At a glance
- 1. Find out who holds itLook the domain up with ICANN Lookup (lookup.icann.org).
- 2. Ask for it to be movedAsk the person or agency to do one of two things: move the domain to your own account at the same registrar, or unlock it and send you the transfer code, also called an auth code or EPP code, so you can move it to a regi
- 3. Plan around the 60-day lockICANN's transfer policy says a domain cannot move to another registrar within 60 days of a change to the registrant's name, organisation or email, unless the registrar lets you opt out.
- 4. If they will not hand it overContact the registrar's support with proof the business owns the name: invoices, your business registration and the website itself.
- 5. Do not let it expireCheck the expiry date first.
- 6. Check everything that depends on itEmail records (MX), so mail keeps arriving
1. Find out who holds it
Look the domain up with ICANN Lookup (lookup.icann.org). It shows the registrar, where the domain is held, and the expiry date. Contact details are often hidden for privacy, but the registrar tells you where to go next.
2. Ask for it to be moved
Ask the person or agency to do one of two things: move the domain to your own account at the same registrar, or unlock it and send you the transfer code, also called an auth code or EPP code, so you can move it to a registrar of your choice. Under ICANN's rules, the registrar has to give the registrant the transfer code within 5 days of a request.
3. Plan around the 60-day lock
ICANN's transfer policy says a domain cannot move to another registrar within 60 days of a change to the registrant's name, organisation or email, unless the registrar lets you opt out. A domain also cannot move within 60 days of being registered or transferred. If you want a new registrar, transfer first and change the contact details after.
4. If they will not hand it over
Contact the registrar's support with proof the business owns the name: invoices, your business registration and the website itself. Each registrar has its own process. If the registrar cannot help, ICANN takes complaints about registrars, and trademark owners can use the UDRP dispute process.
5. Do not let it expire
Check the expiry date first. If it is close, ask for it to be renewed while the move is sorted out. An expired domain can be lost to someone else, and your email stops working.
6. Check everything that depends on it
- Email records (MX), so mail keeps arriving
- Where the website is hosted
- Records for Google, Microsoft 365, payment and booking tools
- Who has logins to the hosting and DNS
Updated 2026-10-29. General guidance, not advice for your situation; we scope each project in writing before any work starts.
Want us to handle it?
We can gather what the platform asks for, file the request, follow it up and set up access so one person leaving never locks you out again.
Questions people ask first
Is the domain legally ours if the developer registered it?
It depends on your agreement and who is listed as registrant. The steps here get it moved by consent; a dispute needs a lawyer.
Will moving the domain take my website down?
Not if the DNS records are copied across first. Plan the move and check the records before and after.
How long does a transfer take?
A registrar transfer usually completes within days once the code is entered and approved.
Should email and website logins move too?
Yes. Ask for hosting, DNS and email admin access in the same request.
Tell us what you need built.
Tell us the process and the tools involved, or call. We reply with questions or a written scope.
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