Domain transfer, or moving a domain from its original registrar to a new one, is a very common operation in domain management. Whether due to price factors, after-sales service, DNS configuration capabilities, or reasons such as certain platforms not supporting enterprise registration or overseas business, website owners and businesses may need to transfer their domains to a new registrar. However, many people encounter problems during the process, such as transfer failures, review timeouts, inconsistent information, and locked status, causing the domain transfer to be delayed. To successfully transfer a domain, it is essential to understand the transfer rules, common reasons for failure, and corresponding solutions; otherwise, it may not only delay business operations but also cause the domain to miss its renewal period or even enter the redemption period.

　　The essence of domain transfer is based on the ICANN General Transfer Protocol (applicable to general top-level domains such as .com and .net) or the transfer standards set by each registry (such as country code domains like .cn, .hk, and .jp). Therefore, the transfer requirements for different domains are not entirely the same, but most processes follow the sequence: unlocking the domain → obtaining the transfer code → submitting the transfer application → confirmation from the original registrar → completion of the transfer by the new registrar. Transfer failure will occur if any step fails to meet the requirements.

　　One of the most common reasons for failure is that the domain is in a "locked" state, including markers such as `clientTransferProhibited` and `serverTransferProhibited`. If the domain has transfer protection enabled, the registrar will not allow it to be transferred out. Most platforms provide a "domain lock" switch, which needs to be manually turned off. Some domains will automatically enter protection mode when privacy protection is enabled; privacy protection must be turned off before the transfer, otherwise transfer emails may not be received.

　　Another frequently occurring problem is that the domain does not meet the transfer time requirements. ICANN stipulates that newly registered domains or domains that have just been transferred cannot be transferred again within 60 days. Similarly, if a domain has recently undergone changes to critical WHOIS information, such as the holder's name, email address, or organization name, it may also be forcibly locked for 60 days, which is affected by privacy rules such as GDPR. Therefore, newly registered or recently modified domains cannot be transferred immediately and must wait for the lock-up period to end.

　　Another easily overlooked situation is that the domain transfer confirmation email fails verification. Most transfer processes require confirmation via the Admin Contact email address; otherwise, the system will automatically reject the transfer. If WHOIS uses a private or expired email address and you cannot receive a confirmation email, you must update the domain information before proceeding with the transfer. Some domestic domains (such as .cn) do not use email confirmation but instead use SMS or real-name authentication verification, therefore the reasons for failure differ.

　　Furthermore, if the domain is in an abnormal state, such as redemptionPeriod, pendingDelete, clientHold, serverHold, or RegistrarLock, the transfer will inevitably fail. These domains must first be restored to a normal state, such as by topping up and redeeming the domain or contacting customer service to remove restrictions before you can continue.

　　For country-specific or special suffix domains, rejection may also occur due to inconsistencies in the submitted documentation. For example, .cn requires consistent real-name information; .hk requires corporate documents; .jp requires a Japanese address; and .eu requires the holder to be located in the European Union. When these verifications fail, the domain will not be automatically transferred but will be directly rejected, and the user must resubmit compliant documentation.

　　Domain transfer requests may also be rejected due to an "incorrect transfer code." Different registrars generate EPP codes in different ways; some require obtaining them via email, some export them directly from the console, and some require a support ticket application. If the user enters the wrong code or the transfer code expires, the transfer will fail. Furthermore, some platforms provide temporary transfer codes, which expire after 7-14 days and need to be regenerated.

　　Some users also encounter a misunderstanding regarding renewal transfers. Many people only want to transfer their domains when they are about to expire, but in cases where the domain is "expired but still within the grace period," some registrars allow transfers out, while others prohibit them. If the domain enters the redemption period, a redemption fee must be paid before the transfer can be made; it cannot be transferred directly, and there is no way to avoid the fee by "transferring it to someone else and not having to redeem it."

　　Besides the above core reasons, there is also a technical issue: DNSSEC being enabled can cause transfer failures. DNSSEC binds to DNS signature records and must be disabled before a transfer; otherwise, it will be blocked by the original registry. For users who check the status using the command line, they can do so through:

whois example.com

　　or

dig +trace example.com

　　Check if the domain is in a clientTransferProhibited state.

　　If you are managing your domain using an API, you can also check the domain's lock status using commands, such as the Namecheap API:

namecheap.domains.getinfo domainname=example.com

　　If the returned result contains "TransferLock: true", it means the domain is not unlocked.

　　When encountering a transfer failure, you can troubleshoot using the following steps:

　　1. Confirm whether the domain status allows transfer. Check the registration information, lock status, whether DNSSEC is closed, and whether it is within the 60-day restriction period.

　　2. Confirm the transfer code is correct and valid. Regenerate it and try again to avoid pasting errors or expiration.

　　3. Confirm the WHOIS email address can receive emails. If privacy protection is enabled, it needs to be disabled or replaced with a real email address.

　　4. Confirm the domain is not in an expired, frozen, or redeemed state. If it has expired but not redeemed, it needs to be renewed by the original registrar before it can be transferred.

　　5. Confirm whether the target platform supports the domain extension. Some registrars do not support less common extensions, such as .pw, .cx, .ai, etc.

　　6. For domains involving real-name registration or holder verification, ensure the information is consistent. For example, .cn domains must be verified with the real name; otherwise, a mandatory verification will be required during the transfer.

　　By following the above steps, most transfer failures can be resolved. There are usually only two situations where a transfer is truly impossible: the domain is in a redemption/deletion process, or the domain belongs to a restricted ccTLD (Card Tolerance) rule.

　　为了避免转入失败带来的风险，建议用户提前 30 天规划转移，不要等一天就到期时才申请。同时不要在变更关键信息后立刻提交转入，避免触发冻结期。