Is Your Domain Name Ready to be Transferred?
(Instructions for Transferring Away from KartHost)
First, let’s define what a domain name transfer is. A domain name transfer involves moving your domain from one registrar (the company you pay to renew and manage your domain) to another, such as KartHost. To ensure a smooth transfer, follow this checklist. Missing any step could cause the transfer to fail.
Before You Start:
- You cannot change Name Servers once the transfer process begins. Confirm they are correctly assigned before starting.
Checklist for a Successful Domain Transfer:
- Check Transfer Eligibility
Ensure the following to avoid issues:- The domain is older than 60 days since registration (per ICANN’s 60-day rule).
- The domain is not expired. Some registrars allow transfers within 30 days of expiration—verify with your registrar.
- No outstanding balance is owed to the current registrar.
- The transfer won’t extend the domain’s expiration date beyond 10 years from today, or you may lose the 1-year extension typically added during transfers.
- Unlock Your Domain
Log in to your current registrar’s account and unlock your domain. Domains are often locked for security to prevent unauthorized transfers or tampering. A locked domain will cause the transfer to fail. - Verify Administrative Contact Email
Ensure the Administrative Contact email listed in your domain records is valid. After initiating the transfer to KartHost, an approval email will be sent to this address. The transfer will fail if the contact doesn’t approve within 5 days. - Disable Privacy Protection
Turn off Privacy Protection (called ID Protection at KartHost) at your current registrar, as it prevents transfers. Ensure this is disabled before starting. - Obtain Your EPP Code
Get the Transfer Authorization Code (also known as the EPP Code, AuthInfo Code, transfer key, domain secret, or similar) from your current registrar. This code is required to initiate the transfer. If transferring away from KartHost, check their guide: EPP Code what is it and where do I find it? - KartHost LLC - Registrant Contact Changes
If updating the Name, Company, or Email of the Registrant Contact after the transfer, both the prior and new registrant must approve the change within 7 days, even if you represent both. Approval emails will be sent. See KartHost’s tutorial: Changing Domain Name Registrant Approval Requirements (IRTP) - KartHost LLC for details. If not approved, the change will not proceed.
Additional notes on Contact Information Changes.- If the registrant contact information in the receiving account is different from the sending account when transferring a domain, the registrant's contact information can be updated, but it does not automatically match the receiving account's information unless the change of registrant process is completed and approved by both parties involved.
- ICANN’s policy dictates that any changes to key registrant fields (such as first name, last name, organization, or email address) will trigger a confirmation and approval process for both the old and new registrant contacts. If the receiving account specifies different contact details, these must be explicitly approved during the change. Approval requests are sent to both the original and new registrant emails, and both must confirm within about seven days for the change to finalize. If approvals are not completed or one party denies the change, the registrant information remains unchanged.
Policy Details
- Simple updates to registrant name, organization, or email will start the change process.
- Both the old and new registrant must approve the change.
- If approved, the registrant info updates to match what’s entered in the receiving account.
- If not approved, the old information stays as is.
- Domains usually enter a 60-day transfer lock after such changes, delaying further transfers during that period.
Practical Advice
- Ensure contact information in the receiving account matches what is intended for public Whois records.
- Be responsive to approval emails from both the losing and gaining registrars to avoid delays or cancellation of the transfer.
- If there is no approval from the old registrant, no updates will be made.
In summary, the registrant’s contact information will only be updated to match the new account if the change of registrant process is completed and actively approved by both parties. Otherwise, the domain retains its original contact information.
- Approve the Transfer
The transfer doesn’t start until the Administrative Contact approves it via the email sent after step 6 is completed. Once approved, the request is sent to the current registrar, who has 5 days to release the domain to KartHost. Some registrars allow manual approval in their account—check for this option. - Post-Transfer Verification
After a successful transfer, you have 15 days to verify your Administrative Contact email with KartHost. A verification email is sent immediately after the transfer. Add this email to your address book and check your spam/junk folder. If not verified within 15 days, the domain registrar (not KartHost) will suspend your domain.
Tip: If another domain with the same email was previously verified with KartHost, re-verification is not needed.
Common Questions About Domain Transfers
Q: What happens if I forget to unlock my domain?
A: The transfer will fail automatically. Unlock your domain in your current registrar’s account before starting.
Q: Why didn’t I receive the approval email?
A: Check that the Administrative Contact email is valid and not blocked by spam filters. Contact your registrar if you need to update it.
Q: Can I transfer a recently registered domain?
A: No, domains cannot be transferred within 60 days of registration due to ICANN rules.
Q: What if my domain is about to expire?
A: Verify with your registrar if transfers are allowed within 30 days of expiration. Renew the domain first if needed.
By following these steps, your domain transfer to KartHost should proceed flawlessly. For additional support, visit KartHost’s resources or contact their team.
Note: You can always Resend Domain Name Verification Email resent to yourself. If you continue to not receive the Verification Email, would highly recommend changing the your email address on your domain name.
If you are transferring your domain name from GoDaddy, you will find this article useful "Transferring GoDaddy domain name to KartHost" and after the transfer has Started you might want to read "OK You Ordered domain name transfer to KartHost Now What?"
Updated October 2nd, 2025
