The short answer
Moving a site means copying files and the database to a new host, then updating DNS. Transferring a domain means moving its registration to another registrar using an authorization code, after unlocking it. Keep DNS records and email intact, lower the TTL beforehand, and expect ICANN's 60-day transfer restrictions after a new registration or registrant change.
Two different moves
Often people need only one of these. A new host does not require a new registrar. A new registrar does not move your site. If a provider tells you that you must transfer your domain to them in order to host with them, it is worth asking whether you only need to change DNS records instead. Our article on what DNS is explains why.
| Question | Moving the site (host change) | Transferring the domain (registrar change) |
|---|---|---|
| What moves | Website files, database, settings | The registration record for the name |
| Who you deal with | Old and new hosting companies | Old and new registrars |
| What it changes for visitors | Where the site is served from | Nothing visible if done right |
| How it is switched | A DNS change (A record or name servers) | Authorization code, unlock, approval |
| Main risk | Downtime, lost email records, lost forms | Domain locked, expiring, or DNS lost in transit |
| Typical duration | Can be a same-day cutover with preparation | Often several days, depending on the registrars |
Moving the site: the order that avoids downtime
- 1Build the copy at the new host first, with the old site still live. Many Webtec sites use a staging area for this, and nothing goes live without your approval on a preview link.
- 2Export your current DNS records in full, and note which name servers the domain uses. Include MX, TXT and any subdomain records.
- 3Lower the TTL on the records you will change, at least a day before the cutover. Cloudflare's documentation describes TTL as the length of time a record is cached, so a shorter value means a quicker switch and an easier rollback.
- 4Test the new site fully using a preview link or a hosts-file test, including forms, checkout and any logins.
- 5Freeze content changes briefly so nothing is edited on the old site after you copy it.
- 6Make the DNS change, usually the A record for the root and the www name, while leaving MX and TXT untouched.
- 7Check the new site loads, forms send, the padlock appears, and email still works in both directions.
- 8Keep the old hosting active for several days after the cutover, as a safety net and in case some visitors still reach it.
The full launch-day routine is in point your domain to a new site.
Transferring the domain: the steps
Transferring means switching your registrar, the company you pay for the name. Some people do it to consolidate accounts, to get better support or pricing, or to take control of a domain registered by someone else. ICANN's Transfer Policy sets the rules that all accredited registrars follow, and it describes the steps below.
- 1Check the domain is eligible. It must be unlocked and not recently registered or moved (see the 60-day rules below). Check it is not close to expiry; renew first if it is.
- 2Confirm the registrant contact email works. Approval messages go there.
- 3Ask the current registrar to remove the transfer lock. ICANN describes the clientTransferProhibited status as the registrar asking the registry to block transfers, and says you must ask your registrar to remove it before you can transfer.
- 4Get the authorization code, often called the auth code or EPP code. ICANN's policy says registrars must give the registered name holder a unique AuthInfo code for each domain, or provide tools to generate one, and that the code only identifies the holder.
- 5Start the transfer at the new registrar by entering the domain and the code, and pay for the transfer. ICANN says a completed transfer adds one year to the registration, up to a maximum term of ten years.
- 6Approve the request. The gaining registrar must get express authorization from the registrant, using a Form of Authorization. The current registrar normally sends a notice too. ICANN's policy says that if the current registrar does not respond within five calendar days, the transfer is approved by default.
- 7Verify DNS afterwards. Confirm name servers, A, MX and TXT records are exactly as before, then re-enable the transfer lock at the new registrar.
The 60-day rules
ICANN's Transfer Policy contains two 60-day restrictions that surprise people.
- A registrar may deny a transfer requested within 60 days of the domain's creation date in the registry record. A domain that has just been registered cannot move straight away.
- A domain that has just been transferred between registrars cannot be transferred again for 60 days, unless both registrars agree or a dispute decision directs otherwise.
- After a Change of Registrant, the registrar must impose a 60-day inter-registrar transfer lock, though the registrant may opt out before the change request is made. This catches people who update the owner name and then try to transfer immediately.
Change the registrant details early. Updating the owner name on the same week as a planned move can lock the transfer for 60 days, unless you opt out of the lock at the time of the change.
DNS during a transfer
The registrar transfer itself should not change where your website points, because the name servers travel with the domain. The risk is that DNS records are hosted at the old registrar's name servers. If you use the old registrar's free DNS and leave, those records can disappear. Before transferring, find out where DNS is hosted. If it is at the registrar, either copy the full zone to the new place or ask the new registrar to import it. Then confirm the name servers did not change unexpectedly.
If the domain uses a third-party DNS host such as Cloudflare, the registrar change does not affect DNS at all, which is the safest case.
Zero-downtime checklist
- Registrant email confirmed and monitored.
- Domain is more than 60 days old and not in a recent registrant change.
- Domain not expiring within the next few weeks, or renewed first.
- Full DNS export saved, including MX and TXT.
- TTL lowered a day ahead if you are also changing the host.
- Transfer lock removed, auth code obtained, auth code kept private.
- Do the site move and the registrar transfer on separate days, never together.
- Test the website, forms, padlock and email after each stage.
- Lock re-enabled and auto-renew set at the new registrar.
Example: Two moves in one weekend
A retailer decided to change both host and registrar over a weekend. On Friday they updated the domain owner's name to the company, which started a 60-day transfer lock they did not know about. The registrar transfer was refused on Saturday. Meanwhile they had already pointed the name servers to the new host, whose empty DNS zone lacked their Microsoft 365 MX records, so email failed. They fixed it by restoring the MX and TXT records from a saved export, and waited out the lock. Had they done the host move first, kept the registrant change for later, and exported DNS beforehand, nothing would have failed.
When to ask us
Talk to us before you change name servers, before you ask a host to "take over" your domain, and before you start a transfer. Send a request through the support form with your domain, current registrar and host, the new provider's name, the date you want to move, and a link (Google Drive, Dropbox or Loom) to a screenshot of your current DNS records. Do not send your auth code or any passwords in the form: keep the code between you and the registrar. We will tell you the safe order and which records must survive. Read domain renewal and expiry too, so the domain is not close to expiring when you move it.
