Transfer & Migration9 min readMarch 24, 2026

How to Transfer Your Domain Without Losing Email or Downtime

Aerial view of a container port on an island, cranes loading a container ship beside the stacked terminal yard.

By Thomas Lovas Lokoy — researched and drafted with AI assistance from published sources; edited and published by NorwegianSpark SA · Editorial policy

Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. This helps fund our independent research.

Why Transfers Go Wrong

A domain transfer changes your registrar — it doesn't automatically change your DNS settings, nameservers, or email configuration. But if you initiate a transfer without understanding these dependencies, you can end up with email going to the wrong server or your website going offline.

The good news: this is entirely avoidable with the right order of operations.

Before You Start: Check the Lock

Go to your current registrar's control panel and find the domain lock (sometimes called "Registrar Lock" or "Transfer Lock"). This is a security feature that prevents unauthorised transfers. You need to unlock it before initiating a transfer.

Note the 60-day windows. ICANN's own FAQ for domain holders says your registrar "may deny a transfer request if the domain name is within 60 days of initial registration", and may also deny one "within 60 days from when you last transferred the domain name to a different registrar" (ICANN). If you registered or moved the domain recently, check the dates before you start.

What it costs. At most registrars a transfer is billed as a renewal: Cloudflare's own transfer guide states that "most transfers include a one-year extension from your current expiration date" (Cloudflare). Read the transfer price on the new registrar's own price list for your extension before you commit.

The Right Order of Operations

Step 1: Document your current DNS settings

Before touching anything, write down (or screenshot) every DNS record:

A records (pointing to your web server IP)
MX records (pointing to your mail server)
CNAME records (subdomains, verification records)
TXT records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, Google verification)
NS records (your nameservers)

If you're using your registrar's nameservers (ns1.godaddy.com, for example), you'll need to recreate all of these at your new registrar.

Step 2: Set up DNS at the new registrar BEFORE transferring

This is the key step most people miss. Set up all your DNS records at the new registrar while your domain is still with the old one. You can do this before the transfer — just don't change the nameservers yet.

This way, when the transfer completes, you can instantly switch nameservers and everything works.

If DNSSEC is switched on, turn it off first. DNSSEC signatures are tied to the DNS provider that created them. Cloudflare's transfer guide puts it plainly: "If DNSSEC is enabled at your current registrar, disable it before you change nameservers", because once the nameservers move "those signatures will no longer match, which causes DNS resolution failures." Re-enable it at the new provider once the move is complete. DNSSEC explained covers why a stale DS record takes a domain offline.

Step 3: Get your EPP/Auth code

At your current registrar, find the EPP code (also called Auth Code or Transfer Code). This is a unique password that authorises the transfer. Keep it safe. If the registrar does not show it in the dashboard, ask for it: ICANN states that your registrar "must provide you with the AuthInfo code within five (5) calendar days of your request."

Step 4: Unlock the domain

Disable the Registrar Lock in your current registrar's control panel.

Step 5: Initiate the transfer at the new registrar

Enter your domain name and EPP code at the new registrar and pay for the transfer (most transfers include a one-year renewal, adding time to your expiry).

Step 6: Approve the transfer email

You'll receive a confirmation email at the domain's registered email address. Approve it. Without this, the transfer can take up to 5 business days to auto-approve.

Step 7: Switch nameservers

Once the transfer completes (usually 24–72 hours after approval), update your nameservers in the new registrar's control panel. If you've set up DNS in advance (Step 2), this is instant.

What About Email?

If your email is hosted by a third party (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Proton), your MX records just need to point to the right servers. As long as you copy them correctly to the new registrar, email continues uninterrupted.

If you're using your old registrar's built-in email forwarding (common with GoDaddy and others), you'll need to set that up again at the new registrar or switch to a proper email host before transferring.

Moving to Cloudflare Registrar

Cloudflare reverses the usual order: the DNS has to move before the registration does. Its guide says "before you can transfer your registration, your domain must be active on Cloudflare", and "you cannot proceed with the transfer until your domain shows Active status." So add the domain to a Cloudflare account, copy your records, switch the nameservers (with DNSSEC off, as above), wait for Active, and only then start the transfer. Cloudflare prices registrations at cost and redacts contact details from public WHOIS by default.

Transfer Timeline

Day 1: Initiate transfer, approve email
Day 1–3: Transfer pending (new registrar waiting for confirmation from old registrar)
Day 3–7: Transfer completes
Day 7: Update nameservers, confirm everything works

Common Issues

Transfer rejected: Usually because the domain is locked, the EPP code is wrong, or you're within the 60-day lock period. Check all three. If the transfer is part of a sale, how to sell a domain name sets out the order in which payment and transfer should happen.

Email stopped working: You forgot to copy MX records. Fix immediately by adding them at the new registrar.

Website down: Nameservers changed before DNS was set up at the new registrar. Revert nameservers to the old registrar, set up DNS at the new one, then switch again.

Frequently asked questions

How do I transfer a domain without losing email or causing downtime?

You can avoid downtime and email issues by following the right order of operations. Document your current DNS settings, set up all DNS records at your new registrar before transferring, unlock the domain, get your EPP code, initiate the transfer, approve the confirmation email, and finally switch your nameservers.

How do I get my EPP or Auth code for a domain transfer?

You must find the EPP code, also called Auth Code or Transfer Code, at your current registrar. It is a unique password that authorises the transfer and must be kept safe. If the registrar does not show it in the dashboard, ICANN states they must provide it within five calendar days.

What should I do if my domain transfer is rejected?

A transfer is usually rejected because the domain is still locked, the EPP code entered is incorrect, or you are trying to move the domain within the 60-day lock period following initial registration or a previous transfer. You should check all three of these potential issues.

Why should I disable DNSSEC before changing nameservers?

You must turn off DNSSEC before changing nameservers because DNSSEC signatures are tied to the DNS provider that created them. Once nameservers move, those signatures will no longer match, which causes DNS resolution failures. You can re-enable DNSSEC at your new provider after the move is complete.