URL: /faq/transfers

---
title: Transfers FAQ
description: Moving a domain in to or out of DomainGenius.
---

## How long does a transfer take?

| TLD | Typical transfer time |
| --- | --- |
| `.com.au`, `.net.au` and other .au | Seconds to minutes (no FOA, registry-mediated) |
| `.com`, `.net`, `.org` and other gTLDs | Up to 5 days (registrant approval window) |
| Some ccTLDs | Up to 14 days |

Most gTLD transfers complete within an hour of approval. `.au` is near-instant once unlocked.

## Will I lose any registration time?

No. Transfers extend the existing expiry by 1 year — the cost is one year of registration, but you don't pay for time you already had.

Transfers within 30 days of expiry also cover the existing period — you won't lose the domain to expiry mid-transfer.

## Why was my transfer rejected?

The registry's response is in `last_error`. Common ones:

- **Registrar lock on.** Disable the lock at the losing registrar.
- **Wrong auth code.** Copy carefully — case matters, and some registrars include hidden whitespace in the copy buffer.
- **Domain registered or transferred within 60 days.** ICANN policy: gTLDs are locked from transfer for 60 days after creation or transfer. Wait it out.
- **WHOIS privacy on at the losing registrar.** Some registries reject privacy-protected transfers. Disable privacy first.
- **Registrant didn't approve in time.** ICANN gives 5 days. After expiry, restart the transfer.

## What's an EPP code / auth code / authorization code?

Three names for the same thing — a string the losing registrar provides that proves you authorise the transfer. Length and format vary by registry: some are 6-character alphanumerics, others are 16-character mixed-case strings with symbols.

You can't transfer without it. If your losing registrar is dragging their feet, ICANN policy compels them to provide it within 5 days of request.

## Can I cancel a transfer in progress?

Yes, until it completes. From the dashboard, find the pending transfer and click **Cancel**. The registry receives a `domain:transfer_cancel` and we credit any pre-paid amount back to your balance.

## What about transfers out of DomainGenius?

We don't lock you in. To move out:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Get the auth code">
    [`/dashboard/domains/<name>`](https://app.domaingenius.com.au/dashboard) shows the EPP code. Or via API: `GET /v1/orgs/{org_oid}/domains/{domain}` (requires `domains:write` scope).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Disable privacy">
    Toggle `privacy: false` if it was on (and the TLD supports privacy in the first place).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Initiate at the gaining registrar">
    Their flow takes over from there. We approve the transfer the moment the registry asks.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Will I lose my DNS records when I transfer?

Transfers move registration, not DNS. Your records stay where they are.

If your zone is on our managed DNS and you transfer to a registrar that doesn't host the zone, you have two options: keep the zone on our nameservers (`nameserver_one`, `nameserver_two` point at our Cloudflare zone NS — works as long as we have the zone record) or export the zone and re-import elsewhere. We export to BIND format from the dashboard.

## What's the change-of-registrant lock?

ICANN policy: changing the registrant contact on a gTLD locks the domain from transfer for 60 days. The intent is to prevent ownership-then-transfer hijacks. We trigger this lock when you change the registrant, but only after the change has actually been confirmed by the registry — so a same-org reassignment that doesn't change registry-visible WHOIS data doesn't trigger it.

`.au` has no equivalent rule.

## Can I push a domain to another DomainGenius org without a registry transfer?

Yes — internal "push" doesn't touch the registry. Use the dashboard's **Move to org** flow or `POST /v1/orgs/{org_oid}/domains/{domain}/push`. The destination org accepts the push; ownership flips. No fees, no lock period.