Contrary to popular belief, the process of transferring a domain from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another is not a hard task whatsoever. You do not need an IT expert as it can be done by any domain owner. All you require is internet access and a bit of fund for the transfer. However, it is greatly time-consuming since it can take up to 14 days.

There are quite a number of reasons why a domain owner might want to transfer his/her domain. It could be that the current domain is not fully satisfying the domain owner business wise, or that the domain is expensive hence the need to transfer to a cheaper domain or that the web host does not accord the domain owner with adequate security for his/her business.The reasons behind a transfer of domain are endless.

The Process of Transferring a Domain

For one to transfer your domain, you need to revise your current registrar’s policy terms on transfer as well as the ICANN Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy. Once you comply with your current registrar’s terms, you can then move on to the statutory procedure that is set out by ICANN.
According to ICANN Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy, the basic steps to transfer your domain are:

• You are required to verify the Whois administrative contact information. Ensure that the email address of the administrator is valid, correct and current. Similarly, your email address and other contact information need to be correct in order to be able to receive the authentication code from the current domain registrar. Remove the domain lock that was put in place by the current domain registrar for added security. If your information was out of date, you will need to wait for about 12 – 24 hours for the updated changes to take effect.
• Inform the new Registrar of your intent to transfer your domain and provide them with your authentication code.
• The new registrar is only able to process the transfer once consent and authorization from the current domain registration are given. This is done when the current registrar gives the new registrar the authentication code, which is similar to that given by the domain owner.
• The current registrar will notify the domain owner to confirm the transfer. Occasionally, the domain owner will need to access their online tools to communicate their intention to transfer.
• After validating the owner’s account and identity, the current registrar will release authority to the new registrar. Upon completion of the transfer, the new registrar shall contact the domain owner and inform him/her of the new changes.

Once the transfer is communicated, the domain owner can certify that his/her website has been transferred to the new domain.

Conclusion

Clearly, the process to transfer your domain is quite easy. A domain owner must take the time to decide which domain is the best fit for his/her business. Once a transfer is effected, the domain owner cannot effect another transfer for 60days. More so, due to the process being time-consuming, it is best for one to transfer his/her domain once their domain is just about to expire. This is because 14 days is quite a long time for a business website to remain non-operational as wasting time equates to losing funds.