Authorization Code for Domain Transfer
A domain authorization code, also called an EPP or auth code, is a case-sensitive secret your current registrar issues so a new registrar can transfer the domain. Turn off the registrar lock, get the code, and paste it only into the gaining registrar's transfer form. Most gTLD transfers then finish in five to seven days.
For domain owners moving a .com, .in or other domain to a new registrar who need the code and want to avoid locks and rejections.
knowledge
- Read time
- 6 min
- Sections
- 7
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
What is a domain authorization code?
A domain authorization code is a secret string the current registrar creates for one domain name, which the new (gaining) registrar must submit to start a transfer. It is also called an EPP code, auth code, AuthInfo code or transfer key. Without it, the registry treats the request as an attempt to take someone else's domain.
- Case-sensitive: paste it exactly, including capitals and symbols.
- One domain only: the code for example.com will not move example.in.
- Issued by the sponsoring registrar: ICANN and the registry do not hand it to registrants and cannot create a replacement for you.
- Treat it like a password: anyone holding a current code and access to the registrant email can start a transfer.
How to get the authorization code from your current registrar
Sign in at the registrar that sponsors the domain today, turn off the registrar lock, and reveal or email the code from the domain's transfer settings. If you are not sure who that is, the Registrar field in a WHOIS lookup names it.
- Log in to the account at the registrar shown in WHOIS.
- Open the domain and switch off the transfer/registrar lock.
- Use "Get authorization code" or "Transfer out"; most registrars show it on screen or email it to the registrant address.
- Check the registrant inbox and spam before requesting again, because a new request can replace the old code.
Under ICANN's Transfer Policy, a registrar that does not let you generate the code yourself must provide it, and remove the lock, within five calendar days of your request. GoDaddy-specific screens are covered in transferring a domain from GoDaddy. If WebJi® already sponsors the domain, request the code from the WebJi® domain panel or by email to support.
Domain status codes that block a transfer
Check the domain's status in WHOIS before submitting the code: clientTransferProhibited means the registrar lock is still on, while serverTransferProhibited is a registry or legal hold that a new code will not clear.
| Status | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
ok | No restrictions published | Request the code and transfer |
clientTransferProhibited | Registrar lock is on | Turn the lock off at the current registrar |
pendingTransfer | A transfer is already in progress | Wait; do not start a second one |
serverTransferProhibited | Registry or legal hold | Ask the current registrar why; usually a dispute or registry rule |
redemptionPeriod / pendingDelete | Domain expired and is being deleted | Restore it at the current registrar first |
The 60-day transfer locks, and the change ICANN has approved
Under the Transfer Policy in force when we checked, registrars may refuse a transfer within 60 days of a new registration or of a previous registrar transfer, and a registrant contact change can trigger another 60-day lock unless you opted out. A valid code does not override these windows.
- New registration: wait 60 days from the creation date shown in WHOIS.
- Recent transfer: wait 60 days from the last inter-registrar transfer.
- Change of registrant: changing the registrant name, organisation or email may start a 60-day lock; many registrars let you opt out when you make the change.
- Expiry: renew a domain that is close to expiring before requesting the code; an expired name may not transfer.
ICANN has adopted a revised Transfer Policy that replaces these 60-day locks with a 30-day (720-hour) lock after registration or transfer and renames the code a Transfer Authorization Code (TAC). It takes effect on a date ICANN sets; until then the rules above apply. Checked against ICANN's Transfer Policy page on 15 November 2026.
How to use the authorization code to transfer a domain
Paste the code into the transfer form at the gaining registrar, pay for the transfer (which usually adds a year to the expiry), and approve the confirmation email from the losing registrar if one arrives.
- Copy DNS first: export or screenshot all A, MX, TXT and CNAME records. The transfer moves the registration, not your DNS zone.
- Start the transfer: at the gaining registrar, enter the domain and paste the code. For WebJi®, use the domain transfer page.
- Confirm: the losing registrar may email the registrant to confirm; approving speeds things up, and you should reject any transfer you did not request.
- Wait: most gTLD transfers complete within five to seven days; the registry auto-approves if the losing registrar does not respond within five calendar days.
- Finish: check the new expiry date and nameservers, then switch the registrar lock back on.
If you only want to point the domain at new hosting, you do not need a transfer at all; see changing nameservers. The wider registrar-switch process is in moving a domain to a new registrar.
Do .in and other country-code domains use the same code?
.in domains, run by NIXI, also transfer between accredited registrars using an authorization code, but many other country-code domains follow their own registry rules. The best-known exception is .uk, which moves by changing the registrar's IPS tag at Nominet rather than with an EPP code. ICANN's gTLD rules, including the five-day deadline and its complaint process, do not apply to country codes; check the registry's own transfer policy. Pricing for .in names is on the .in domain page.
Why an authorization code is rejected
Most rejections have one of five causes: a mistyped or replaced code, a lock still on, a 60-day window, a bounced registrant email, or an extension that uses a different transfer method.
- Request one fresh code and paste it once, without spaces at either end.
- Confirm WHOIS shows the lock removed; status updates can take a short while to appear.
- Make sure the registrant email works, since the confirmation goes there.
- If a gTLD registrar has not supplied the code after five calendar days, file a transfer complaint with ICANN.
WebJi® cannot retrieve a code from another registrar's account, but support@webji.services can check status codes and dates with you before you start; replies are 24/7 in Hindi and English.
Frequently asked questions
Does the authorization code expire?
Under the current rules it stays valid until the registrar changes it, though many registrars rotate it after use or when you request a new one. The revised ICANN policy will give codes a limited validity period. If a code fails, request a fresh one before trying again.
Will my website or email go down during a transfer?
Not if DNS stays in place. If your nameservers point to your hosting rather than the old registrar's free DNS, nothing changes. If the old registrar hosts the DNS zone, recreate the records at the new DNS host before the transfer completes.
Can someone steal my domain with the authorization code?
They would also need the lock off and, usually, the confirmation email to go unanswered. Keep the registrar lock on, use two-factor login at your registrar, and never share the code with anyone except the gaining registrar's own transfer form. More steps are in protecting a domain name.
Do I lose remaining registration time when I transfer?
No, for most gTLDs the remaining time carries over and the paid transfer adds one year, up to the ten-year maximum. Transfers during the auto-renew grace period can be an exception, so transfer well before expiry.
Checked 15 November 2026 against ICANN's Transfer Policy · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur.
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