User loginHow to transfer a domain after you buy it (push vs auth code)
What happens after you buy a domain: registrar push, EPP/auth code transfers, unlock and verification steps, timelines, and common problems.
- There are two methods: a registrar push (same registrar, fastest) and an auth-code transfer (between registrars).
- Most transfers complete within 24–48 hours after payment; country-code extensions can take longer.
- The domain must be unlocked and, at some registrars, out of WHOIS privacy before a code is issued.
- ICANN blocks a further registrar transfer for 60 days after one has taken place.
- You are not done until WHOIS shows you as the registrant and the domain is locked again.
Payment is agreed and the seller is ready to hand over. What happens next is a defined technical procedure, and most of the problems that arise are predictable. This guide covers both transfer methods, the timings to expect and the things that go wrong.
The two methods
| Registrar push | Auth-code transfer | |
|---|---|---|
| When it applies | Buyer and seller use the same registrar | Buyer wants the domain at their own registrar |
| Typical time | Minutes to a few hours | 24–48 hours, sometimes longer |
| What the buyer needs | An account at the seller's registrar | An account anywhere, plus the auth code |
| Cost | Usually free | Often includes a year of renewal in the transfer fee |
| 60-day lock afterwards | No | Yes |
If you have no strong preference, the push is easier: it is fast, free and cannot fail halfway. Open a free account at the seller's registrar, send them your account ID or the e-mail on the account, and they push the domain across. You can always move it to your preferred registrar later.
The auth-code transfer, step by step
This is the standard route between different registrars. The authorization code — also called EPP code or AuthInfo — is the string that proves the current owner agreed to the move.
- Seller unlocks the domain. Registrars apply a transfer lock by default as an anti-theft measure. Until it is off, nothing will work.
- Seller disables WHOIS privacy if required. Some registries verify registrant details during a transfer and cannot do so behind a proxy.
- Seller issues the auth code and sends it to you. Codes are case sensitive and often expire, so use it promptly.
- Buyer starts the transfer at their own registrar, entering the domain and the code.
- Confirmation e-mails. Both sides usually receive one. The seller's approval can shorten the wait; ignoring it means the transfer completes only after the automatic five-day window.
- Completion. The domain appears in the buyer's account. DNS records normally carry over, but check them.
What goes wrong, and how to fix it
- "Transfer prohibited" status. The domain is still locked. The seller has to turn the lock off at their registrar.
- The code is rejected. Nearly always a copy-paste problem: a trailing space, or a code that has already expired. Ask for a fresh one.
- Nothing happens for days. Neither side approved the confirmation e-mail. It often lands in spam, and the address it goes to is the one in WHOIS, which may be stale.
- The domain was recently transferred. ICANN blocks a further registrar transfer for 60 days. A push at the same registrar is still possible, so that is the workaround.
- The domain expires mid-transfer. Renew first, then transfer. A transfer started close to the expiry date can fail and leave the name in an awkward state.
Country-code extensions add a step
National registries run their own procedures. For .it domains the code is called AuthInfo and, when the registrant changes rather than just the registrar, the Registro .it requires confirmation of the change of holder. That is a separate step from the technical transfer and is the usual reason a .it takes a few days longer than a .com.
Two things to sort out before you start: confirm you meet the eligibility rules — for .it, residence or establishment in the EU, EEA, Switzerland, San Marino or Vatican City — and make sure the contact e-mail you give is one you can read immediately, because confirmations are time-limited. The .it guide covers the procedure in full.
If the deal uses escrow
With escrow, the order is fixed: the buyer funds the escrow account, the provider confirms the money has cleared, and only then does the seller transfer. The buyer inspects, confirms control, and the provider releases the funds.
Two details matter. Agree the inspection window in advance — three to five days is normal, and a slow registrar transfer can eat a short one. And do not confirm receipt until you are the registrant in WHOIS, not merely until the domain appears in your account. The escrow guide covers the sequence.
After the transfer: five minutes that matter
- Check WHOIS. You should be the registrant, not just the account holder. If the record still names the seller, the change of holder has not completed.
- Lock the domain again and enable two-factor authentication on your registrar account. A stolen registrar login is how most domain theft happens.
- Verify the DNS. Records usually carry across, but nameservers may still point at the seller's hosting. Set your own before you launch anything.
- Set an independent renewal reminder. Auto-renew plus a calendar entry: expired domains are lost far more often through a dead payment card than through anything dramatic.
- Keep the paperwork. The invoice, the transfer confirmation and the agreed terms. If ownership is ever questioned, that trail is your evidence.
If you bought on Hot4Sales, the transfer follows exactly these steps: the seller pushes the domain or issues the code once payment is confirmed, usually within 24–48 hours. Anything that stalls beyond that is worth reporting through the contact page.
How long does a domain transfer take?
A push at the same registrar can complete in minutes. An auth-code transfer between registrars usually takes 24–48 hours, and up to five days if nobody approves the confirmation e-mail. Country-code extensions with a change-of-holder step can add a couple of days.
Does my website go offline during a transfer?
No. A transfer changes which registrar manages the domain, not where it points. As long as the nameservers stay the same, the site and e-mail keep working throughout.
Do I have to pay to transfer a domain?
A push is normally free. An inbound transfer between registrars usually costs about the price of one year's renewal and adds that year to your registration, so it is not a pure fee.
Can a transfer be reversed?
Not by you. Once completed, moving the domain again requires a new transfer, and ICANN blocks that for 60 days. This is precisely why the buyer should verify the WHOIS registrant before releasing escrow funds.