I am having problems with my current registrar transferring the domain to you

Domain transfers between registrars sometimes stall or fail. If your current registrar is not releasing your domain, there is usually a specific reason, and most issues can be resolved with a few steps.

01. Domain Is Locked

Most registrars lock domains by default to prevent unauthorized transfers. You must unlock the domain before initiating a transfer. Look for "Transfer Lock," "Domain Lock," or "Registrar Lock" in your registrar's control panel and disable it.

02. Missing or Invalid EPP/Auth Code

The EPP code (also called an authorization code, auth code, or transfer key) is a password that proves you own the domain. You get this from your current registrar. Common issues:

• Code expired - Some registrars generate codes that expire after a few days. Get a fresh one right before initiating the transfer.
• Typo - EPP codes are case-sensitive and often contain mixed characters. Copy and paste rather than typing manually.
• Registrar delays - Some registrars take up to 24 hours to email the code.

03. 60-Day Transfer Lock

ICANN policy requires a 60-day lock on domain transfers after initial registration or after changing the registrant contact information (name or organization). If your domain was recently registered or you recently changed the WHOIS owner, you must wait until the 60-day period expires before transferring.

04. Domain Is Expired

Expired domains cannot be transferred. You must renew the domain at your current registrar first, then initiate the transfer after renewal is confirmed. If the domain is in the "redemption" or "pending delete" phase, the registrar may charge an additional fee to restore it.

05. WHOIS Privacy Blocking Approval

The transfer approval email goes to the admin contact in WHOIS. With privacy enabled, this goes to a proxy address that should forward to you. If the forwarding is not working, temporarily disable WHOIS privacy, initiate the transfer, approve it, then re-enable privacy at the new registrar. See Transfer Authorization Email Issues for more detail.

06. How to Escalate

If your current registrar is unresponsive or refuses to release the domain without a valid reason:

• Contact the registrar's support directly, citing ICANN's transfer policy that registrars must not unreasonably prevent transfers
• File a complaint with ICANN at icann.org/compliance/complaint if the registrar is not cooperating
• Contact us - We can check the transfer status on our end and help diagnose where it is stuck

For the complete transfer process, see How to Transfer Your Domain to Ultra Web Hosting.

Quick Recap

1. Unlock the domain at your current registrar before transferring
2. Get a fresh EPP code and copy/paste it exactly
3. Check the 60-day lock - New or recently modified domains cannot transfer
4. Renew expired domains first - You cannot transfer an expired domain
5. Disable WHOIS privacy temporarily if the approval email is not arriving

Resolving domain transfer issues · Last updated March 2026 · Browse all DNS articles