imposes a 60-day transfer lock in two situations, and missing them is the #1 reason transfers get rejected:
Separately, every domain has a registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited) that you control — you must turn it off before transferring. And domains in their first 60 days, or expired/redemption status, can't transfer. ICANN's Transfer Policy is the authoritative reference.
| Reason to transfer | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Cheaper renewals | Move to a wholesale-price registrar; see our registrar comparison |
| Consolidation | All domains in one dashboard; easier renewal management |
| Better features / DNS | Free privacy, faster DNS, better support |
| Bonus year | Transfer fee adds a year — sometimes cheaper than renewing in place |
When to wait: within 60 days of registration or a prior transfer; right before expiry (renew first, then transfer); during a critical launch (do it during a quiet window even though there's no downtime, to reduce risk).
The most common fear when learning how to transfer a domain name is that the website or email will go dark mid-transfer. It will not, if you do one thing: keep your nameservers (DNS) unchanged before and during the transfer. A registrar transfer moves who manages the registration, not where your DNS points. As long as the same nameservers and DNS records stay in place, visitors and mail never notice. Only change DNS after the transfer completes, if you intend to use the new registrar's DNS. For zero risk, copy your existing DNS records to the new registrar before transferring, or set the domain to use an independent DNS provider (e.g. Cloudflare) so the registrar move and DNS are fully decoupled.
| Concern | Will it break during transfer? | How to be safe |
|---|---|---|
| Website | No, if nameservers unchanged | Don't touch DNS until after transfer |
| Email (MX) | No, if DNS records preserved | Copy MX records to new registrar first |
| SSL certificate | No | Unaffected by registrar change |
Because the domain transfer cost adds a year, transferring can be cheaper than renewing in place. If your current registrar wants $20 to renew but a wholesale registrar charges $10 to transfer (adding a year), you save $10 and move to cheaper future renewals. This is why savvy owners "renew by transfer." The catch is the 60-day rule: you cannot transfer within 60 days of registration or a prior transfer, and transferring very close to expiry is risky (renew first if you are inside a few days of expiration). Outside those windows, comparing the gaining registrar's transfer price to your incumbent's renewal — both of which buy one year — is the right way to decide. See our registrar comparison for current transfer/renewal pricing.
Roughly half of failed transfers trace to the EPP code domain transfer step. The auth code is case-sensitive, occasionally contains characters easy to mistype, and at some registrars expires after a set window. If the gaining registrar reports an invalid code, request a fresh one from the losing registrar and paste it immediately. If the transfer still won't start, check three locks in order: the registrar lock (clientTransferProhibited — you must disable it), the 60-day post-registration/transfer lock (wait it out), and a registrant-change lock (triggered by editing the owner's name/email). Confirm your registrant email is current, because the approval message goes there. Work through those and virtually every gTLD transfer completes; the authoritative rules are in ICANN's Transfer Policy.
For a standard .com/.net/.org, the transfer fee is about $9-$15 at the gaining registrar, and it adds a full year to your domain's expiry. Other TLDs cost more (.co $25-$35, .io $40-$60). Leaving a registrar is always free, and a few ccTLDs transfer for free. The losing registrar cannot charge you an exit fee under ICANN policy.
No. The transfer fee is not a double charge; it adds a year to your registration. If your domain had 8 months remaining, after transfer you have about 1 year 8 months. You are buying an extra year, not re-purchasing the time you already own, so you do not lose any remaining registration period.
A gTLD transfer normally completes in 5 to 7 days. ICANN gives the losing registrar up to 5 calendar days to release the domain. If you explicitly approve the transfer in the confirmation emails, it can finish within hours; if you ignore them, it auto-completes at the 5-day mark. Your website and email keep working throughout if you keep the same nameservers.
An EPP code, also called an authorization or auth code, is a per-domain password that proves you have the right to transfer it. You get it from your current registrar (in the domain settings or by request) and paste it into the new registrar's transfer form. It is case-sensitive and sometimes time-limited, so request a fresh one if a transfer fails.
ICANN imposes a 60-day transfer lock after a domain is registered or after its last registrar transfer, and changing the registrant's details can also trigger a 60-day lock. Domains that are expired, in redemption, or still registrar-locked also cannot transfer. If you are within 60 days of registration or a prior transfer, you simply have to wait it out.
Confirm the domain is over 60 days old and not expired; unlock it at your current registrar; disable WHOIS privacy if required; get the EPP/auth code; verify your registrant email is current; start the transfer at the new registrar and pay the fee (which adds a year); approve the transfer via email to speed it up; wait up to 5 days; then re-enable privacy and re-lock.