Transfer your domain registration away from us

Introduction
We're sorry to see you go! But if you must move your domain registration to another domain registrar, we understand and provide documentation on how to move said registration to another registrar.

How to Initiate a Domain Transfer
Domain registration transfers have to be initiated through the gaining registrar's interface.

Note: The gaining registrar is the new domain registrar that will hold your domain. DreamHost is the losing registrar as we're giving up the domain to the gaining registrar.

You will have to open up an account with the gaining registrar and/or login through the gaining registrar's web interface to initiate the transfer. Each registrar has a different method for logging and initiating transfers. If you're unsure of what to do, please contact your gaining registrar and ask them how you can initiate a domain transfer.

Alternatively, here is a list of help guides to popular domain registrars:


 * GoDaddy
 * Network Solutions
 * 1and1
 * eNom

Unlocking your domain
Your domain may be locked (prevent transfer) at DreamHost. If it is locked, you will have to unlock it before proceeding with the transfer. You may check to see if the domain is locked and unlock if necessary in the DreamHost web panel.

Login to your web panel and navigate to Domains > Registrations. You may also click this link: https://panel.dreamhost.com/index.cgi?tree=domain.registration&

You will see a list of all domain registrations that you hold at DreamHost. Find your domain and then find the column that reads "Locked?". If your domain says "Yes", click the link and confirm that you want to unlock the domain. If it reads "No", then you don't have to do anything and may proceed with the next step.



Updating your domain's whois information
Your domain registration has a public whois record. This record contains data about the domain (domain registration, DNS name servers, creation date, expiration date, etc) as well as contact information so that end-users may contact the administrative/technical contacts of the domain for whatever reason.

Domains have domain privacy enabled on their whois records by default (generally). In order to proceed with the transfer, you must have a valid email address contact set. If you have privacy enabled, that means that we have setup a proxy email address that looks something like this:

yourdomain.com@proxy.dreamhost.com

Any email that is sent to the proxy email address will be forwarded to the email address that you have setup in the web panel. At Domains > Registrations, check the box for the domain under the "Modify Whois?" column and then press the button that reads "Modify whois!".

Under the "Modify Contact Information" section, setup the domain's whois record to your liking. Just be sure that both the Administrative and Technical Contact are set with an email addresses that you can access. If you have domain privacy enabled, just look for the "Forward email to" and make sure that a valid email address that you can access has been selected.

Acquiring your domain's EPP (auth) code
This is the final step on our end. Navigate to Domains > Reg. Transfer in the panel or click here: https://panel.dreamhost.com/index.cgi?tree=domain.transfer&

At the bottom of this page, you will see a list of your domain registrations and instructions on how to get their respective auth codes. Depending on what type of TLD (Top Level Domain) you have, you will either be able to reveal your EPP (auth) code in the panel, or have it sent to the Registrant contact address (as specified by your WHOIS). Note that if your domain says "Send Auth Code" and you have privacy turned on, you will need to turn privacy off via the WHOIS form and wait 24 to 48 hours.

You will need to provide your gaining registrar with this code in order to initiate the process.