Transfer a domain out of InstaWP
A domain you registered (or transferred in) with InstaWP is yours to move. If you want to manage it at another registrar, you can transfer it out at any time once it is eligible. InstaWP gives you the two things the new registrar needs, an unlocked domain and its authorization code, and then lets you follow the transfer until it completes.
The transfer itself is started, and paid for, at the new registrar, not in InstaWP. There is no checkout on InstaWP's side.
In this documentation, we will explore the steps to:
- Before you start
- Unlock the domain
- Get the authorization code
- Start the transfer at your new registrar
- Track the transfer
- Speed up or cancel a pending transfer
- After the transfer completes
Before you start
Transfers between registrars follow registry (ICANN) rules, so check these first:
- The domain is older than 60 days. A domain can't be transferred within 60 days of being registered or transferred in. This is an ICANN rule that applies at every registrar.
- The extension allows transfers. Some extensions (TLDs) restrict or don't support transfers between registrars, and the new registrar must support the extension too. Check with the new registrar before you start.
- The domain is registered with InstaWP. Transfer out is only for domains InstaWP registers for you. A domain you added with Connect a domain is still held by your own registrar, so there is nothing to transfer from InstaWP.
- The domain is active. An expired domain usually has to be renewed before it can be transferred.
👉 Note: A transfer takes time, usually several days, because the registry has to hand the domain from InstaWP to the new registrar. Your website and DNS keep working during the transfer. Once it completes, the new registrar manages the domain's nameservers and DNS, so make sure your DNS is set up there before or right after the move.
Unlock the domain
Every InstaWP domain is protected by a Domain lock, which blocks unauthorized transfers. You need to turn it off before a transfer can start.
Step 1: Log in to your InstaWP account and click Domains in the left sidebar.
Step 2: Click the domain name to open its Summary page. The Transfer card shows the domain lock and the authorization code.
Step 3: In the Transfer card, switch the Domain lock toggle off. A confirmation message, Domain Unlocked, appears.
💡 Did you know - You can also find the Domain lock toggle and the Get Authorization Code button on the domain's Settings tab. Both places do the same thing.
Get the authorization code
The authorization code (also called the EPP code or auth code) proves to the new registrar that you own the domain.
Step 1: In the same Transfer card, click Get Code next to Authorization code. The button stays disabled while the domain is locked.
Step 2: A dialog shows the code. Click the copy icon next to it, then click Close.
🔒 Keep this code secure. Anyone with the authorization code can transfer your domain. Only paste it into your new registrar's transfer form, and never share it in email or chat.
Start the transfer at your new registrar
Step 1: Log in to the registrar you are moving the domain to and look for their Transfer a domain option.
Step 2: Enter the domain name, paste the authorization code you copied, and complete their checkout. Most registrars add one year to the domain's registration as part of the transfer fee.
InstaWP shows nothing at this point. The transfer request reaches InstaWP from the registry once the new registrar submits it, which can take a little while.
Track the transfer
When the transfer request arrives, InstaWP emails you (Transfer request received for your-domain) and the domain's status on the Domains list changes to Transferring Out, with a progress bar underneath.
Check the latest status: on the Domains list, click the ⋯ (More actions) button next to the domain and choose Refresh domain status. InstaWP checks with the registry and updates the status right away instead of waiting for the next automatic check.
A Domain status refreshed message confirms the check.
See the transfer details: click Processing transfer out under the progress bar (or the View transfer details button on the row). A side panel shows Transfer in progress, the New registrar, the date the request was received, and the date the transfer will complete on its own. Click Refresh transfer status in the panel to update it.
Speed up or cancel a pending transfer
While the domain is Transferring Out, the side panel offers two actions:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed up transfer | Releases the domain to the new registrar immediately instead of waiting for the registry's approval window. This cannot be undone. |
| Cancel transfer | Rejects the transfer request. The domain stays with InstaWP and is locked again, so a new transfer needs you to unlock it first. |
If you do neither, the transfer completes automatically on the date shown in the panel and the domain moves to the new registrar. If you didn't request this transfer, click Cancel transfer before that date and contact support.
You'll receive an email from InstaWP when a transfer is approved or cancelled.
After the transfer completes
When the new registrar takes over, InstaWP marks the domain Transferred Out on the Domains list and emails you to confirm it has left.
- Billing stops. Auto-renewal is switched off and the domain's renewal subscription is cancelled, so InstaWP won't charge you for it again.
- Delete is the only action left. The domain is managed at your new registrar now, so its row shows only a Delete button. Its Summary, DNS, Nameservers and other pages are no longer available in InstaWP.
- Deleting only tidies up InstaWP. Delete removes the domain from your list, along with its site links and DNS records on InstaWP. It doesn't affect the domain at your new registrar.