If your domain name (and email addresses) were set up by a Hosting company that will no longer manage it once you cancel your hosting account, then you will need to transfer your domain to your own registrar account. A domain transfer is called a Transfer of Registrar and means you will pay the yearly domain registration fee to your Registrar (typically under $20/year). A Transfer of Registrar takes about 7-10 days (after the transfer request is approved by the current owner of the domain). In order to transfer your domain name smoothly it is vital that you ask the Hosting company or Registrar that you are leaving (transferring away from) to:

  • Unlock the domain. In order for a domain to be transferred from one registrar to another, the domain in the original registrar will need to first be unlocked.
  • Provide the Authorization or EPP code for the domain. This code is used to initiate the transfer of the domain from your current website host's account over to your own


This will ensure that the new Registrar will have the permissions needed to move the domain and follow through on your transfer request. Once the domain has successfully moved to your account, you will be notified by email that transfer is completed.