How to Transfer Domain to GoDaddy: Complete Guide

Think of your domain name as the address on your mailbox. A transfer is like moving that address to a new mail service: the address stays put, but a different company now keeps the records.

Your website files, email, and hosting don’t come along automatically.

A domain transfer moves your domain’s registration from one registrar (the company that manages it) to another.

Here, we’ll cover moving a domain into GoDaddy, moving it between GoDaddy accounts, and moving it away from GoDaddy, plus handing one over to someone else.

How to Transfer Domain to GoDaddy Requirements

Before you start, a few rules can stop a transfer cold. Check these so you’re not caught off guard halfway through.

Waiting periods that block a transfer

A transfer lock is a waiting period that holds a domain in place. Here’s the rundown:

• 60-day rule. A domain can’t move until 60 days after registration.
• 60-day contact lock. Changing a domain’s contact details triggers another 60-day lock.
• 120 days for bundles. According to DomDB’s transfer guide, a domain registered as part of a GoDaddy bundle must wait 120 days before it’s eligible to be transferred away. Picture a florist who bundled her site and domain in March and wants to move in May. May is too soon.
• ICANN’s policy. These waits follow ICANN’s transfer policy, the rulebook from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

When expiring or expired domains can move

Timing matters here too. A domain can’t be transferred within one day of its expiry date. Say a retired teacher’s blog domain expires Friday. Trying to move it Thursday won’t work, so she renews first.

Expired domains are a different story. Expired doesn’t mean gone: they can still move until they reach redemption, the stage that follows expiry. Premium and expired domains can carry extra fees. Check the price first.

Proving your identity with login codes

Before a domain can move, GoDaddy needs to confirm it’s really you. If Domain Protection is on, you’ll need to verify yourself first.

Verification can come as a 2-step verification code, a second check on top of your password, or a one-time password sent to your email. Gather your codes before you start, not halfway through.

Moving a Domain Between GoDaddy Accounts

Moving a domain between GoDaddy accounts takes one request and one acceptance, but a few rules decide whether it goes through.

Can I merge two GoDaddy accounts?

There’s no single merge. Each account can hold multiple domains, so move them one at a time, after each clears these checks:

• Pending contact update: A pending contact change blocks the transfer until it finishes.
• Expiry window: No transfers within one day of expiration.
• Ineligible domains: Expired domains, and domains with a transfer already pending, can’t move.
• Bundle lock: According to DomDB, a domain bought in a GoDaddy bundle is locked for 120 days before it can be transferred away.

Walk through sending the transfer request

Here’s the sequence:

1. Open Domain Portfolio or My Products.
2. Select the domain and choose the option to transfer it to another account.
3. Enter the recipient’s email address or customer number.
4. Choose whether to copy your contact info.
5. Send the transfer request.

How the recipient accepts within 10 days

The recipient accepts by email, and they have 10 days to do it. Picture a bakery owner sending her domain to her partner’s account. If the email gets buried, the request can expire, and she simply resends it.

Unaccepted transfers expire or stall, so give the recipient a heads-up before you send.

What moves and what stays behind

The domain moves, but the website and email don’t. Think of the domain as your street address, the website as the house on it, and email as the mailbox.

• DNS settings (the records that point your domain to your site and email) stay intact.
• Delegates (people you’ve given access to your account) need Transfer Access to handle transfers.
• Since August 2025, a registrant-only contact change updates just the owner’s details.

Picture a wedding photographer moving her domain into her studio’s account. Her portfolio site and inbox stay behind. Check both first.

Don’t confuse a registrar transfer, which moves your registration to a new registrar (the company that holds it), with a nameserver change, which only points your domain to different servers.

Bringing a domain in from Cloudflare is a registrar transfer, so it follows its own steps rather than the account-to-account process above.

Moving Your Domain Away from GoDaddy

Leaving GoDaddy means moving your domain to a new registrar, the company that manages its registration. Work through these in order.

Get your domain ready to leave

A wedding photographer moving her portfolio before booking season can’t afford a stalled transfer. These checks prevent it.

• Unlock the domain. A locked domain can’t be transferred, so switch the lock off first.
• Turn off Domain Privacy. It hides your contact details from public lookups, so switch it off before you move.
• Downgrade Domain Protection. This extra safeguard can get in the way of a transfer, so step it down.
• Keep contact info current. Use an email you can open today, since codes and confirmations go there.
• Save DNS settings first. DNS (Domain Name System) points your domain at your website. A transfer moves the registration, not your site files, so copy these records first.

Finding your transfer authorization code

Your authorization code is a password-style key to moving the domain. Keep it private.

• Copy it from Domain Settings. Copy it rather than retyping it, so no characters get lost.
• Look for the email. If it’s not on screen, it’s emailed to the registrant, the listed owner.
• Export codes for multiple domains. Export them together so they’re in one spot.
• Recopy or request a new code if it fails. Recopy first to catch stray spaces, then request a new one.

Start the transfer out in GoDaddy

Once the code is in hand, start the move from GoDaddy. Here’s the order:

1. Select Transfer to Another Registrar.
2. Review the transfer checklist one last time.
3. Continue with the transfer.
4. Approve the transfer to speed things up.
5. Confirm via the email from your new registrar.

Continuing isn’t the same as finished. The confirmation email is the real finish line.

Guides for moving to popular platforms

• Namecheap and Squarespace. The prep and code steps still apply, and you’ll finish setup inside the platform.
• Google Domains and Shopify. Confirm Google Domains still takes transfers, since its service has changed. For Shopify, connect the domain in its settings.

WordPress.com handles hosting for you, while WordPress.org is self-hosted, so you install it on hosting you control. Decide which you’re using first.

You can also keep the domain at GoDaddy and point its DNS records to your new host.

To move to Hostinger, finish the checklist, copy your code, and follow the steps above with Hostinger as your new registrar.

Special rules for .uk and country domains

Country-code domains, like .uk, follow extra rules that add to the basics.

• Country-code requirements. Check the rules for your domain’s ending, since each country’s registry sets its own.
• .uk domains need an IPS tag. It’s a tag the UK registry requires, so confirm you have one before you start.
• ICANN Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) sets the baseline rulebook for transfers.

Handing a Domain over to Someone Else

Sometimes a domain needs a new owner, whether you’re selling it, gifting it, or passing it to a family member. Each route runs through the same Transfer Ownership steps, so you only need to learn them once.

Ways to sell or gift a domain

People transfer domains for a few reasons: they’re selling a business, handing a blog to someone new, or passing a family project along. Think of a bakery owner who sells her shop along with its domain, so the buyer gets the name customers already know.

The owner changes, but the name stays the same.

Here’s the basic path, using the Transfer Ownership option:

1. Open the domain you want to hand off and select Transfer Ownership.
2. Enter the recipient’s details so GoDaddy knows who the request is for.
3. Wait for the recipient to accept by email.

That acceptance is the moment the handoff happens. Nothing changes until they say yes.

If the new owner is a family member, you’ll still work through the same Transfer Ownership steps. The difference is the relationship: you’re giving the domain, not selling it, so talk through who’ll handle renewals before you send the request.

Timing, Costs, and Checking Progress

How long a transfer takes depends mostly on where your domain is coming from, and what it costs depends on which direction it’s moving. Here’s what to expect on both, plus how to keep an eye on things.

Transfer times from minutes to days

Moving a domain between two GoDaddy accounts is quick, taking minutes to hours. Moving it from another registrar (the company where your domain is currently registered) takes 5 to 7 days, so plan around that wait.

Approving the transfer speeds things up. Don’t let the request sit. Think of a florist who needs her domain on GoDaddy before Mother’s Day week. Approving the request the day it arrives is the simplest way to keep her launch on schedule.

What the transfer will cost you

Here’s how the money breaks down:

• Account transfers: free when you move a domain between GoDaddy accounts.
• Transferring out: GoDaddy doesn’t charge a fee for it.
• The new registrar: may charge a renewal fee.

Check the renewal price before you move, not just the sign-up price.

Track progress on your My Transfers page

You can check the status anytime, so there’s no need to guess. Open the My Transfers page in your GoDaddy account to see where each transfer stands. Check in as often as you like, then let the page do the watching.

Fixing Problems, Tips, and Quick Answers

Most stalls are easy fixes, usually a setting change, not a mistake you can’t undo.

Why a transfer gets stuck

• Domain still locked. Switch off the domain lock at your current registrar (the company holding your domain) before requesting the move.
• Outdated contact email. Approval emails go to the address on file, so an old inbox can stall the request.
• Too new or expired domain. Recently registered or moved domains may not be eligible yet, and expired ones need renewing.
• EPP code not working. The EPP code (Extensible Provisioning Protocol) proves ownership, so recopy it carefully if it’s rejected.

Think of Dana, who sells candles on the side. Her approval went to an old address. Updating it was all it took.

Simple habits for a smoother transfer

• Double-check the recipient email. Use an inbox you check daily.
• Keep the domain unlocked. Don’t re-lock it mid-move.
• Back up your DNS settings. DNS (Domain Name System) settings point your domain to your site and email, so copy them first.
• Watch your inbox and spam folder. Approval emails can land in spam.
• Avoid downtime by matching DNS. Mirror the same records at your new provider so the site and email stay up.
• Gather logins before starting. Have both account passwords and your email ready.

Quick answers to common concerns

• Canceling a transfer. If you change your mind, cancel the pending request in your account.
• Impact on email and website. A move can disrupt both if DNS records don’t carry over, so check both afterward.
• Unaccepted transfer outcome. If nobody accepts it, the transfer doesn’t complete and the domain stays put.
• Professional migration help. If the steps overwhelm you or your shop depends on the site, hire a professional.

A domain transfer is mostly paperwork, but the paperwork is worth getting right. Once you know what moves and what stays behind, the rest is checking details and keeping track of progress.

Whether you’re bringing a domain into GoDaddy, moving it between accounts, or handing it off, keep your website and email running through the switch. Take it one step at a time, and your domain will land right where you want it.

References

1. DomDB — domdb.com (2025)