If you’ve never moved a domain from one registrar to another, then you may think it’s very simple, and nothing but an ordinary administrative task; however, the truth is that it isn’t as easy as it may appear to be, at first glance.
That’s because it involves a couple of administrative and technical steps, and if you accidentally skip one of them, then this may result in certain problems. For organizations, the stakes can be pretty high.
A domain name may be linked with their website’s name, online applications, email accounts, etc. But don’t fret! A vast majority of these issues can be avoided and that’s precisely what this article will explore today!
Failing To Unlock Your Domain
Locked domains are completely stuck in place. Every domain registrar builds in a domain lock feature to keep scammers from stealing your web address. While that is awesome for security, it will also completely block your own transfer request if you forget to turn it off.
Under the official ICANN domain transfer policy, you absolute must unlock your domain before trying to move it. If you skip this step, your transfer request is going to fail instantly, making this one of the most common domain transfer mistakes you can make.
Luckily, most registrar dashboards make unlocking your domain a breeze. Just log into your account, find the domain you want to move, and switch the status toggle from “Locked” to “Unlocked.” Just keep in mind that it might take a few minutes for the new setting to actually kick in.
You Think That No Preparation Is Necessary? Think Twice!
You’ll probably come across providers that will claim this. They’ll try to convince you to transfer your domain easily, which isn’t always easy to pull off, even if you have the best possible tools at your disposal. Yes, there are solutions that can simplify it, but what they cannot do is automatically comprehend each enterprise dependency connected to a domain.
Therefore, before you begin clicking through a transfer wizard, first be sure you are familiar with the services depending on the domain, along with who is responsible for them.
Did You Check The Current Domain’s Status?
Before you even think about starting a transfer, your business needs to check the current status of your domain. Domains can easily get slapped with restrictions that will completely freeze or delay your move.
For instance, a domain might be locked tight against transfers, or there might be specific registration and ownership details you need to clear up first. It is always worth logging into your current registrar account to review all the settings before you trigger anything.
Never just assume that because you have access to your website’s backend, you are automatically good to move the domain.
Not Having The Authorization (EPP) Code
Do you know what The Authorization code is? It can be defined as some sort of password for your domain. It’s designed to verify ownership, and, simultaneously, enable you to authorize the transfer with your new registrar.
Without it, no system can ever be one hundred percent sure that you’re an actual owner. According to ICANN domain transfer rules, each transfer request must come with a valid EPP code.
If by any chance, people forget to check the EPP code, or employ the one that’s expired, then the transfer will fail. As soon as the new registrar submits the request, the losing one needs to release the domain within the five days.
That’s the part of the ICANN policy that’s intended to safeguard owners and enable them to cancel fishy moves in a timely manner. In case you don’t know, you can find the EPP code in your account settings.
Copy it exactly because even a small extra space can result in rejection, and then paste it during checkout.
Skipping Domain Privacy Settings
Domain privacy is a lifesaver for keeping your personal details hidden in the public WHOIS database by replacing your real info with proxy contacts. While that is awesome for ducking scammers, it creates a massive roadblock during a transfer because it completely blocks critical verification emails.
If your WHOIS privacy is active, you need to turn it off before kicking off the move. If you skip this, your domain transfer authorization email will get sent straight to a useless privacy proxy inbox instead of your real address.
As you can see, with the proper preparation, domain transfer does not have to be all that stressful!
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