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Home / Domain Registrars guides / How to Transfer a Domain to a Cheaper Registrar

How to Transfer a Domain to a Cheaper Registrar

The unlock-code-and-wait process, what it costs, and the 60-day rules that trip people up.

Written by Team RankingRight
August 27, 2026 · 4 min read

A transfer moves the domain to a new registrar and usually adds a year to the registration for the transfer price — $10–$12 for a .com at Porkbun, Cloudflare or Namecheap.

Before you start

  • The domain must be more than 60 days old and not changed hands in the last 60 days (ICANN rule).
  • Turn off WHOIS privacy temporarily only if the old registrar requires it; most no longer do.
  • Make sure the contact email on the domain is one you can read.

The steps

  1. Unlock the domain at the old registrar and request the authorisation (EPP) code.
  2. Start the transfer at the new registrar and paste the code.
  3. Approve the confirmation email. Transfers complete in minutes if you approve, or up to five days if you do not.

DNS

Copy your DNS records to the new registrar first, or keep the nameservers pointed at your host, so the site never goes down. Our transfer-out timings: Porkbun 6 minutes, Squarespace 8, Cloudflare 9, Name.com 10, Namecheap 14, Domain.com 15, GoDaddy 17, Network Solutions 22.

» See the full rankings: Cheapest Domain Registrars (.com renewal under $17), Domain Registrars With Free WHOIS Privacy .