A domain transfer code is a credential used when moving a registration from one registrar to another. For generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, you may see it called an AuthInfo code, authorization code, Auth-Code, EPP code, or simply transfer code. The current registrar supplies or lets the registered name holder generate it. Having the code is only one step: the transfer must also meet policy, status, and authorization requirements.

Request the code through your account at the current registrar or its verified support channel when you are preparing to move the registration. Country-code extensions can use different processes, so check the specific operator and provider instructions before expecting the same code procedure.

Identify the Current Registrar

Start with the account that manages the domain registration, which may be separate from the DNS provider or web host. If you bought through a reseller, the checkout brand and accredited registrar may have different names. Review the registration confirmation, account details, and support information to identify who is responsible for the registration.

For a gTLD, search the exact domain in ICANN Lookup and inspect the Registrar field. A public lookup may hide personal contact data, but the registrar identity can still help you find the proper provider. Match that identity to the service shown in your account before sending any request. A company hosting the website cannot issue a registration transfer code merely because the site runs on its servers.

Make sure you are seeking an inter-registrar transfer. A change of website host or DNS provider does not itself require the registration to move. If the goal is simply to point the site elsewhere, you may need to update name servers or DNS records instead. Avoid generating or disclosing a transfer credential for a change that does not call for it.

Sign In through a Verified Channel

Open the registrar's official site from a known address or bookmark and authenticate to the account that controls the domain. Do not sign in through an unexpected email link or a third-party page claiming to collect transfer codes. Use the account's additional sign-in protection if available. If you cannot access the account, follow the registrar's official recovery process and be prepared to establish that you are authorized to manage the registration.

Check the exact domain before requesting anything. A business may have several names under the same account, and registrar-generated transfer codes are unique to each domain. Confirm the registered name holder and contact channel, because the provider may send the code or verification request there. Updating registrant information solely to get a code can affect transfer eligibility, so ask the registrar about the consequences before making such a change.

Generate or Request the Code

In the registrar's domain-management area, look for a transfer-out, authorization code, or AuthInfo option. Interfaces vary: some allow the name holder to generate and manage the code directly; others require a support request. If the interface offers a code, record it only in the secure place where you intend to start the transfer. If no self-service option exists, contact the current registrar through its verified support channel and ask for the code for the exact domain.

For gTLDs, if the registrar does not offer a way to generate and manage your AuthInfo code and remove the ordinary transfer lock yourself, it must provide the code and remove that lock within five calendar days of the registered name holder's initial request. This rule does not override a mandatory transfer restriction imposed by policy or law. Keep the request timestamp and support case reference, and follow up with the registrar if that deadline passes. A registrar cannot withhold the code solely because of a payment dispute, although a separate restriction may still prevent the transfer.

Copy the code exactly, including capitalization and special characters. Check that copying has not added spaces or line breaks, and keep the code matched to the exact domain when entering it at the new registrar.

Some providers present an unlock control near the code request. Treat that as a separate action. If a registrar lock is active, the transfer may not proceed until it is removed through the authorized process. You do not need to leave a domain unlocked indefinitely: follow the provider's instructions for the planned transfer and review the final status afterward.

Keep the Code Private

Handle the code like a sensitive credential. It is separate from your registrar account password or a one-time sign-in code. Enter the transfer code only in the transfer form of the new registrar you have chosen; do not provide your current account's sign-in credentials there.

Do not publish the code in a support forum, screenshot, shared document, analytics log, or email thread with people who do not need it. If you must transmit it to a provider, use the provider's approved secure channel. Keep the code out of issue trackers and team chat histories that have broad access.

Do not reuse a code displayed in an old message without confirming it remains valid for the intended domain and transfer. A registrar may let you regenerate it, and a new code can replace a previous one. If you believe a code was exposed, contact the current registrar promptly about replacing it and review transfer-lock settings and account access. Code secrecy is helpful, but account security and authorized transfer confirmation also matter.

Check Transfer Eligibility Separately

The authorization code does not bypass policy restrictions. For gTLDs, a recent registration or transfer, a change-of-registrant lock, a dispute, or a prohibited status may prevent the move. The registered name holder must authorize the transfer under the applicable process. Ask the current and gaining registrars to identify any restriction that applies to the exact domain before assuming the code is enough.

Check the domain's expiration date as well. An expired name is not automatically untransferable under the gTLD policy, but a domain registration with the redemptionPeriod status must be restored through its current registrar before it can transfer. A name with the pendingDelete status cannot be transferred or renewed through the ordinary process. Country-code domains may use other eligibility rules and credential formats. A transfer request can also depend on a reachable registered contact, so verify that you can receive provider messages before submitting it.

Once the new registrar accepts the code, follow its confirmation steps and monitor the transfer until the gaining registrar shows the domain in the destination account. Keep the registration and DNS settings under review during the move. Confirm the final registrar and registration status before treating the transfer as finished.