A domain transfer is the process in which you change the designated registrar of your domain name. Once you transfer a domain, the new registrar will be responsible for maintaining all the relevant information regarding that domain.

People have different reasons for transferring domains. For instance, you can choose to transfer your domain to a cheaper registrar and make the most of a deal offering a low price. Domain owners also transfer domains for preference of another service in terms of its features. Your choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Ideally, you should transfer your domain when there’s still enough registration time left. Minimum 2 weeks before its expiration date.

Yes, expired domains can be transferred. You’ll need to reach out to your current registrar, who’ll provide you with an authorization code. This code will then be used to unlock the expired domain and submit the transfer. For more questions on how to go about this, get in touch with our support team at JoivHost.

The authorization code (also known as an EPP code sometimes) is issued by the domain registrar. It’s a unique code comprising between 6 to 32 characters that are assigned to the domain. It can only be accessed via your current domain registrar and is essential for the transferring process. Without the authorization code, you can’t proceed with transferring your domain.

Most domain transfers do involve a few, the price of which may vary depending on the type of domain that’s being transferred. In case of specific domain extensions, there will be no transfer fee as they won’t be automatically renewed after the transfer.

Domain transfers typically take around a week. That said, transfers may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 14 days. The domain’s TLD determines the exact time-frame for the transfer, as does the time needed for the current domain registrar to complete the process.