{"id":3998,"date":"2026-01-02T17:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T14:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/transferring-a-domain-between-registrars-without-breaking-dns-email-or-your-website\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T17:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T14:01:13","slug":"transferring-a-domain-between-registrars-without-breaking-dns-email-or-your-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/transferring-a-domain-between-registrars-without-breaking-dns-email-or-your-website\/","title":{"rendered":"Transferring a Domain Between Registrars Without Breaking DNS, Email or Your Website"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"dchost-blog-content-wrapper\"><p>If you have managed domains for more than a couple of years, you have probably reached the point where you want everything under one roof: one invoice, one support team, one login. That almost always means <strong>transferring a domain between registrars<\/strong>. The good news: a registrar transfer by itself does not have to break your website or email. The bad news: if EPP codes, DNS zones, MX records and TTLs are not planned carefully, you can easily cause hours of mail bounces or a blank homepage. In this guide, we will walk through the complete process we use at dchost.com when helping customers move domains in and out of our platform with <strong>zero downtime<\/strong>. We will look at how EPP\/Auth codes work, how to design a DNS strategy that survives the move, and how to migrate hosting and email in parallel without confusing browsers or mail servers. Use this as a calm checklist before you click \u201cTransfer\u201d on your most important domains.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_transparent no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">\u0130&ccedil;indekiler<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Why_Move_a_Domain_Between_Registrars_at_All\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Why Move a Domain Between Registrars at All?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_domain_transfers_Actually_Work_Behind_the_Scenes\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> How domain transfers Actually Work Behind the Scenes<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Registry_vs_registrar_in_one_minute\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.1<\/span> Registry vs registrar in one minute<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_is_an_EPPAuth_code\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.2<\/span> What is an EPP\/Auth code?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Transfer_lock_and_60day_rules\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.3<\/span> Transfer lock and 60\u2011day rules<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Timing_how_long_do_transfers_take\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.4<\/span> Timing: how long do transfers take?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#PreTransfer_Checklist_Make_Your_Domain_Ready\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> Pre\u2011Transfer Checklist: Make Your Domain Ready<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Check_domain_status_and_expiry\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.1<\/span> 1. Check domain status and expiry<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Unlock_the_domain\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.2<\/span> 2. Unlock the domain<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Verify_admin_registrant_email_address\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.3<\/span> 3. Verify admin \/ registrant email address<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Review_WHOIS_privacy_settings\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.4<\/span> 4. Review WHOIS privacy settings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_Take_a_full_DNS_snapshot\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">3.5<\/span> 5. Take a full DNS snapshot<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#StepbyStep_Getting_Your_EPP_Code_and_Starting_the_Transfer\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Step\u2011by\u2011Step: Getting Your EPP Code and Starting the Transfer<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Request_the_EPPAuth_code\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.1<\/span> 1. Request the EPP\/Auth code<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Initiate_the_transfer_at_dchostcom_or_your_new_registrar\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.2<\/span> 2. Initiate the transfer at dchost.com (or your new registrar)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Approve_confirmation_emails\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.3<\/span> 3. Approve confirmation emails<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Wait_for_completion_and_verify\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">4.4<\/span> 4. Wait for completion and verify<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#DNS_Strategy_Keep_Your_Website_and_Email_Online_During_the_Move\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> DNS Strategy: Keep Your Website and Email Online During the Move<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Option_1_Keep_the_current_nameservers_during_transfer_safest\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.1<\/span> Option 1: Keep the current nameservers during transfer (safest)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Option_2_Move_DNS_to_dchostcom_before_or_during_transfer\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.2<\/span> Option 2: Move DNS to dchost.com before or during transfer<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Always_keep_a_DNS_backup\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">5.3<\/span> Always keep a DNS backup<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#ZeroDowntime_Website_Migration_While_the_Domain_Is_Moving\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">6<\/span> Zero\u2011Downtime Website Migration While the Domain Is Moving<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Prepare_the_new_hosting_environment\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.1<\/span> 1. Prepare the new hosting environment<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Sync_data_and_test_using_a_hosts_file_override\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.2<\/span> 2. Sync data and test using a hosts file override<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Lower_TTLs_and_schedule_the_cutover\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.3<\/span> 3. Lower TTLs and schedule the cutover<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Change_AAAAA_records_to_the_new_server_IP\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.4<\/span> 4. Change A\/AAAA records to the new server IP<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_Clean_up_after_propagation\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">6.5<\/span> 5. Clean up after propagation<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#ZeroDowntime_Email_Migration_While_the_Domain_Is_Moving\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">7<\/span> Zero\u2011Downtime Email Migration While the Domain Is Moving<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Inventory_your_existing_email_setup\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.1<\/span> 1. Inventory your existing email setup<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Create_mailboxes_on_the_new_platform\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.2<\/span> 2. Create mailboxes on the new platform<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Copy_mailbox_contents_with_IMAP_sync_tools\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.3<\/span> 3. Copy mailbox contents with IMAP sync tools<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Lower_MX_TTL_and_switch_MX_records\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">7.4<\/span> 4. Lower MX TTL and switch MX records<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Common_Gotchas_and_How_to_Avoid_Them\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">8<\/span> Common Gotchas and How to Avoid Them<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#1_Transfer_rejected_because_of_60day_lock\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.1<\/span> 1. Transfer rejected because of 60\u2011day lock<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#2_Wrong_or_invalid_EPPAuth_code\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.2<\/span> 2. Wrong or invalid EPP\/Auth code<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3_Email_approvals_not_received\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.3<\/span> 3. Email approvals not received<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#4_Email_suddenly_bouncing_during_transfer\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.4<\/span> 4. Email suddenly bouncing during transfer<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#5_SSL_errors_after_moving_hosting\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">8.5<\/span> 5. SSL errors after moving hosting<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Putting_It_All_Together_A_Calm_Plan_for_Your_Next_Domain_Transfer\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">9<\/span> Putting It All Together: A Calm Plan for Your Next Domain Transfer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Why_Move_a_Domain_Between_Registrars_at_All\">Why Move a Domain Between Registrars at All?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before getting into mechanics, it helps to be clear why you are transferring a domain in the first place. That answer shapes how much you touch DNS, hosting and email.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Consolidation:<\/strong> Many businesses end up with domains scattered across multiple providers. Consolidating into a single registrar like dchost.com makes renewals, DNS and security far easier to manage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pricing and transparency:<\/strong> Some registrars lure you in with cheap first-year offers, then add high renewal or WHOIS privacy fees. A transfer is often the moment you align pricing with your long-term plans.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Better control panel and DNS:<\/strong> Modern dashboards, API access and reliable DNS matter once you manage more than a couple of domains or use advanced records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, CAA, SRV, etc.).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support and security:<\/strong> Two\u2011factor authentication, registrar lock, DNSSEC and responsive support are critical if the domain is tied to a revenue\u2011generating site or email infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Notice that none of these reasons require you to break your live services. A <strong>domain transfer is an administrative change at the registrar level<\/strong>. If you keep DNS and hosting stable during the process, visitors and mail servers will not even notice anything happened.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_domain_transfers_Actually_Work_Behind_the_Scenes\">How <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/domain\/transfer\">domain transfer<\/a>s Actually Work Behind the Scenes<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To avoid surprises, it helps to understand what is really happening when you transfer a domain between registrars.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Registry_vs_registrar_in_one_minute\">Registry vs registrar in one minute<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For most TLDs (like .com, .net, .org and many new gTLDs), the structure looks like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Registry:<\/strong> The central database for a TLD (for example, the company that runs all .com domains). It does not sell domains directly to end users.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Registrar:<\/strong> Companies like dchost.com that are accredited to sell domains, talk to the registry via the EPP protocol and provide control panels, billing and support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When you transfer a domain, the <strong>registry ownership does not change<\/strong>; only the <em>registrar of record<\/em> changes. The registry simply updates which registrar manages the domain.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"What_is_an_EPPAuth_code\">What is an EPP\/Auth code?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An <strong>EPP code<\/strong> (also called an <strong>Auth code<\/strong> or Authorization code) is a secret token generated by your current registrar. Think of it as a one\u2011time password that proves you are allowed to move the domain to another registrar. The gaining registrar submits this code to the registry to initiate the transfer.<\/p>\n<p>Key properties of the EPP\/Auth code:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It is unique per domain.<\/li>\n<li>You request it from the losing registrar (usually via the control panel or support).<\/li>\n<li>You give it only to the new registrar (never publish or email it in plain text if you can avoid it).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Transfer_lock_and_60day_rules\">Transfer lock and 60\u2011day rules<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most domains are protected by a <strong>transfer lock<\/strong> (sometimes called \u201cclientTransferProhibited\u201d). While this is on, the registry will refuse transfer requests even if the EPP code is correct. You need to disable it before starting.<\/p>\n<p>There are also <strong>60\u2011day transfer restrictions<\/strong> in common cases:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Within 60 days of initial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/domain\/register\">domain registration<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Within 60 days of a previous transfer.<\/li>\n<li>Sometimes after ownership (registrant) contact changes, depending on your registrar\u2019s and ICANN\u2019s policies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"Timing_how_long_do_transfers_take\">Timing: how long do transfers take?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For most gTLDs, once you initiate the transfer with a valid EPP code and approve confirmation emails, the losing registrar has up to <strong>5\u20137 days<\/strong> to release the domain. Some allow you to manually \u201capprove\u201d earlier and finish within hours.<\/p>\n<p>During this time:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The domain <strong>keeps resolving using the current nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>You can continue to manage DNS at the old DNS provider (often the old registrar).<\/li>\n<li>Website and email should continue working as long as DNS and hosting are unchanged.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is why, for zero downtime, we usually keep DNS stable until after the transfer completes, then carefully move DNS or hosting if needed.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"PreTransfer_Checklist_Make_Your_Domain_Ready\">Pre\u2011Transfer Checklist: Make Your Domain Ready<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before requesting the EPP code, spend a few minutes making sure the domain and your contact details are in a good state. It will save you days of frustration.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Check_domain_status_and_expiry\">1. Check domain status and expiry<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure the domain is <strong>not expired<\/strong>, in redemption, or close to expiry. Ideally you have at least 7\u201310 days left before expiration.<\/li>\n<li>Use WHOIS or your control panel to confirm the domain is in an <strong>\u201cok\u201d or \u201cactive\u201d<\/strong> status and not on hold for payment or abuse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you want to review how grace and redemption periods work, see our in\u2011depth guide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/alan-adi-yenileme-grace-ve-redemption-sureleri-degerli-domainleri-kaybetmemek-icin-strateji-rehberi\/\">on domain renewal, grace periods and redemption fees<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Unlock_the_domain\">2. Unlock the domain<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In your current registrar\u2019s panel, look for a setting like \u201cRegistrar Lock\u201d, \u201cTransfer Lock\u201d or \u201cDomain Lock\u201d. Turn it <strong>off<\/strong>. This does not affect website or email; it only changes whether transfers are allowed.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Verify_admin_registrant_email_address\">3. Verify admin \/ registrant email address<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Transfer approvals often go to the <strong>registrant or admin email<\/strong> listed in the domain\u2019s contact info. Before you start:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Check which email address is currently set (in WHOIS or in the registrar\u2019s contact settings).<\/li>\n<li>Confirm you can receive messages there and that it is not a dead mailbox or a shared inbox with aggressive spam filtering.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Review_WHOIS_privacy_settings\">4. Review WHOIS privacy settings<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>WHOIS privacy usually does not block transfers, but some registrars handle emails differently when privacy is enabled. If in doubt, read their docs or temporarily disable privacy until the transfer completes.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5_Take_a_full_DNS_snapshot\">5. Take a full DNS snapshot<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before touching anything, export or screenshot your DNS zone:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>All <strong>A\/AAAA<\/strong> records for your website(s).<\/li>\n<li><strong>MX<\/strong> records for email.<\/li>\n<li><strong>TXT<\/strong> records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, verification tokens).<\/li>\n<li>Any <strong>CNAME, SRV, CAA<\/strong> and custom records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are new to DNS records, our article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/dns-kayitlari-nedir-a-aaaa-cname-mx-txt-ve-srv-rehberi\/\">\u201cWhat Are DNS Records? A Step\u2011by\u2011Step Beginner\u2019s Guide to A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SRV\u201d<\/a> is a good refresher.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"StepbyStep_Getting_Your_EPP_Code_and_Starting_the_Transfer\">Step\u2011by\u2011Step: Getting Your EPP Code and Starting the Transfer<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Request_the_EPPAuth_code\">1. Request the EPP\/Auth code<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At your current registrar:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Open the domain management page.<\/li>\n<li>Find the option labeled \u201cGet EPP Code\u201d, \u201cAuth Info Code\u201d or similar.<\/li>\n<li>Request the code. Some registrars show it in the panel; others email it to the registrant email.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Keep the code confidential. Treat it like a password until the transfer completes.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Initiate_the_transfer_at_dchostcom_or_your_new_registrar\">2. Initiate the transfer at dchost.com (or your new registrar)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At dchost.com, the flow typically looks like this (other registrars work similarly):<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Start a \u201cTransfer Domain\u201d order and enter the domain name.<\/li>\n<li>Enter the <strong>EPP\/Auth code<\/strong> when prompted.<\/li>\n<li>Choose whether you will use <strong>existing nameservers<\/strong> or switch to dchost.com DNS after transfer (we will discuss strategy in the next section).<\/li>\n<li>Pay the transfer fee (which usually includes a 1\u2011year renewal).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Approve_confirmation_emails\">3. Approve confirmation emails<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Depending on the TLD, you may receive:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An email from the <strong>gaining registrar<\/strong> asking you to confirm the transfer.<\/li>\n<li>An email from the <strong>losing registrar<\/strong> giving you a chance to cancel or explicitly approve early.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Follow the links and instructions carefully. If you miss these emails, the transfer may time out or be delayed.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Wait_for_completion_and_verify\">4. Wait for completion and verify<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once all approvals are done, the losing registrar can either release the domain immediately or wait until the maximum transfer window (often 5 days) expires.<\/p>\n<p>After completion:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The domain will appear as \u201cActive\u201d in your new registrar panel.<\/li>\n<li>WHOIS will show the new registrar as the \u201cRegistrar of Record\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Your website and email should still work as before if DNS was not changed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We have a separate, shorter guide focused purely on this process: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/alan-adi-transferi-nasil-yapilir-epp-kodu-transfer-kilidi-ve-kesintisiz-gecise-sakin-bir-rehber\/\">\u201cHow to Transfer a Domain Without Downtime: EPP Code, Transfer Lock, and a Smooth Migration Plan\u201d<\/a>. The rest of this article goes deeper into DNS and service migration details.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"DNS_Strategy_Keep_Your_Website_and_Email_Online_During_the_Move\">DNS Strategy: Keep Your Website and Email Online During the Move<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>most important rule<\/strong> for zero downtime is simple:<\/p>\n<p><strong>A registrar transfer does not have to change DNS.<\/strong> You can keep the existing nameservers and DNS records exactly as they are while the domain moves between registrars.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Option_1_Keep_the_current_nameservers_during_transfer_safest\">Option 1: Keep the current nameservers during transfer (safest)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is our default recommendation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Leave the domain pointed at the <strong>same nameservers<\/strong> it used before (for example, ns1.old\u2011dns.com, ns2.old\u2011dns.com).<\/li>\n<li>During and after transfer, DNS continues to resolve from that provider, so website and email do not notice the registrar change.<\/li>\n<li>Once the transfer is fully complete and stable, you can schedule a separate, controlled <strong>DNS migration<\/strong> to dchost.com nameservers if you want.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This splits risk: <strong>first change registrar, then change DNS<\/strong>. If something goes wrong, it is easier to debug one change at a time.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Option_2_Move_DNS_to_dchostcom_before_or_during_transfer\">Option 2: Move DNS to dchost.com before or during transfer<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes you want to leave the old registrar completely, including DNS, as soon as possible. You can do that safely if you plan TTLs and zone data carefully:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>At the old DNS provider, <strong>lower the TTLs<\/strong> of critical records (A, AAAA, MX, TXT) to something like 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours before changing nameservers.<\/li>\n<li>In dchost.com\u2019s DNS panel, <strong>recreate the entire DNS zone<\/strong> using your earlier snapshots: all A\/AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, SRV, CAA, etc.<\/li>\n<li>Once you are&nbsp;sure everything is mirrored, change the domain\u2019s <strong>nameservers<\/strong> at the registrar to the new dchost.com NS records.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Because TTLs were lowered in advance, the switch will propagate faster. For a deeper explanation of TTL tactics, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/zero-downtime-tasima-icin-ttl-stratejileri-dns-yayilimini-gercekten-nasil-hizlandirirsin\/\">\u201cThe TTL Playbook for Zero\u2011Downtime Migrations: How I Make DNS Propagation Feel Instant\u201d<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/dns-yayilim-suresi-nedir-neden-24-saat-surer-ve-nasil-hizlandirilir\/\">\u201cWhat Is DNS Propagation, Why It Takes 24 Hours and How to Speed It Up\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Always_keep_a_DNS_backup\">Always keep a DNS backup<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before changing nameservers, ensure you have:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A text export or screenshot of every DNS record.<\/li>\n<li>Working copies of SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, which often contain long strings that are painful to recreate from memory.<\/li>\n<li>A list of all services that rely on DNS (web, email, CRM, analytics, SaaS integrations, verification tokens, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/hosting-firmasi-degistirirken-dns-ve-domain-tasima-kontrol-listesi\/\">domain and DNS migration checklist when changing hosting provider<\/a> covers this planning process in more detail, even if you are not changing hosting right now.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"ZeroDowntime_Website_Migration_While_the_Domain_Is_Moving\">Zero\u2011Downtime Website Migration While the Domain Is Moving<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Many people combine \u201cmove domain registrar\u201d and \u201cmove hosting\u201d into a single project. That is fine, but you need a clear order of operations to avoid blank pages or SSL warnings.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Prepare_the_new_hosting_environment\">1. Prepare the new hosting environment<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>On your new hosting at dchost.com (shared hosting, VPS or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/dedicated-server\">dedicated server<\/a>):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create the domain or site entry in the control panel.<\/li>\n<li>Upload website files (or deploy your app).<\/li>\n<li>Import the database and update configuration (for WordPress, update wp-config.php and site URL if needed).<\/li>\n<li>Install SSL (Let\u2019s Encrypt or commercial). Most control panels can issue SSL early using temporary DNS\/HTTP validation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Sync_data_and_test_using_a_hosts_file_override\">2. Sync data and test using a hosts file override<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before changing DNS:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sync the latest files and database from the old server to the new one.<\/li>\n<li>Use a <strong>hosts file override<\/strong> on your computer to point the domain to the new server\u2019s IP and test everything (logins, checkout, forms, admin panels, etc.).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are running a CMS or e\u2011commerce store, our articles on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/paylasimli-hostingden-vpse-sorunsuz-gecis-rehberi\/\">moving from shared hosting to a VPS without downtime<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/woocommerce-ve-buyuk-wordpress-siteleri-icin-disk-iops-ve-inode-planlama-rehberi\/\">capacity planning for large WordPress\/WooCommerce sites<\/a> can help you size the new environment correctly.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Lower_TTLs_and_schedule_the_cutover\">3. Lower TTLs and schedule the cutover<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At the DNS provider currently serving the domain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lower the TTLs of the <strong>A and AAAA records<\/strong> for the primary website to 300 seconds a day before cutover.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a low\u2011traffic time window for your audience (e.g. night hours in your main region).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Change_AAAAA_records_to_the_new_server_IP\">4. Change A\/AAAA records to the new server IP<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When the window arrives:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Update A\/AAAA records to the new hosting IP at the DNS provider.<\/li>\n<li>Keep the old hosting online for at least 24\u201348 hours as a safety net.<\/li>\n<li>Monitor access logs and error logs on the new server for unexpected issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"5_Clean_up_after_propagation\">5. Clean up after propagation<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once you are confident that all traffic has shifted and no issues remain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Return TTLs to more normal values (e.g. 3600 or 7200 seconds).<\/li>\n<li>Archive or decommission the old hosting only after you are sure there is no remaining traffic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This process works regardless of whether the domain is in transfer or not, because DNS is controlled at the nameserver level. Just make sure you are editing the <strong>current, authoritative DNS zone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"ZeroDowntime_Email_Migration_While_the_Domain_Is_Moving\">Zero\u2011Downtime Email Migration While the Domain Is Moving<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Email is often the most fragile part of a domain transfer. A small mistake in MX records or timing can lead to bounces, lost messages or SPF\/DMARC failures. We have a full guide on this topic titled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/alan-adi-tasirken-e%e2%80%91posta-kesintisini-onlemek\/\">\u201cWhy Domain Transfers Break Email (and How to Avoid It)\u201d<\/a>; here is the condensed playbook.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Inventory_your_existing_email_setup\">1. Inventory your existing email setup<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>List everything related to email for the domain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Which service is handling MX (cPanel hosting, another provider, on\u2011premise server, etc.).<\/li>\n<li>All mailboxes and aliases\/forwarders.<\/li>\n<li>Current <strong>MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC<\/strong> DNS records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Create_mailboxes_on_the_new_platform\">2. Create mailboxes on the new platform<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At your new email hosting (this can be on dchost.com or another service):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recreate <strong>all mailboxes and aliases<\/strong> with the same usernames.<\/li>\n<li>Set secure passwords and configure IMAP\/SMTP access.<\/li>\n<li>Add DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) into the <strong>new DNS zone<\/strong> in advance if you are also moving DNS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For help designing SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/spf-dkim-ve-dmarc-nedir-ozel-alan-adi-ile-e-posta-dogrulamasini-cpanel-ve-vpste-sifirdan-kurmak\/\">our guide to SPF, DKIM and DMARC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Copy_mailbox_contents_with_IMAP_sync_tools\">3. Copy mailbox contents with IMAP sync tools<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To avoid users losing old emails:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use an <strong>IMAP sync tool<\/strong> (such as imapsync) or your provider\u2019s migration tool to copy mail from old mailboxes to the new ones.<\/li>\n<li>Run at least two passes: one initial bulk copy, and one incremental pass close to cutover to capture new messages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/e-posta-altyapisini-tasirken-kesinti-yasamamak\/\">\u201cMoving Email Between Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and cPanel Without Downtime\u201d<\/a> explains this pattern step\u2011by\u2011step with examples.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Lower_MX_TTL_and_switch_MX_records\">4. Lower MX TTL and switch MX records<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>At your DNS provider:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lower the TTL of existing MX records to 300\u2013600 seconds at least a day before cutover.<\/li>\n<li>At cutover time, change MX to point to the <strong>new email service<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Update SPF to include the new outbound mail servers and, if necessary, remove the old ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Because of the low TTL, most sending servers will start using the new MX within minutes, while some lag may persist for an hour or two. That is why you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep the <strong>old email servers online<\/strong> for at least 48 hours.<\/li>\n<li>Run another IMAP sync pass to pull in any mails that still landed on the old system across that period.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"Common_Gotchas_and_How_to_Avoid_Them\">Common Gotchas and How to Avoid Them<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even with a good plan, several recurring problems appear in domain transfers. Here is how we usually prevent or fix them.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"1_Transfer_rejected_because_of_60day_lock\">1. Transfer rejected because of 60\u2011day lock<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the domain was just registered, just transferred, or had a recent ownership change, you may see a message about a 60\u2011day lock. In most cases you simply have to wait. A few registrars allow opting out of post\u2011update locks, but that must be done before the ownership change.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"2_Wrong_or_invalid_EPPAuth_code\">2. Wrong or invalid EPP\/Auth code<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the gaining registrar reports that the EPP code is incorrect:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Request a <strong>fresh code<\/strong> from the losing registrar. Some rotate the code each time you request or use it.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure there are no extra spaces or hidden characters when you paste it.<\/li>\n<li>Double\u2011check that the domain is <strong>unlocked<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"3_Email_approvals_not_received\">3. Email approvals not received<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the registrant\/admin email cannot receive messages (full mailbox, bad forwarding, etc.), approvals may fail. Before you start:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Log in and send a test email to that address.<\/li>\n<li>If needed, update the contact email at the current registrar and re\u2011verify it before starting a transfer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"4_Email_suddenly_bouncing_during_transfer\">4. Email suddenly bouncing during transfer<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Registrar transfers by themselves do not change MX records. However, sometimes people simultaneously:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Change nameservers, <em>and<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Switch email provider, <em>and<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Transfer the domain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If something goes wrong, it is hard to know which step broke email. When possible, <strong>separate the projects<\/strong>: first transfer domain, then migrate DNS or email. If you must do everything at once, follow the IMAP\u2011sync plus low\u2011TTL MX strategy very carefully.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"5_SSL_errors_after_moving_hosting\">5. SSL errors after moving hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you move hosting while transferring the domain, you must ensure the new server has a valid SSL certificate for the domain <strong>before<\/strong> most traffic reaches it. Otherwise users will see \u201cNot Secure\u201d warnings. Our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/ssl-sertifika-hatalari-rehberi-mixed-content-not-secure-ve-tarayici-uyarilarini-hosting-tarafinda-cozmek\/\">fixing common SSL certificate errors<\/a> covers the typical pitfalls and mixed\u2011content issues that appear after a migration.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Putting_It_All_Together_A_Calm_Plan_for_Your_Next_Domain_Transfer\">Putting It All Together: A Calm Plan for Your Next Domain Transfer<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Transferring a domain between registrars does not have to be dramatic. At its core, the process has three independent layers: <strong>registrar, DNS and services (web\/email)<\/strong>. If you change those layers one at a time, using low TTLs and good backups, you can keep visitors and inboxes completely unaware that anything changed.<\/p>\n<p>In practice, this means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prepare the domain: unlock it, confirm contacts, check expiry and obtain the EPP code.<\/li>\n<li>Transfer the domain alone first, keeping existing nameservers and DNS records untouched.<\/li>\n<li>Once the transfer is complete, schedule separate, well\u2011planned migrations for DNS, hosting and email, using the TTL and IMAP\u2011sync strategies we discussed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At dchost.com, we follow the same runbook when we move our own domains or help customers consolidate portfolios. If you are planning a complex move\u2014multiple domains, production e\u2011commerce, mission\u2011critical email\u2014feel free to involve our support team early. Share your current DNS zone and hosting diagram, and we can help you design a realistic, <strong>zero\u2011downtime migration plan<\/strong> tailored to your setup.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you have managed domains for more than a couple of years, you have probably reached the point where you want everything under one roof: one invoice, one support team, one login. That almost always means transferring a domain between registrars. The good news: a registrar transfer by itself does not have to break your [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3999,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teknoloji"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3998"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dchost.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}