Domain transfer taking forever? Here's what's wrong and how to fix it.
Normal Transfer Timeline
Most transfers: 5 days. Fast transfers (if you approve immediately): 2-24 hours. Maximum: 14 days before it fails.
If transfer auto-approves (gTLDs like .com/.net/.org): day 6 if old registrar doesn't reject it.
Transfer Requirements
Domain must be:
- 60+ days old (ICANN rule, not registrar policy)
- Not transferred in last 60 days
- Unlocked at current registrar
- Not expiring within 7 days
Missing any of these = transfer fails or gets stuck.
Transfer Stuck at "Pending"
Most common cause: waiting for approval email.
Check:
- Spam folder (registrar emails often flagged)
- WHOIS admin email (approval sent there, not account email)
- Old registrar dashboard (some show approval button)
If no email after 2 hours: contact old registrar. They're blocking it or email failed.
For .com/.net/.org: if you do nothing, transfer auto-completes day 6. Old registrar has 5 days to reject it. No action = approved.
Transfer Failed: Domain Locked
Registrars lock domains by default to prevent hijacking.
Fix: Log into old registrar → Domain settings → Unlock domain (sometimes called "transfer lock" or "registrar lock").
Some registrars require support ticket to unlock. Budget registrars make this deliberately difficult.
After unlocking: wait 15 minutes, retry transfer.
Invalid or Wrong EPP/Auth Code
EPP code (authorization code) proves you own the domain.
Get it from old registrar's control panel. Usually: Domain management → Transfer → Get auth code.
Code expires after 30 days at some registrars. If transfer fails with "invalid auth code" - request new one.
.be domains exception: EPP code comes from DNSBelgium.be, not your registrar. Login with domain credentials.
Old Registrar Rejecting Transfer
Registrars can reject within 5 days. Reasons:
- Outstanding balance on account
- Domain in redemption period (expired, being deleted)
- Registrar thinks it's fraud (new account, different payment info)
- Manual review flag (high-value domain)
Check old registrar dashboard for rejection reason. If unclear: contact them, not ArkHost. We can't see why they rejected it.
Transfer Approved But DNS Broke
After transfer completes, nameservers switch to:
ns1.arkhost.com ns2.arkhost.com
DNS zone starts empty. Your site goes down unless you:
- Add DNS records before transfer completes, OR
- Copy DNS records from old registrar to ArkHost DNS Manager immediately after transfer
Required records:
- A record: @ → server IP
- CNAME: www → yourdomain.com
- MX records: for email
If you forget: site down for 2-48 hours while DNS propagates after you add records.
Prevention: screenshot old DNS zone before transfer. Copy records immediately after.
60-Day Transfer Lock
ICANN rule: domains can't transfer within 60 days of:
- Initial registration
- Previous transfer
- WHOIS contact change (registrant name/email)
No exceptions. No override. Wait 60 days.
Check registration date: whois yourdomain.com | grep "Creation Date"
If transfer fails with "domain locked" and you unlocked it: probably 60-day rule.
.uk Domains Different Process
.uk domains don't use EPP codes. Use IPS tag system instead.
Process:
- Get ArkHost IPS tag: ARKHOST-BE
- Change IPS tag at current registrar (or at Nominet directly)
- Domain transfers within 24 hours
No approval email. No 5-day wait. Just change tag.
Premium Domain Transfer Fees
Some domains charge registry premium fees on transfer:
- Short domains (1-2 characters)
- Dictionary words
- High-demand keywords
Registry sets premium fee, not registrar. Can't be waived.
Check premium status before transfer: WHOIS lookup shows "premium" flag.
How to Speed Up Transfer
Realistic speedup methods:
- Unlock domain 24 hours before starting transfer (some registrars have delay)
- Lower TTL to 300 (5 minutes) on DNS records day before transfer
- Approve transfer email immediately (check every 30 minutes)
- Verify WHOIS email matches your actual email before starting
- Copy DNS records before transfer completes
Can't speed up: registrar processing time (they have 5 days), registry processing (usually automated but can take 12-24 hours).
Transfer vs Privacy Protection
WHOIS privacy/proxy services cause problems:
- Approval email goes to privacy service, not you
- Privacy service might not forward it
- Some registrars auto-reject transfers with privacy enabled
Disable WHOIS privacy before transfer. Re-enable after transfer completes.
ccTLD Special Cases
.be: EPP from DNSBelgium.be, not registrar
.eu: Sometimes requires manual registrant verification
.de: Uses AUTHINFO (same as EPP code, different name)
.nl: No transfer code needed, uses authorization token system
Country-code TLDs have individual rules. Check registry requirements before starting transfer.
Check Transfer Status
WHOIS shows transfer status:
whois yourdomain.com | grep -i "status"
Status codes:
- clientTransferProhibited: Domain locked, unlock first
- pendingTransfer: Transfer in progress
- serverTransferProhibited: Registry-level lock (expired domain, legal hold)
- ok: No restrictions
Transfer Taking 10+ Days
After day 6 (for gTLDs), if transfer still pending:
- Check old registrar for rejection notice
- Verify EPP code still valid (some expire)
- Contact old registrar - they're delaying it
Maximum timeline: 14 days before automatic cancellation.
If old registrar ignoring you: file ICANN complaint. Registrars must process transfers within 5 days or provide rejection reason.
Still Stuck?
Open ticket with:
- Domain name
- Current registrar name
- When transfer started
- Whether you approved email (yes/no/didn't receive)
- Output of
whois yourdomain.com
We can check transfer status at registry level and see if old registrar blocked it.
