A complete, step by step guide to moving your domain name to Spaceship quickly, securely, and without any downtime.
Transferring a domain to a new registrar can feel daunting, but with Spaceship.com it is a straightforward process. Whether you are switching for better pricing, a cleaner interface, or consolidating domains in one place, this guide walks you through every step from unlocking your domain at the old registrar to completing the transfer and going live.
| What is a domain transfer? A domain transfer moves the registrar responsible for managing your domain. Your website, email, and DNS records remain unaffected only administrative control changes hands. |
Before You Begin
Make sure these conditions are met before initiating the transfer:
| ✓ | Your domain is at least 60 days old and was not transferred in the last 60 days (ICANN policy) |
| ✓ | The domain is not expired, suspended, or in a redemption period |
| ✓ | You have access to the administrative email address on file with your current registrar |
| ✓ | You have a Spaceship.com account (free to create at spaceship.com) |
| Renewal timing tip: Transfers add one year to your domain’s expiration. If your domain expires in less than 15 days, renew it first at your current registrar to avoid any lapse in registration. |
Step-by-Step Transfer Process
Follow these steps in order. The full process typically takes 5-7 days to complete.
| 1 | Unlock your domain at your current registrar Log in to your existing registrar’s control panel and find the domain management settings. Look for a “Domain Lock” or “Transfer Lock” toggle and turn it off. This allows your domain to be transferred out. |
| 2 | Disable WHOIS privacy (temporarily) If you have WHOIS privacy enabled, disable it temporarily so that transfer authorization emails reach the correct administrative contact address. You can reenable it after the transfer completes. |
| 3 | Obtain your Authorization (Auth) code Also called the EPP code or transfer key, this unique string is issued by your current registrar. Find it in your domain management panel or request it from support. Keep it safe it authorizes the transfer. |
| 4 | Log in to Spaceship.com and start the transfer Go to spaceship.com and navigate to Domains > Transfer a Domain. Enter your domain name and click Search. Spaceship will confirm the domain is eligible for transfer. |
| 5 | Enter your Auth code and complete checkout Paste your authorization code into the field provided. Review the transfer fee (Spaceship includes a 1-year renewal with most transfers). Complete checkout with your preferred payment method. |
| 6 | Approve the transfer via email Your current registrar or ICANN will send an authorization email to the admin contact on file. Click the confirmation link to approve the outgoing transfer. Approval links typically expire in 5 days. |
| 7 | Wait for the transfer to complete Once approved, the transfer enters ICANN’s 5-day waiting period. Your domain will automatically appear in your Spaceship account once complete. You can track the status in the Spaceship dashboard. |
Transfer Timeline: What Happens During the Waiting Period
| Day 0 | Transfer initiated: Spaceship submits the transfer request and sends confirmation to you and your current registrar. |
| Day 0-1 | Authorization email arrives: You receive an email from your losing registrar asking you to approve (or deny) the transfer. |
| Day 1-5 | ICANN waiting period: After approval, a mandatory 5 day transfer window is observed. Your domain remains fully operational during this time. |
| Day 5-7 | Transfer completes: Your domain moves to Spaceship. You receive a confirmation email and the domain appears in your Spaceship dashboard with all DNS settings intact. |
| Good news: Your website and email will remain live throughout the entire transfer process. DNS records are preserved and your domain continues to resolve normally. |
After the Transfer: What to Check
Once the transfer completes, take a few minutes to verify everything is in order inside your Spaceship dashboard:
| ✓ | Confirm your DNS nameservers are pointing to the correct hosting provider |
| ✓ | Re enable WHOIS privacy if desired (Spaceship offers domain privacy settings) |
| ✓ | Enable Transfer Lock on Spaceship to prevent unauthorized future transfers |
| ✓ | Review your auto renewal settings and update payment details |
| ✓ | Test your website and email to confirm everything is still working correctly |
Read : Transfer out domain from Spaceship.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my website go down during the transfer?
No. Your DNS records remain active during the transfer. As long as your nameservers and DNS settings stay the same, your website and email will continue to function without interruption throughout the process.
Can I transfer a .com, .net, .org, or other TLDs?
Spaceship supports transfers for a wide range of TLDs including .com, .net, .org, .io, .co, .info, and many country code extensions. Check the Spaceship domain transfer page for a full list of supported TLDs and current pricing.
What if I don’t receive the authorization email?
Check your spam folder first. If it still doesn’t appear, verify that the admin email address in your WHOIS record is correct. You may need to contact your current registrar to resend the authorization email or update the contact information.
Does Spaceship charge for domain transfers?
Most domain transfers to Spaceship include a 1 year renewal, so you pay the renewal fee for your TLD. Some TLDs may have different pricing. Check spaceship.com for current transfer pricing before initiating the process.
Can I speed up the transfer process?
Yes. If your current registrar allows it, you can explicitly approve the outgoing transfer rather than waiting for the 5-day period to expire. Log into your old registrar’s panel and look for an option to accelerate or immediately approve the outgoing transfer.
| Ready to transfer your domain? Head to Spaceship.com and enter your domain name to get started. www.spaceship.com |
