Transferring a Domain Name
You may find yourself having to transfer a domain name. This is a real palaver of a process for a beginner but necessarily so to prevent the ownership and control of domain names going astray.
You start by buying a transfer from the registrar to which you want to transfer the domain name. As registrars make their money by providing a home for your domain name you will often find that there is some deal available. For example, at the time of writing GoDaddy is offering the transfer at $6.95 plus 1 free year valued at $9.95.
The domain name record has 3 entries: the registered owner, the Admin contact and the Tech contact. It is the Admin contact to which all correspondence is addressed.
The registrar where you want the domain name to end up and where you have bought your transfer request will issue a transfer request email to the Admin contact email address on the domain name record at the current registrar. It is, of course,a good idea when buying the transfer to make absolutely sure that you are dealing with the precise domain name you are interested in. Although this should bring a response it is not uncommon for domain name owners to neglect the admin email under which they are managing their domain names. So send a seperate email, telephone or use whatever method is necessary to check that they have received and are dealing with the Transfer request. Why? Because the transfer request is only valid for 30 days. If they ignore it longer than that then you have to go back to the beginning again, do not pass Go, do not collect £200 etc.
On receipt of the Transfer request the present owner needs to go in to the domain name record and make sure that Privacy is switched off and the name is unlocked. Then request a transfer authorisation key otherwise known as an EPP code from the domain name record. Again, this is sent to the Admin email address. Thereafter, being in possession of both halves of the equation the current owner can follow the instructions and initiate the transfer. More likely, as it is you that wants the domain name and they will see no benefit in spending their time doing something for you they will just forward to you both emails for you to follow the instructions to complete the transfer.
