Domain Transfer Frequently Asked Questions
 We
welcome the opportunity for Web Design By Cookie (WDBC), a Dotster
dotReseller, CentralNIC Accredited Registrar, and proud member
of the Better Business Bureau Connecticut, to serve as your new
domain registrar. To assist you and answer any questions you might
have about Domain Name Transfers we
have prepared these frequently asked questions. Do not hestiate
to contact
us via email or Live Chat (top right corner of this page) if this FAQ doesn't answer
your specific question.
The questions are organized by the two types of
transfers:
If I bought a name through one registrar, am I allowed to switch to a different registrar?
Yes. The Inter-Registrar Transfer
Policy, applicable to all ICANN-accredited
registrars, provides that registered name holders must be able to transfer
their domain name registrations between registrars. You must wait 60 days after
the initial registration or any previous transfers to initiate a transfer.
Why would I want to transfer my domain name?
People transfer their domains to other registrars for a variety of reasons including:
- Saving money
- Having more available services
- Receiving better customer service
- Managing all your domain names in one place
- Securely managing all facets of your domain name records
How do I transfer my domain name to a new registrar?
If you wish to move your domain name from one ICANN-accredited registrar to
another, you may initiate the transfer process by contacting the registrar
to which you wish to transfer the name. At WDBC, you can submit your domain
transfer request online. We are required to confirm your intent
to transfer your domain name using the Initial
Authorization for Registrar Transfer form. If you do not respond or return
the form to the us, your transfer request will not be processed.
Your current registrar may also choose to verify your intent to transfer using the Confirmation of Registrar Transfer Request form.
I want to transfer my domain to WDBC. What domain extensions do you accept
for transfer?
WDBC accepts in-bound .COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, .INFO and .US domain transfers.
Other top level domains may be added in the future. Submit your domain
transfer request.
You are asking me for an Authorization Code. Where do I get this?
The Authorization Code, Auth-Info Code, Auth code or EPP code is a unique
code generated on a per-domain basis and is used for authorization or confirmation
of a transfer request. Some registrars including WDBC
offers facilities for you to generate and manage your own Auth Info code. In
other cases, you will need to contact the current registrar directly to obtain
it. The registrar must provide you with the Auth-Info code within 5 calendar
days of your request. We have prepared directions
on obtaining the Auth code from various registrars.
The Auth-Info code is applicable to transfers of domain names registered under
.org, .biz, .info, and .us.
What if I don’t know who my registrar is?
If you don't know who your current sponsoring registrar is, you can access
information about your domain name by performing a Whois
search. Look in the registrar field for your current registrar and they
will be listed. If you utilize the services of a domain name reseller, you
may also see something like "Domain
Registration Services Provided by" and their email address and/or website
url.
My domain transfer failed. Why?
Top level domain name transfers fail for a number of reasons. Some of the most common reasons are:
- Domain name is within 60 days of initial registration
- Domain name is within 60 days of a previous transfer
- Domain name is in “Lock” status (e.g. Registrar-Lock or Registry-Lock)
- Domain Name is in 30 day Redemption Grace Period
- Administrative contact email address is out of date
- Administrative contact fails to confirm transfer authorization or denies
transfer request
- Existing registrar denies the transfer for legitimate reason (see below)
- Registry denies the transfer for legitimate reason
My current registrar is refusing to transfer my name. What do I do?
A registrar may legitimately deny a transfer request in certain limited circumstances, as follows:
- Evidence of fraud
- Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) action
- Court order
- Reasonable dispute over the identity of the person authorizing the transfer
- Domain name is on hold due to payment owed for a previous registration period
- Express written objection from the domain name holder
- Domain name is in “Lock” status (Registrars must provide a readily accessible and reasonable means for name holders to remove the lock status. Contact your registrar for assistance.)
- Domain name is within 60 days of initial registration
- Domain name is within 60 days of a previous transfer
Registrars are required to specify a reason when denying a transfer request. Contact either the current registrar or the registrar you wish to transfer to for assistance.
My request was denied for a reason not listed above, or I do not agree with the reason they provided. What do I do?
If you believe that your transfer request was inappropriately denied by your current registrar, please contact the registrar to which you want to transfer for assistance. Disputes between registrars over alleged violations of the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy may be initiated by any ICANN-accredited registrar.
My registrar is charging me a fee to transfer to a new registrar. Is this allowed?
Yes. Registrars are allowed to set their own prices for this service. WDBC
charges $9.75 per in-bound domain transfer and 1 additional year will be added
to your registraion term. There is no charge for outbound transfers. We accept
.COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, .INFO, and .US inbound transfers.
My domain name was transferred without my authorization. What do I do?
If you believe that your domain name was transferred to a new registrar without your authorization or consent, please contact the original registrar. Disputes between registrars over alleged violations of the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy may be initiated by any ICANN-accredited registrar.
How do I find out why my transfer request was denied?
If your current registrar denies a transfer request, they are required to provide you with the reason. Contact the registrar for assistance. See above for the circumstances in which a registrar may legitimately deny a transfer request.
My domain has been transferred to some other registrar without my knowledge, and now it shows someone else as the owner. What do I do?
A registrar may only initiate a transfer if it has obtained a completed Form of Authorization (FOA) from either 1) the registrant or 2) the administrative contact for the domain. The registrar must be able to produce a copy of this documentation when it is requested. Failure to do so is grounds for reversal of a transfer in the event that a complaint is filed under the Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy.
Thus, the first step should be for your previous registrar to request from the new registrar a copy of the form used for authorizing the transfer. The registrar can then proceed with initiating a dispute as appropriate. Contact your previous registrar for assistance.
My domain name has just expired. Can my current registrar require me to pay for a renewal before I can transfer to a new registrar?
No. Your new registrar of choice can initiate a transfer request on an expired domain name once they receive the required authorization from you. Expiration or nonrenewal of a domain name is not a valid reason for denial of a transfer request.
Note that if the registrar has already begun the deletion process on the domain
name and its status shows it to be within a 30-day Redemption
Grace Period, the name must be restored by your current registrar before
it can be transferred.
My registrar is listed as the Administrative Contact for my domain name and this is preventing my transfer from going through. What do I do?
If you are listed as the Registrant for the domain name, you can ask your new registrar of choice to send the required Form of Authorization to you rather than the Administrative Contact.
You can also update the data associated with the domain name and name a different Administrative Contact. Some registrars offer an online interface tool for you to manage this data yourself; others can make these updates if you contact their customer service.
Where can I go if I have a question that is not answered above?
If you have questions about the ICANN transfer policy, please contact
us by emailing domains<AT>wdbc<DOT>com
or email ICANN at transfer-questions@icann.org.
Most registrars allow domains to be transferred to another registrant within their system. Sometimes registrars charge a fee for this service, while others like WDBC do not and its free.
     
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