You’ve negotiated a deal for your perfect domain name, you’ve agreed all the terms and now it’s time for the big step! If you are a domain name pro and you have managed domain name transfers before, move along, this article will likely have nothing new for you (you can read this one instead;)) If you have little to no idea how to do that however, we’ve got you covered. Here is your quick guide on transferring your premium domain name to your chosen registrar.

1. Choose a registrar

A domain name registrar is a company that manages the reservation of domain names. There are many registrars to pick from, you should select one based on what fits your needs – do you want a big, globally established company or prefer smaller local ones? Will you manage a few domains or a corporate portfolio of names? What is most important to you – security, privacy, cost? Take into account all those factors when making that choice and read some reviews of the chosen company. 

2. Secure the payment

It is best to use Escrow services when handling a domain name transaction for the security of all parties involved. Very shortly put, Escrow services are third party providers who secure and hold your funds until you confirm you have received the domain name in your account. Only when you confirm that’s the case, they will release the payment to the domain owner. Learn more about how Escrow works here.

If you are using Escrow.com make sure the funding method (bank account, credit card etc.) you use for the transaction matches the details you have on your Escrow account to avoid delays in verifying the payment. For example, if you have an Escrow account with your personal email and you fund the transaction with your company bank account, you may be required to provide additional documentation to confirm your affiliation with the company.

3. Get an auth code

The auth code, also known as an Authorization Code, Auth-Info Code, or transfer code, is required to transfer a domain name from one registrar to another. Once you have an account with your chosen registrar, let the seller of your domain name know which registrar you will be using and ask them for the auth code to initiate the transfer on your side.

4. Initiate the transfer

Once you have the auth code you will need to initiate the transfer of the domain name with your chosen registrar. The steps you need to take may vary depending on the provider. Below are some of the most widely used registrars and the steps to initiate a domain transfer with them. Note, you will be charged the registrar fee for the domain name (usually between $7-$15 per year depending on registrar and extension). With most registrars, you can select to renew the name for one or more years. 

Bluehost.com

1. Visit the Domain Manager tab in your Bluehost control panel.
2. Select “Transfer a new domain to your account” from the Shortcuts menu on the top left-hand side.
3. Type in the domain you wish to transfer and click continue
4. Enter the auth code you received from the seller and click continue.
5. Bluehost will e-mail a verification code to the seller’s e-mail. Enter this verification code and click Continue.

Godaddy.com

1. Open this page and enter the domain you wish to transfer in the dedicated box. 
2. Enter the auth code in the page that will open after that and click Continue.
3. Select your privacy options and proceed to payment.

OVH.com

1. Go to the transfer page 
2. Add the name to your basket, select any other relevant services you may require and enter the auth code
3. Proceed to complete your order

Namecheap.com

1. Initiate the transfer from this page 
2. Enter your auth code and click « add to card » 
3. Proceed with payment

Name.com

1. Log in to your Name.com account.
2. Click on the DOMAINS tab, located at the top, and select TRANSFER.
3. Enter the domain and authorization code into the correct fields then click the Add to Cart button and proceed with payment.

Hover.com

1. Log in to your Hover.com account.
2. Navigate to the TRANSFER page.
3. Enter the domain and click Add to cart.
4. On the Shopping Cart page, enter your domain’s authorization code, and once done, click Secure checkout and proceed to payment.

Simply.com

1. Go to the Simply.com domain search page
2. Run a search for the domain you wish to transfer
3. In the results click the green “order now” button next to the domain
4. On the following page choose whether you wish to just transfer the domain or add hosting services to the package
5. Once you have made your selection proceed to checkout page

WEBCC

1. Go to the Transfer Domain page
2. Enter the domain name you wish to transfer and the Authorization Code
3. On the following page choose whether you wish to just transfer the domain or add extra services to the package
4. Once you have made your selection proceed to checkout page

5. Secure your domain name

Once initiated the transfer can take from 2 to 7 days. Don’t forget to notify the Escrow service you use that the domain is in your account so they can complete the transaction.

Domain names are strategic brand assets, you are going to build your brand around your address online, you will create trust and build brand equity, handle customers’ data in emails and traffic to your site. It is very important to keep your name safe, so don’t underestimate the importance of handling your digital assets with care. Here are some points to note.

Renewals

We recommend you renew your domain for the maximum time possible and make sure your payment settings are always up to date to avoid the name accidentally expiring. It happens even to big companies, so there is no shortage of horror stories about expired domain names.

Access to your account

Would you register a company property to the name of your web developer? Your secretary? The son of your colleague who was helping you with a job once? Likely not. So why would you do this with your address online? Same as with the point above, your address online = your brand online, and today almost everything is online! Make sure you have full control over your domain name, any access you need to provide to developers can be limited (check with your registrar) so they can do the necessary setup but can not transfer away your domain name. Make sure the domain is under your name, with the correct address, email, and phone number, in case you need to be contacted or/and prove you are the legitimate owner of the asset.

Privacy

The privacy is related to WHOIS records, so every domain name has a WHOIS listing. WHOIS is a searchable database of registered domains. It is available to everyone on the Internet. If you don’t use domain name privacy protection, all of your contact information (address, phone number, name, etc) is available to the public. Most domain name registrar offer privacy for free or a small yearly fee. It is up to you to use it, depending on your activity.

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We hope the above will help you with a smooth domain transfer for your newly acquired premium domain. If you still have any questions feel free to reach out, we are always happy to help.

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