Transferring a domain to another registrar does not move your website. It changes which company manages the registration. Your hosting, files and email can stay exactly where they are.

Downtime usually happens because DNS records or nameservers are changed carelessly during the transfer—not because the registrar transfer itself requires the website to stop.

Know what is moving

Item Moves with a registrar transfer?
Domain registration Yes
Website files and database No
Hosting account No
Mailboxes and stored email No
DNS hosting Usually remains where the nameservers point, but confirm provider policy
SSL certificate Usually remains installed on the web server

If you also want to change hosting, treat that as a separate project. Follow our website migration checklist before changing the domain’s DNS.

Before you begin

  1. Confirm the domain is active and not close to expiry.
  2. Find the current registrar and account owner.
  3. Make sure the registrant email address works.
  4. Export or screenshot every DNS record.
  5. Check where the nameservers currently point.
  6. Confirm that website and email bills are paid separately.
  7. Turn on two-factor authentication at both registrars.

Check transfer eligibility

A generic domain may be blocked by a transfer lock, a recent registration or transfer, a recent registrant change, an unresolved dispute or another registry status. Rules differ for country-code domains.

ICANN’s registrant transfer FAQ explains that an Auth-Code is required for transfers between registrars and that the current registrar must provide it within five calendar days of a request.

Check the domain’s status through ICANN Lookup. A clientTransferProhibited status normally means the registrar lock is active.

Keep DNS stable

The safest approach is to keep the existing nameservers during the registrar transfer. When DNS continues to be served from the same place, the website and email records keep resolving normally.

If the old registrar also provides DNS and will stop serving it after transfer, copy the complete zone to a neutral DNS provider first. Include:

  • A and AAAA records for the website
  • CNAME records, including www
  • MX records for email
  • SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records
  • verification and service records
  • subdomains used by apps or control panels

Do not copy only the website’s A record. Missing MX or TXT records can break incoming email or cause messages to fail authentication.

Step-by-step transfer

  1. Unlock the domain at the current registrar.
  2. Request or generate the EPP/Auth-Code.
  3. Start the transfer at the new registrar and enter the code.
  4. Pay the transfer fee if required; many gTLD transfers include a one-year renewal, but confirm the TLD rules.
  5. Approve the confirmation sent to the authorised contact.
  6. Leave hosting and nameservers unchanged.
  7. Monitor the transfer until the new registrar reports completion.
  8. Enable registrar lock and two-factor authentication again.

SiteChai provides domain registration and transfer services. Before starting, confirm the extension’s price, renewal date and transfer requirements with support.

Test after completion

  • Open the website on mobile data and broadband.
  • Check both the root domain and www address.
  • Send email into and out of every important domain mailbox.
  • Verify MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
  • Check SSL and redirect behaviour.
  • Confirm the new registrar shows the correct expiry date and contact email.

What if you are changing nameservers too?

Build and verify the new DNS zone before switching. Lower the TTL of critical records one or two days in advance when possible. Keep the old DNS service active during propagation, and do not delete it until traffic and mail are clearly using the new service.

If DNSSEC is enabled, coordinate DS records carefully. A mismatch between the registry and DNS provider can make the entire domain appear offline.

Common mistakes

  • Starting a transfer days before expiration
  • Changing registrant details immediately before moving
  • Losing access to the approval email
  • Publishing an incomplete DNS zone
  • Forgetting mail authentication records
  • Disabling the old DNS service too soon
  • Sending the Auth-Code through an insecure channel

Frequently asked questions

How long does a domain transfer take?

It varies by extension and registrar. Some complete quickly after approval; others can take several days.

Will my website go offline?

It should remain online when hosting and working nameservers stay unchanged. DNS mistakes are the main downtime risk.

Does transferring a domain change its owner?

No. A registrar transfer changes the registrar, not the registrant, unless you separately update ownership details.

Will I lose email?

Not if the correct nameservers, MX and authentication records continue working. Test email after completion.

Can I transfer an expired domain?

Possibly, depending on its status and registrar policy, but it is safer to renew and stabilise the domain first.

Bottom line

Document DNS, keep nameservers stable, protect the Auth-Code and test website and email after completion. A registrar transfer is usually straightforward when you avoid combining it with several other migrations at the same time.