How to Transfer a Domain Name Without Downtime (Step by Step)

Moving a domain to a new company sounds risky. Your website, your email and your customers all depend on it. The good news is that you can learn how to transfer a domain without downtime, because a transfer changes who manages your domain, not where it points.

Most problems come from small things done in the wrong order: a changed nameserver, an old contact email or a missing DNS record. This guide gives you a calm, step-by-step plan. Follow it in order and your site and email should keep working all the way through.

What a domain transfer really is

A domain transfer moves your registration from one registrar to another. Ownership stays with you. The domain name does not change, and the transfer does not, by itself, move your website or your email. Those usually live on separate services, such as a hosting plan or a mailbox provider.

This is why downtime is avoidable. Your DNS records tell the internet where your website and email live. As long as those records stay the same during the move, visitors and messages keep going to the right place.

Downtime happens when the DNS records change by accident. This can occur when the old registrar also hosts your DNS and switches it off after the transfer, or when someone changes nameservers in the middle of the process. We cover both below.

Step 1: Check that your domain can be transferred

Before you start, confirm a few basics:

• The domain is old enough. Under ICANN transfer rules, a domain generally cannot move within 60 days of being newly registered. The same 60-day wait applies after a previous transfer between registrars.
• The domain is not expired or about to expire. Renew first if the date is close. A domain that has lapsed may need to be restored before it can move.
• You can open the contact email on the domain. Approval messages go to the registrant or admin email. If that address is old or closed, update it first.
• You are the owner or have permission. Only the registrant, or someone they authorize, can approve the move.

You can read the official rules in the ICANN Transfer Policy. A 60-day transfer lock can also follow a change of registrant, as ICANN policy allows, although some registrars let you opt out of it.

Step 2: Copy your current DNS records

This is the most important step for avoiding downtime, and it takes five minutes. Log in at your current registrar and open the DNS settings for the domain. Write down or take a screenshot of every record. Pay special attention to these types:

Record type	What it does
A and AAAA	Point your domain to your website's server
CNAME	Point subdomains, such as www, to another name
MX	Send your email to the right mailbox provider
TXT	Prove ownership and protect email (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
NS	Name the servers that answer for your domain

Missing MX or TXT records are a common cause of lost email after a move. If you are not sure what a record does, copy it anyway. You can learn more in our help article, What is DNS?

Step 3: Find out where your DNS is hosted

Look at the NS records. They show which company answers DNS questions for your domain. There are two common cases:

1. DNS is hosted at your current registrar. After the transfer, DNS may stay where it is or move with the domain, depending on the companies involved. Either way, you need your copied records so you can rebuild them if needed.
2. DNS is hosted somewhere else, such as your web host or a separate DNS service. In this case the transfer does not affect it at all. Your site and email continue to work as before.

If you are unsure, ask the current registrar whether DNS service ends when the domain leaves. Then you can plan to recreate the records in your new account before the move completes.

Step 4: Lower the TTL on your records (optional)

TTL, or time to live, tells the internet how long to remember a DNS answer. If you plan any DNS change around the transfer, lower the TTL a day or two earlier, to something short such as 300 seconds. Then a correction takes effect quickly if you need one. If you do not plan to change records, you can skip this step.

Step 5: Turn off the transfer lock

Registrars protect domains with a transfer lock. It stops anyone from moving your domain without your approval. To start a transfer, you need to switch the lock off at your current registrar. Look for a setting called "domain lock," "registrar lock" or "transfer lock" in your domain settings.

Turn it back on after the transfer completes. A domain with locking on is much safer. When your domain arrives with BetterMade, domain locking is available to protect it again.

Step 6: Get your authorization code

The authorization code, also called an auth code or EPP code, is a private password for your domain. The new registrar needs it to prove you approve the move. Request it from your current registrar's domain settings. It often arrives by email or appears in your account.

Keep these points in mind:

• Treat the code like a password. Do not post it or share it widely.
• Under ICANN rules, registrars must provide the code within five business days of a request, and they may not hold it back over a payment dispute.
• Codes can expire, so request yours just before you start the transfer.

Our help center shows how this works for domains held with us: Get the auth code for my domain.

Step 7: Start the transfer

Now go to the domain transfer page, enter your domain name and follow the prompts. You will be asked for the authorization code and asked to pay for the transfer. For most extensions, a transfer adds one year to your current expiration date, and any time you have left is kept.

If you want help with the order, see Enter the authorization code for my domain transfer, or call (480) 624-2500.

Do not change your nameservers while a transfer is in progress. Wait until the domain has arrived and you have checked that everything works.

Step 8: Approve the confirmation email

After you submit the transfer, an email goes to the contact address on the domain. Open it and approve the request. Without your approval, the transfer may stall or be cancelled. Check your spam folder if you do not see it within a few minutes.

Once approved, the old registrar has a short window to respond, and then the registry completes the move. Under ICANN rules the registry should complete an approved transfer within five calendar days. Many transfers finish within 5 to 7 days, and some extensions are faster. You can follow progress with Check the status of my domain transfer.

Step 9: Check everything after the move

When the transfer is done, test the basics straight away:

1. Visit your website, with and without the www. prefix
2. Send a test email to your domain and send one from it.
3. Compare the DNS records in your new account with your saved copy. Add anything that is missing.
4. Turn domain locking back on.
5. Turn on auto-renew so the domain never lapses.
6. Review the contact details so they are correct and current.

If something looks wrong, the saved copy of your records lets you fix it in minutes.

Mistakes that cause downtime

Most transfer problems come from this short list:

• Changing nameservers too early. A transfer and a nameserver change are two separate actions. Do not mix them in the same afternoon.
• Letting DNS switch off. If your old registrar hosts DNS and stops when the domain leaves, rebuild the records right away from your copy.
• Ignoring the approval email. A missed message is the most common reason for a slow transfer.
• Transferring close to expiry. Give yourself weeks, not hours, before the renewal date.
• Hidden privacy settings. If contact details are masked, make sure the forwarding email still works, or the approval message may never reach you. Our guide to WHOIS privacy explains how this works.

A simple timeline you can follow

If you like to plan, here is an easy schedule for a calm move:

1. One week before: Check the domain age, renew if the expiry date is near and confirm the contact email works.
2. Two days before: Copy all DNS records and, if you plan any changes, lower the TTL.
3. Day of transfer: Turn off the transfer lock, request the auth code and start the order.
4. Within a day: Approve the confirmation email as soon as it arrives.
5. During the wait: Leave DNS and nameservers alone. Keep working as normal.
6. After arrival: Run the checks in Step 9 and turn locking and auto-renew back on.

Choose a quiet time, not a busy sales week. If anything feels uncertain, the BetterMade Hosting team can help.

Frequently asked questions

Will my website go down during a transfer?

It should not. Moving the registration does not by itself change your DNS settings. Keep a copy of your records and do not change nameservers until the transfer is done.

Will my email stop working?

Not if your MX and related records stay the same. Check them before and after the move, and send a test message once the transfer completes.

How long does a domain transfer take?

Most transfers complete within 5 to 7 days after you approve them, and some extensions are faster. The exact time depends on the extension and how quickly the approval email is answered.

Do I lose the time left on my registration?

For most extensions, a transfer adds a year to the current expiration date and keeps the time you have already paid for. Some extensions work differently, so check at checkout.

Can I transfer a domain I registered last week?

Usually not. ICANN rules generally block transfers within 60 days of registration or of a previous transfer between registrars.

What if I lost my authorization code?

Request a new one from your current registrar. If you cannot reach your account, start by recovering your login, then ask for the code again.

Your next step

Gather your DNS records, check your domain's age and open the transfer page when you are ready. Once your domain is here, you can manage domains, email and hosting from one account. Questions along the way? Call (480) 624-2500 and the BetterMade Hosting team will walk you through it.