A domain transfer should be an administrative change, not a reason for your website or business email to disappear. Knowing how to transfer a domain name properly means checking a few details before you start, then allowing the transfer process to run without changing the settings that keep your services online.
For most UK businesses, the aim is simple: move management of the domain to a provider you prefer while visitors can still reach the website and email continues to arrive as normal. That is entirely achievable, but it helps to distinguish a domain transfer from moving your website hosting.
What transferring a domain name actually changes
Your domain name is the address people type into a browser, such as yourbusiness.co.uk. Its registrar is the company responsible for managing the domain registration, renewal dates, contact details and, in many cases, the DNS settings that direct visitors and email to the right services.
When you transfer a domain, you move its registration from one registrar to another. You are not automatically moving the website files, database, mailboxes or Microsoft 365 subscription. Those services may stay where they are, provided the domain’s DNS records remain correct.
This distinction prevents a common and costly mistake. A business might transfer its domain and then replace the existing DNS records with new default settings. The registration moves successfully, but the website, email or both stop working because they no longer point to the correct place. Unless you are also changing hosting, keep the existing DNS records in place.
There are valid reasons to transfer. You may want simpler account management, UK-based support, clearer renewal arrangements or one provider for your domain, hosting, SSL certificate and email. Whatever the reason, start with preparation rather than pressing the transfer button.
Before you transfer a domain name
First, check that you control the registrant contact email address. Transfer approvals, confirmation messages and security notices are normally sent there. If it belongs to a former employee, old agency or an inbox you can no longer access, update it before beginning. Avoid changing registrant details immediately before a transfer, however, as some domain extensions apply a temporary transfer lock after certain contact changes.
Next, confirm the domain is eligible. Many generic domains, including .com and .net, cannot usually be transferred within 60 days of initial registration or a recent transfer. A domain that has expired may still be transferable, but the process can be more restricted or expensive once it enters redemption. It is best to begin while the registration is active and comfortably ahead of the renewal date.
You should also make a record of your current DNS zone. This is particularly useful if DNS is managed with the existing registrar. Save the nameservers and copy the individual records, especially the A, CNAME, MX and TXT records. MX and TXT records are often essential for business email, spam protection and email authentication, while CNAME records may support website services or verification tools.
Before proceeding, make sure you have:
- access to the current registrar account and the registrant email inbox;
- the domain’s current expiry date and confirmation that it is not in a restricted status;
- a copy of all DNS records and nameserver details;
- access to the new registrar account; and
- a plan for where DNS will be managed after the transfer.
If your website is hosted separately from your domain, write down the hosting provider’s nameservers or the IP address used by the site. If you use business email, confirm who provides it and preserve all relevant DNS records before making any changes.
How to transfer a domain name step by step
The exact screens differ between registrars, but the process follows a familiar pattern for most domain extensions.
1. Unlock the domain at the current registrar
Domains are often locked against transfer by default. This is a sensible security measure, as it prevents someone who gains access to an account from moving the domain without permission. Log in to the current registrar, locate the domain settings and disable the transfer lock.
Do not confuse a transfer lock with domain privacy. Privacy can generally remain enabled, but the transfer lock must be removed where the extension requires it.
2. Request the authorisation code
For many top-level domains, including .com, .org and .net, you need an authorisation code. It may also be called an EPP code or transfer key. Request it from the current registrar and keep it private. Treat it much like a password, because it authorises the move of a valuable business asset.
Some country-code domains use a different process. For .uk domains, the transfer is commonly completed by changing the IPS tag at the current registrar to the tag supplied by the new registrar. There is usually no EPP code in that process. Your new provider can confirm the correct method for the extension you hold.
3. Start the transfer with the new registrar
At the new registrar, enter the domain name and provide the authorisation code where requested. Check the registrant details carefully, particularly the email address. You may be asked to select whether to retain the existing nameservers or use the new provider’s DNS service.
If the website and email are staying where they are, retaining the current nameservers is usually the lower-risk option. You can move DNS management later, once the registration transfer has completed and you have had time to recreate and test the records.
4. Approve transfer emails promptly
Depending on the extension and registrar, you may receive one or more approval emails. These may go to the registrant contact or administrative contact. Approve them promptly, but read the domain name and receiving registrar carefully before confirming.
A generic-domain transfer can take several days if it is not actively approved or released by the losing registrar. Some complete faster. A .uk transfer using an IPS tag can often complete much more quickly, but timings still depend on both providers’ systems.
5. Check services after completion
Once the transfer is complete, log in to the new account and verify the renewal date, contact details, nameservers and DNS records. Visit the website using both the main domain and any www version. Send a test email to the domain and reply from the relevant mailbox. If you use contact forms, place a test enquiry as well.
Do not cancel the old hosting service simply because the domain transfer is complete. Cancel it only after confirming where the website, email and DNS are actually hosted. Registration and hosting are separate services, and ending the wrong one can create unnecessary downtime.
Keeping your website and email online
The safest approach is to change one thing at a time. If you are only transferring the domain registration, leave nameservers and DNS records unchanged. The public internet will continue using the same instructions for finding your website and mail service, even though a different company now manages the registration.
If you are transferring the domain and moving hosting at the same time, prepare the new hosting account first. Copy the website, database and email arrangements, then test the new site using a temporary address or hosts-file preview where available. Only update DNS when the new service is ready.
DNS changes can take time to spread because records are cached across networks. This is often described as propagation, but it is better understood as a gradual refresh. Reducing DNS record time-to-live values in advance can help when a planned move is required, although it will not fix incorrect records or replace proper testing.
Email needs particular care. A website can be visibly checked in a browser, but a missing MX record or incorrect SPF, DKIM or DMARC record may not be noticed until messages fail or are sent to junk folders. Keep a complete copy of these records and compare them after any DNS move.
Common domain transfer problems
The most common issue is an invalid authorisation code. Request a fresh code if you are unsure, then paste it carefully without added spaces. A domain lock, an unapproved email, a recent registration or a recent contact change can also delay a transfer.
Another problem is confusion over who owns the domain. If a web designer or previous provider registered it in their own account, they may need to release it or update the registrant details. The domain should be held in an account the business can access, using a monitored business email address where possible.
Finally, avoid letting a domain lapse while a dispute or transfer is under way. Set a calendar reminder before renewal and enable renewal notices. Automatic renewal can be useful, but it should sit alongside a current payment method and an account that more than one trusted person can recover if necessary.
A domain name is a small line item on a business budget, but it can carry years of customer recognition, email history and search visibility. Transfer it methodically, preserve the settings that already work, and ask for support before changing DNS if anything is unclear. A provider such as Pac Web Hosting can help you bring domain management and hosting together without making the process more complicated than it needs to be.
