Transfering domain names from GoDaddy to NameCheap

by David Gilbert

In the past I’d registered my domain names through GoDaddy, simply because they were at the time the cheapest, and options were limited. Today there are many other domain registrars, and I finally had enough with the continous up-selling push that GoDaddy puts me through everytime I try to use their domain manager. So I decided to switch to NameCheap. They have a good reputation, prices are reasonable, and their domain manager is simple, clean, and doean’t continually try to sell me on things I don’t want. Moving domain names between registrars is easy enough, but there are a few gotchas that I thought I’d note. Most of the sneakyness occurs on the GoDaddy side, where things aren’t very well documented.

In order to transfer a domain from one provider to another, you need an EPP code. You request the EPP code from your current registrar, for each domain name. You then initiatie the transfer from the new registrar, and provide the EPP code as a means of authorization.

At GoDaddy

  1. To make sure your domain name can be transferred, check the following:
    1. The domain name has been registered for at least 60 days, and has been at Go Daddy for at least 60 days.
    2. The Registrant contact information has not changed for at least 60 days.
    3. The domain name is not in “client update prohibited” status.
  2. Make sure the Administrator contact details are correct.
  3. If you have GoDaddys privacy turned on, turn it off.
  4. Make sure you unlock your domains.
  5. Obtain the authorization code from Go Daddy. This will be sent to the Administrator email registered with the domain name:
    1. On the “My domain names” page, click the domain you want to transfer.
    2. In the “Domain Information” section, find the “Authorization Code” row and click “Send by email”.
    3. Click “OK”.

At Namecheap

  1. At the registrar you are moving to, enter the names of the domains to transfer, and checkout.

Email Tag

  1. You will receive an e-mail from the current registrar for every domain transferred. The email will contain a link.
  2. Click the confirmation link and enter the “Authorization Code” (also called EPP authorization key) from the original registrar.
  3. After an hour or so you will receive an email (from transfer-approval.com) requesting confirmation of the transfer. Confirm the transfer by hitting the “Submit” button on the form (by default the “I Approve” radio button is selected).
  4. You’ll now get an email from the original registrar requesting confirmation. If you don’t do anything after 3 days the transfer will proceed. Here’s where GoDaddy become sneaky. This email doesn’t contain instructions on how to immediately accept the transfer. Here’s what you do:
    1. From the Domain Manager, hover over the Domains menu tab.
    2. Click “Pending Transfers”
    3. Place a check mark next to the domain name
    4. Click Acept/Decline from the icon toolbar, and confirm with “OK”.
  5. Each regsitrar will now send an email confirming the transfer.