Move Domain Between Accounts

Introduction
Unfortunately, we don't have a service to automatically move a domain from one account to another, which means that if you need to move a domain from your account to another account, you will need to manually move the domain. This means you will have to download and/or backup all of the domain's files, emails, database, etc., that you want to move. If you want to move a domain registration, you will need to transfer the domain using the standard domain transfer process. The only things that we are able to move for you are the discussion and announcement lists. And alas, there will be unavoidable downtime as you shift the account.

IMPORTANT! Because discussion and announcement lists require special attention, please Contact Us before doing anything so we can make arrangements to help you move them. We cannot help with the move of any other aspect of the account, however.

NOTE: When moving an Sub-Account, you won't have to worry about backing things up, downloading anything or downtime. Those types of moves are simply a database change.

NOTE: You must get the authorization code from the old account if you want to transfer the domain registration as well. They can find this by going to their panel under [Domains -> Reg. Transfers].

Restrictions
In addition, you unfortunately cannot re-use the following entities in the new account:  User Names Database Names Database Usernames  So if you have any web application (eg. WordPress, Joomla) that requires a MySQL database or hard-codes the full file paths (these can be stored in the database or the config file), you'll have to modify the configuration. Here are some of the Account to Account moves situations you may find yourself in. Here's a link to explain what all those little colorful boxes are.

Moving a Domain to its own account (Old Account to New Account move)
(e.g. One of your clients or friends are splitting ways and would like to manage their own website)

You/your = original owner, sending account Their/they = new owner, receiving account


 * 1) Have the receiving account signup for a new account using a temporary dreamhosters.com domain name and with no promo code or referrer listed.
 * 2) Have the the receiving account request a transfer of the domain registration to move it to their account.
 * 3) You will need to login to the ftp account for the domain and download the site files to your computer.
 * 4) You will need to backup any databases for the site via phpMyAdmin or via the site's admin interface if it has one, or through the command line. You'll find helpful information about this on the Goodies/Manage Mysql page on the control panel.
 * 5) You will need to download all emails from the email accounts associated with the domain, set up a POP3 connection from an email client like Thunderbird. Here are some instructions
 * 6) If you have any Discussion or Announcement lists on the domain to be moved, be sure to follow these guides (Discussion,Announcement) BEFORE continuing! Only AFTER we've taken care of the discussion and announcement list(s) and informed you that it's OK, you can proceed with the next step.
 * 7) Once you have backed up your site, go ahead and delete the domain from the manage domain page on your Web Panel.
 * 8) To move a domain registration, simply initiate a domain transfer from the new account (you will need the authorization code available at the old account to do this). Note that you do not have to transfer the domain registration in order to proceed to transfer hosting.
 * 9) You or the owner of the new account can then add the domain to their account on the Manage Domain page, setup the emails, databases, etc.
 * 10) They will need to upload the files via FTP and import the database dumps that you had backed up earlier.
 * 11) Don't forget to update the whois information to reflect the new owner if not already done.

Moving a Domain to an existing account (Old Account to Old Account move)
(e.g. Someone that already has their own DH account wants a domain in your account or visa versa, this also applies to Domains in a Sub-Account that people want to move into one hosting account to save money by only having to pay for one hosting plan.)




 * 1) If the losing account is a sub-account, have the the receiving account Contact Us and ask to have the domain registration moved to their account (approve the transfer).
 * 2) You will need to login to your ftp account for the domain and download the site files to your computer, or use tar cfz filename.tar.gz * from the command line after backing up databases in next step.
 * 3) Backup any databases for the site via phpMyAdmin or via the sites admin interface if it has one, or through the command line. You'll find helpful information about this on the Goodies/Manage Mysql page on the control panel.
 * 4) Download all emails from the email accounts associated with the domain, set up a POP3 connection from an email client like Thunderbird. Here are some instructions
 * 5) IF you have any Discussion or Announcement lists on the domain to be moved, be sure to follow these guides (Discussion, Announcement) BEFORE continuing! Only AFTER we've taken care of the discussion and announcement list(s) and informed you that it's OK, can you proceed with the next step.
 * 6) Once you have backed up your site, go ahead and delete the domain from the Manage Domain page on your WebPanel Manage Domains. *This will delete your site contents on the web-server, so ensure that you have complete backups first!*
 * 7) To move a domain registration, simply initiate a domain transfer from the new account (you will need the authorization code available at the old account to do this). Note that you do not *have* to transfer the domain registration in order to proceed to transfer hosting.
 * 8) You or the Owner of the new account can then add the domain to their account on the Manage Domain page, setup the emails, databases, etc.
 * 9) Upload the files via FTP and import the database dumps that you had backed up earlier, or wget domain/filename.tar.gz you created earlier and moved into a domain, then tar xfz filename.
 * 10) Don't forget to update the whois information to reflect the new owner if not already done.

Moving a Sub-Account to its own account (Old Account to New Account move)
(e.g. One of your clients or friends that use to have their own hosting plan under your WebID now wants to have their own Separate WebID)


 * 1) Create a Webid for the new user by setting up user privileges for their email address in the control panel (they will receive their password to their email address, which they can use to log into their own control panel to contact us)
 * 2) Have the receiving account Contact Us and ask to have the Sub-Account/Domain moved to their account (approve the transfer)
 * 3) Then you need to Contact Us and let us know what Sub-Account (account #) you would like to move and the Email address or WebID it should go to.
 * 4) After we verify the transfer has been approved, we will move the Sub-Account to the new WebID and they will have full control of the domain and billing management.

Moving a Sub-Account to an existing account (Old Account to Old Account move)
(e.g. Someone that already has their own DH account wants control of the the Sub-Account in your DH account )




 * 1) Have the receiving account Contact Us and ask to have the Sub-Account/Domain moved to their account (approve the transfer)
 * 2) Then you need to Contact Us and let us know what Sub-Account (account #) you would like to move and the Email address or WebID it should go to.
 * 3) After we verify the transfer has been approved, we will move the Sub-Account to the new WebID and they will have full control of the domain and billing management.

If you have any further questions about moving please Contact Us.