How to Transfer Domain Ownership Safely (Change of Registrant Explained)

By Manob Editorial · October 14, 2026

To transfer domain ownership, change the registrant, the person or company legally listed as the domain's holder, not just the login. At the same registrar, the owner edits the registrant contact or moves the domain to the new owner's account, and both confirm. To move it to another registrar, the owner unlocks it and hands over the authorization code.

Policy details below were checked against ICANN's Transfer Policy and registrar help pages on 14 October 2026.

What does "owning" a domain mean?

Three separate things decide who controls a domain. A full handover always changes the first two, and sometimes the third:

Watch the Organization field. GoDaddy's help center notes that if a Registrant Organization is provided, "it becomes the Registered Name Holder per ICANN policy" (GoDaddy help). If a company name sits in that field, that company is the legal holder, whoever pays the bill.

Which method do you need?

• Same person, new details (new email, company renamed, new address): edit the contact. A new name, organization or email counts as a Change of Registrant under ICANN rules. An address or phone change on its own doesn't.
• New owner, same registrar: move the domain into the new owner's account, then have them put their own details on it.
• New owner at a different registrar: the new owner transfers the domain in with the authorization code, then updates the registrant details.
• A sale to a stranger: use escrow, then whichever of the methods above fits.

What do ICANN's change-of-registrant rules require?

For .com, .net, .org and other generic domains, Part II of ICANN's Transfer Policy sets the process. A Change of Registrant is "a Material Change to any of the following: Prior Registrant name, Prior Registrant organization, Prior Registrant email address." The registrar has to:

1. Check that the domain is eligible. It can't change hands during a pending dispute, for example.
2. Get confirmation from the new registrant through a secure mechanism, usually an email link.
3. Advise the old registrant that if they also want to change registrar, they should request that transfer before the Change of Registrant.
4. Get confirmation from the old registrant the same way. The registrar sets the deadline for both confirmations, up to 60 days, and the request lapses if either party misses it.
5. Make the change within one day of receiving both confirmations, and notify both parties.

After the change, the registrar must apply a 60-day lock on transfers to another registrar. It may let the registrant opt out, but only before the change is requested (ICANN FAQ for domain-name holders). If the new owner plans to move the domain to their own registrar, either opt out of the lock or transfer first and change the registrant afterwards.

That lock may go away. The GNSO Council has recommended a separate Change of Registrant Data policy that removes the post-change transfer lock and requires a notification to the registrant within 24 hours instead (GNSO Council report). As of October 2026 it isn't in effect. Country-code domains such as .ai, .io and .uk follow their own registries' rules.

How to change the owner at the same registrar

Most registrars let you edit the registrant contact in the domain's settings. GoDaddy's process is a typical example (GoDaddy help):

1. Edit the registrant name, organization or email in the domain's contact settings.
2. Open the approval email sent to the current registrant address, "Review and approve the domain registrant update," and select Review and Approve the Update.
3. Choose your 60-day transfer lock setting: Lock domain transfers for 60 days or Do not lock domains transfers for 60 days.
4. Select Yes, Update Contact Information.
5. The new owner opens the second email, "Approval needed: You're gaining one or more domains," reviews the details and selects Save.

GoDaddy notes that if Domain Privacy is on, contact changes don't need this approval. Either way, make sure the new owner ends up as the registrant.

How to move a domain to someone else's account

If you both use the same registrar, an account move (sometimes called a push) is the quickest handover. At GoDaddy (GoDaddy help):

1. In Domain Settings, under Transfer, select Transfer to another GoDaddy account.
2. Enter the recipient's account email twice. Their customer number is optional.
3. Choose whether to copy the current contact details to the new account, then select Send Transfer Request.
4. The recipient accepts the domain from their Transfers page within 10 days, or the request expires.

GoDaddy says the domain keeps "all existing DNS settings, but any connected products, such as a website or email, do not transfer with the domain." Account moves usually go through as soon as the recipient accepts. They don't extend the expiry date, and the domain stays at the same registrar.

How to hand a domain to a buyer at another registrar

1. The owner unlocks the domain and gets the authorization code. On manob.ai, the Transfer Out option in your domain list handles both.
2. The owner sends the code privately, and only after payment is secured. Anyone with the code can start a transfer.
3. The buyer starts the transfer at their own registrar and pays the transfer fee, which adds a year to the expiry date (two years for .ai). On manob.ai that's Transfer on the Domains page. See the full walkthrough in how to transfer a domain from GoDaddy.
4. The owner approves the transfer if the old registrar asks, or lets it complete on its own.
5. The buyer replaces the registrant details with their own once the domain arrives.

Registrars usually refuse a transfer within 60 days of the domain's registration, a previous transfer or a locked change of registrant. Check the dates before you agree on a handover date.

How to sell a domain safely

The usual risk is order: the seller hands over the domain and the money never arrives, or the buyer pays and gets nothing. An escrow service holds the money in between. Escrow.com describes five steps (Escrow.com):

1. The buyer and seller agree to terms: the domain and the price.
2. The buyer pays Escrow.com, not the seller.
3. The seller transfers the domain to the buyer.
4. The buyer accepts the domain during an inspection period.
5. Escrow.com pays the seller.

Escrow.com's fee for a domain worth up to $5,000 was 2.6% with a $50 minimum, as of October 2026 (Escrow.com domain fees). Agree in writing who pays it.

• Sellers: don't send the auth code or push the domain until the escrow service confirms the money is held. Don't accept a payment method the buyer can reverse later.
• Buyers: look the domain up in ICANN Lookup to check the registrar and expiry date, make sure the seller can actually log in and unlock it, and search for trademarks that could lead to a dispute.

After the handover: what to update

• Registrant name, organization and email, so the new owner gets renewal and transfer notices.
• Nameservers and DNS records, if the new owner's site lives somewhere else. Our guide to connecting a domain to hosting covers each record.
• Renewal settings and payment method. Domains on manob.ai auto-renew by default.
• WHOIS privacy. On manob.ai it's free and on by default for extensions that allow it.
• Old access: remove the previous owner's logins, delegate access and any DNS records that send email or traffic to them.
• SSL certificates issued for the domain on the old owner's server. The new owner needs their own.

Starting fresh instead? Search for a new name, read how to buy a domain name, or see what a .ai domain costs if you're naming an AI product.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to transfer domain ownership?

A contact change or account move usually goes through once both sides confirm. A move to another registrar often takes 5 to 7 days, or less if the transfer is approved early at the old registrar.

Does changing the owner lock the domain?

For generic domains such as .com, yes: ICANN's current policy requires a 60-day lock on registrar transfers after a change of registrant. Some registrars let you opt out before you make the change.

What's the difference between transferring a domain and transferring ownership?

A domain transfer moves the registration to a different registrar. A change of ownership changes the registrant. You can do either one without the other.

Can I transfer a domain to someone who uses a different registrar?

Yes. Unlock the domain and give them the authorization code, and they start the transfer at their registrar. Once it arrives, they put their own details on it.

Is transferring domain ownership free?

It depends on the registrar. Changing the registrant or moving a domain between accounts is done in the dashboard, so check whether yours charges for it. Moving to a new registrar costs a transfer fee, which includes an extra year of registration.

How do I get a domain back from a former web designer?

Ask them to move it to your account or give you the authorization code. If you're the registrant, the registrar may be able to restore your access after checking your identity. If they are, you need their cooperation or a legal route.