To transfer a domain name, unlock it at your current registrar, get the auth (EPP) code, start the transfer at the new registrar and approve it by email. Under ICANN rules, the old registrar must provide the code within 5 calendar days. Copy your DNS records first, so your website and email keep working. .pk domains follow PKNIC's own process.
Key Takeaways
- Copy every DNS record before you start; missing email records are the most common cause of trouble.
- Make sure the domain is registered in your name and that you control the registrant email.
- ICANN rules allow a 60-day lock after certain changes, so plan transfers around them.
- .pk domains follow PKNIC's own procedures, which differ from generic domains.
- Avoid transferring close to the expiry date or during a busy sales period.
Why Transfer a Domain Name?
Business owners transfer domains for good reasons: the previous developer registered it under their own account, the renewal price has climbed, support is poor, or you want all your domains in one place. Whatever the reason, the domain is the address for both your website and your email, so a careless transfer can take both offline. This guide explains how to transfer a domain name step by step, and what is different for .pk domains.
Domains are the first of the ownership topics that follow on from our guide to getting found on Google. Our guide to who owns your website explains why the domain should be in your name in the first place.
What Should You Check Before Starting?
- Ownership: confirm the registrant name is you or your business, and that you can receive email at the registrant address.
- DNS records: export or screenshot every record, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and any verification records.
- Expiry date: avoid transfers in the last days before expiry.
- Recent changes: check whether the registrant details were changed in the last 60 days.
- Nameservers: know where DNS is hosted; it may be at the registrar, the host or a service such as Cloudflare.
How Does a Generic Domain Transfer Work?
| Step | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Unlock the domain | Current registrar | Remove the transfer lock |
| 2. Get the auth code | Current registrar | Also called EPP or AuthInfo code |
| 3. Start the transfer | New registrar | Enter the domain and code, pay any fee |
| 4. Approve | Your email | Confirm the request if asked |
| 5. Wait | Both | Usually several days |
| 6. Check DNS | New registrar or DNS host | Confirm records match your copy |
ICANN's guidance for domain name holders says the auth code verifies you are the holder, and if you cannot generate it yourself the registrar must provide it within five calendar days of your request. Registrars may charge a transfer fee, but ICANN states a transfer cannot be denied for non-payment of that fee.
What Are the 60-Day Locks?
ICANN's rules mean that after you change the registrant name, organisation or email, the domain cannot move to another registrar for 60 days, unless the registrar offers and you accept an opt-out. A registrar may also deny a transfer within 60 days of the domain's first registration or its previous transfer. If you need to change ownership details and move registrar, plan the order carefully.
What Is Different for .pk Domains?
.pk domains are managed by PKNIC, Pakistan's registry, not under the same ICANN transfer system. PKNIC's site lists "Change Registrar" and "Change Details" procedures; contact PKNIC or your reseller for the current process before you start. PKNIC states a fee of Rs 2,100 a year for Pakistan-based registrants from 1 August 2026, and $15.99 a year for registrants outside Pakistan, with the fee charged for a two-year period. Our domain and hosting price guide has more detail.
How Do You Protect Email During a Transfer?
Email breaks during transfers when DNS moves to a new provider without the MX and authentication records. If DNS stays with a separate host such as Cloudflare, the registrar transfer alone does not change records. If DNS is hosted at the old registrar, recreate every record at the new provider before changing nameservers, then test sending and receiving. Our guide to emails going to spam explains the authentication records.
When Is the Best Time?
Choose a quiet weekday, well before expiry and away from sales or launches. Tell staff that email may need checking for a day.
What About Registrant Privacy?
Registration details include names, phones and emails. Use the new registrar's privacy service where available, and keep a business email, not a personal one, as the registrant address.
Getting Help
We handle domain transfers as part of website care plans from Rs 7,200 a month, or as a one-off task. See our pricing page.
See also How to Move Your Website to a New Host Without Downtime or L.
Frequently Asked Questions
How we researched this: Transfer rules (auth code within five calendar days, 60-day locks, transfer fees) come from ICANN's FAQ for domain name holders, and .pk fees from PKNIC's site, both checked 30 October 2026. PKNIC's transfer procedure text could not be read, so readers are directed to PKNIC. Our prices come from the published list.
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