Because there are several steps to the process of transferring a domain name, and because the transfer process can take several days, please leave at least a week before your domain name's expiration date to complete the transfer.

If you do not have at least a week before the domain's renewal date to transfer the domain name, we recommend that you renew the domain name with the current registrar, and then request the transfer 60 days later.

Please contact us if you need help with the transfer.

Preparing the domain name

1. Verify that it has been more than 60 days since you registered or last transferred the domain name.  A domain name cannot be transferred within 60 days of registration or its last transfer.
2. Verify that the domain is unlocked (secure mode is disabled).  This is typically represented by Status: OK in the domain name's Whois information.
3. Verify that privacy is disabled on the domain (email address in step #4 should be a real person's address).
4. Verify that you have access to the email address specified in the "Admin Email" portion of the domain registration. You can find this information by using a whois tool like Allwhois.com.  If you do not have access to the email account, you should either contact someone who does (and will forward emails received to you) or change the email on the domain name.
5. Verify that you have the correct domain transfer authorization code.

Each domain name registrar has a different way to retrieve the Transfer Authorization Code.  We would recommend that you contact your current registrar's support if you do not know where to find the transfer/EEP code.

Requesting the domain name transfer

Once you have verified and collected the information from the above steps, go to Services > Domain Names and click Transfer a Domain Name.

After submitting the Transfer Authorization Code and the domain name to us, an invoice will be created for the domain name transfer. 

Submitting payment for the domain name transfer

You can submit payment for the domain name transfer invoice from your Invoices page (Services > Account Administration > Invoices).  The domain name transfer will be automatically initiated as soon as the invoice for the transfer has been paid.

Approving the domain name transfer

When the transfer is initiated after payment, an email will be sent to the current domain name Administrative Contact (using the email address provided in the Whois information as described above).  You must click the Approve link in the email you receive from our registrar.  If the email address is not available because privacy is enabled, or the email address is not accessible to you, you will not be able to approve the transfer, and the transfer will fail.

Verifying that the domain name transfer has completed

After the transfer processes (5-7 days after payment) you should verify that the transfer completed successfully.  There are three ways that you can verify that the domain name transferred to RescueGroups.org:

1. Use a Whois tool to verify that the domain name registrar. 
2. Verify with your original registrar that the domain name has transferred away.
3. Check your Services page to verify that the domain name service is listed (Services > Account Administration > Your Services).

Adding the domain to your RescueGroups.org account:

1. Go to Services > Add a Domain Name (from the drop-down menu) or go to Services > Domains and use the Add a Domain Name button. 
2. Enter the domain name you already own and have registered with another registrar in the field indicated.
   
3. Click the Save Domain Name button.