Transfer a registered domain to another registrar

This page describes how to transfer a registered domain from Cloud Domains to a third-party domain registrar.

By default, domains that support transfer locks are locked to prevent unauthorized transfers. To prepare a domain for transfer, you must do the following:

  • Unlock the domain to make it eligible for a transfer. Some domain registrars don't support transfer locks due to registry restrictions. These domains typically remain unlocked—for example, .co.nz, .de, .fr, .jp, .nl, and .pw.
  • Get an authorization code to provide to your new domain registrar. Some domains don't support authorization codes—for example, .uk and .co.uk.
  • Verify that your contact details in the WHOIS database are correct.

Unlock a domain for transfer

To unlock a domain for transfer, complete the following steps.

Console

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Cloud Domains page.

    Go to Cloud Domains

  2. Click the domain name that you want to transfer.

  3. To unlock the domain, click Unlock.

  4. On the confirmation dialog, click Unlock.

    A message at the bottom of the page confirms that the unlocking is successful.

gcloud

Use the gcloud domains registrations configure management command:

gcloud domains registrations configure management DOMAIN_NAME

Replace DOMAIN_NAME with the name of the registered domain—for example, example.com.

Your output looks similar to the following:

Your current Transfer Lock state is: LOCKED
Specify new transfer lock state
 [1] locked
 [2] unlocked
 [3] cancel
Please enter your numeric choice (3):  2

Waiting for 'operation-1596736789522-5ac394123aa03-f2d2f2c3-948ac1a3' to complete...done.
Updated registration [example.com].

API

Use the registrations.configureManagementSettings method:

POST https://domains.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/global/registrations/DOMAIN_NAME:configureManagementSettings

{
  "managementSettings": {
    "transferLockState": "UNLOCKED"
  },
  "updateMask": "transferLockState"
}

Replace the following:

  • PROJECT_ID: the name of your project
  • DOMAIN_NAME: the domain that you want to transfer

Get the authorization code

To get the authorization code for a transfer, see Get or reset an authorization code.

Some domains, such as .uk or .co.uk, don't support authorization codes. For instructions about how to transfer a .uk or .co.uk domain to another registrar, see the next section.

Transfer a .uk or a .co.uk domain

To transfer a .uk or .co.uk domain to another registrar, initiate a push transfer.

The transfer might happen instantly, or it might take some time to complete. Contact your new registrar if the transfer doesn't complete within a few days.

gcloud

Use the gcloud domains registrations initiate-push-transfer command:

gcloud domains registrations initiate-push-transfer DOMAIN_NAME \
    --tag=NEW_REGISTRY_TAG

Replace the following:

  • DOMAIN_NAME: the name of the registered domain that you want to renew—for example, example.app.
  • NEW_REGISTRY_TAG: the tag of the new registrar as documented in List of registrars.

API

Use the registrations.initiatePushTransfer method:

POST https://domains.googleapis.com/v1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/global/registrations/DOMAIN_NAME:initiatePushTransfer
  {
    "tag" : "NEW_REGISTRY_TAG"
  }

Replace the following:

  • PROJECT_ID: the name of your project
  • DOMAIN_NAME: the name of the domain that you want to renew
  • NEW_REGISTRY_TAG: the tag of the new registrar. To get the tag of your new registrar, see List of registrars.

Verify contact details

To ensure that your new registrar can confirm your intent to transfer, verify that your contact details for the domain registration are correct. Some registrars might require you to make your contact information public before you transfer a domain.

For instructions about how to change your contact and privacy settings, see Edit contact and privacy settings.

What's next