Guide
How to transfer a domain from GoDaddy
To move a domain away from GoDaddy, unlock it, get the transfer details from your GoDaddy account, then start the transfer with the new registrar. For .com and similar domains that detail is an authorisation code. For .co.uk and .uk domains it is a tag change. We could not read GoDaddy's help pages automatically, so check its current steps before you begin.
The path
The transfer in four moves
- PrepareCheck expiry, contact details and email access
- Unlock and get detailsAuthorisation code, or tag change for UK domains
- Start at new registrarEnter the domain and the details
- Confirm and checkApprove any email, then check DNS
First
Decide whether you need to transfer at all
Many people think they must transfer a domain to change hosting. You do not. A domain and a hosting plan are separate things. The domain is registered with a registrar, and the hosting is where your website files live. To use a new host, you can simply change the domain's DNS settings to point at it, and leave the registration where it is.
Transferring the registration is a separate choice. People do it to keep domains and hosting in one account, to simplify billing, or to move away from a registrar whose renewal price they no longer like. It is not urgent, and you can do it after your site is working on the new host.
If you only need to point the domain, read how to point a domain to hosting. If you want the registration itself moved, carry on with this guide.
Which route
What you will need, by type of domain
| Domain type | What the new registrar usually asks for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .com, .net, .org and similar | An authorisation code, sometimes called an EPP code | The domain is normally unlocked first, and a recent registration or change may delay a transfer |
| .co.uk and .uk | A change of registrar tag, set by the current registrar | Done by telling the current registrar the tag of the new one, not by a code |
| Domains with privacy or locks | Remove the lock and check contact details first | Make sure the email address on the domain works |
| Domains close to expiry | Renew first if you can | Do not leave a transfer to the last day |
Rules differ by domain type and registrar, and can change. Check GoDaddy's help pages and the new registrar's instructions for the current steps.
Domains at £9.99 a year
.co.uk and .uk domains are £9.99 a year and £9.99 at renewal.
Step by step
Transferring a domain away from GoDaddy
Check the basics
Look at the expiry date and make sure the contact email on the domain is one you can read.
Back up your DNS records
Note down every record: A, CNAME, MX and TXT. Transfers can reset records, and email depends on them.
Unlock the domain
In your GoDaddy domain settings, turn off the transfer lock. Check GoDaddy's help pages for where this setting currently sits.
Get the transfer details
For a .com, request the authorisation code. For a .co.uk or .uk, ask for the tag to be changed to the new registrar's tag, which they will give you.
Start the transfer at the new registrar
Enter the domain and the details, and pay for the transfer, which for most domains adds a year to the registration.
Approve any email
You may receive a confirmation email. Approve it promptly, because transfers can stall waiting for you.
Check DNS and email afterwards
When the transfer completes, confirm the DNS records and test your website and email.
Timing
How long it takes and what can delay it
Some transfers complete within a day, and some take several days, depending on the domain type and how quickly you approve each step. A domain registered or transferred very recently, or one whose contact details were changed recently, may be held for a period by registry rules, so do not plan a transfer for the last moment.
The safest approach is to keep everything working throughout. Do not delete the old hosting or email until the transfer is complete and you have tested the website and your mailboxes. If your DNS is hosted with the old registrar, make sure the records are recreated at the new place before you rely on it.
Plan around deadlines too. If a domain expires during a transfer, you may lose time or have to pay to restore it. If you are anywhere near the expiry date, renew first, then transfer.
Choosing
Transfer the domain or just point it
Just point the DNS when
- You only want to use a new host
- You are happy with the current renewal price
- The domain is close to expiry
- You want the lowest risk
- You can manage DNS from where it is now
Transfer the registration when
- You want hosting and domain in one account
- You want a clearer renewal price
- The domain is not close to expiry
- You can approve the confirmation emails
- You have noted all DNS records
Before you start
A pre-transfer checklist
- Check the expiry date and renew first if it is close
- Confirm the domain contact email works
- Write down all DNS records
- Check email is not about to change at the same time
- Remove the transfer lock in your account
- Get the code or arrange the tag change
- Keep the old hosting running during the transfer
- Test the website and mail afterwards
Protecting your email during the move
Email is the part people forget. Your mailboxes depend on MX records in DNS, and if those records disappear during a transfer, mail can bounce. Before you start, note your MX and any related TXT records such as SPF and DKIM. After the transfer, check that they are all still present, and send test messages in both directions.
Our guide to SPF, DKIM and DMARC explains the records that help your mail reach inboxes, and are worth keeping intact.
Worked example
A worked example: a small business moving a .co.uk
Imagine a small shop with a .co.uk domain registered at GoDaddy, a website on another host and three email addresses. The owner wants the domain with the hosting so there is one bill and one login. First they note the expiry date, which is five months away, so there is no rush. They copy every DNS record into a document, including the MX records for email.
Next they ask for the registrar tag to be changed to the new registrar's tag, then place the transfer order at the new registrar. The website and email keep working throughout, because the DNS records are unchanged. Once the transfer completes, they compare the DNS records with their notes, send a test email in each direction and load the website. Only then do they cancel anything at the old registrar.
The pattern is the same for any domain: prepare, move the registration, then check. Nothing in it needs to interrupt your site if you take your time. If you would like a second pair of eyes on the records before you start, contact us, or ask in live chat.
Troubleshooting
If a transfer stalls
Domain still locked
Check the lock setting has been turned off and wait for it to take effect.
No confirmation email
Check the contact address on the domain, and your spam folder.
Recently changed
A recent registration or contact change can hold a transfer for a time.
Code rejected
Copy it again carefully, and request a fresh one if it has expired.
UK tag not accepted
Check the tag was typed exactly and the change was made on the current registrar's side.
Still stuck
Send our live chat the domain and what error you see, and we will help with the receiving side.
FAQ
Common questions
Does it cost money to transfer a domain?
Usually the new registrar charges for the transfer, which typically adds a year to the domain's registration. Check the price before you start.
Will my website go down?
Not if you keep DNS records the same. A transfer of the registration does not change where the site is hosted.
How do I transfer a .co.uk from GoDaddy?
Ask for the registrar tag to be changed to the new registrar's tag, rather than using a code. Check GoDaddy's help pages for how.
Do I have to move my hosting too?
No. The domain and the hosting are separate, and you can move one without the other.
What does a .co.uk domain cost with you?
£9.99 a year, and £9.99 at renewal.
Keep reading
Related pages
Bring your domain and hosting together
Choose a plan, and ask our live chat to help with the move.