Domain Transfer

If your chapter has purchased a domain name they can transfer their Domain Name Records to another registrar. 

 

Here are the common reasons for transferring:

1. You purchased your domain name from a registrar and do not want to deal with configuration files

2. You want your website hosted somewhere else

3. You want to build another website somewhere else

4. The domain is owned by a person in one account and needs to be owned by a chapter in a different account

Sometimes chapters have volunteers who created self coded or Word Press sites and the person who created them is no longer in the chapter. The chapter may want a simpler way of building a website and has decided to use a website builder. If the chapter owns a domain name, they can include it in their new website package by requesting a Domain Name Records Transfer to the new website builder. 

Transfer Options:

1. You can transfer a domain name from a domain registrar to a different domain registrar

2. You can transfer a domain name from a website builder to a different website builder

3. You can transfer a domain from a domain registrar to a website builder

Contact the company that will be receiving your domain records and tell them you will be moving your domain to them- or search in the Support/Help area for information that explains the Transfer process. 

Your domain must meet certain requirements such as being a .org domain and not being less than 60 days since creation or the last transfer. You will need to contact your current registrar or website builder, review their transfer policies and request them to start the process. 

Transfers range from a few hours to a week or more.

You must have an account with the new (receiving) company before they can accept your transferred domain. 

Make sure YOUR DOMAIN WILL NOT EXPIRE DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF TRANSFER.  It is best to start the transfer process of a domain name at least 4-6 weeks before it expires. You may be unable to ever get your domain name back if it expires during transfer and you may face escalated costs if you do succeed in getting it back. If you absolutely need to transfer a domain within 2-3 weeks of expiring, you should strongly consider renewing it for at least one more year. It will be cheaper and safer in the long run.

Your current registrar (or website builder) will need to send your domain records to the receiving company. First they will need to confirm and verify the owner is the person making the request. They will explain the transfer process in detail from their end. The next step is for them to email a authorization code to the address of the owner that is on their records.

Once the code is activated by the owner then the domain enters a period of time where it is "in limbo" until the transfer is completed. The receiving company will wait for the domain records. They will notify the new (or receiving) owner by email when the transfer process is complete. 

If the same person is transferring a domain between two companies and everything goes smoothly it could be completed in a matter of hours or less. The same holds true if the same person transfers the domain to a different account in that same company. 

If the transfer is happening between two different people and two different companies it can be done on the same day if everyone involved follows the process and directions given. The problem comes into play if the owner making the transfer request does not follow the process. Once an authorization code has been generated and activated the domain enters a transition phase. The owner may not have received the email because the address on the domain record is not accurate or it ended up in spam or did not complete the steps required. Generally it should be completed within 10 days.  If your domain has been pointed to the same website on both accounts (receiver and transferer) then your website will continue to function during the transfer phase.

Policies and processes for transfers vary greatly. In most cases transfers are expedient. The receiving company will notify you that the transfer is complete. If your domain will be pointed to a new website after transfer, there may be a minor lag after the transfer is completed until your domain is functional as a website or email. That lag ranges from between 1 to 24 hours. If, after 24 hours your domain name is not working on your website or email, contact the receiving company.