The 60-Day Domain Transfer Lock Explained

If you buy a recently registered .com domain name, you may be told it is under a “60-day transfer lock”. It sounds like a restriction on you, but it is actually a rule about moving a domain from one registrar to another. It does not stop you owning the domain or using it. You can point it at your website and email as soon as it is in your account.

What Is the 60-Day Transfer Lock?

ICANN, the organisation that sets the rules for .com and other generic domain extensions, requires registrars to block a domain from being transferred to a different registrar for 60 days after it is first registered. A registrar is the company that holds a domain on your behalf, such as Spaceship, Hostinger or Dynadot.

The same 60-day wait can also apply:

• after a domain has just been transferred from one registrar to another
• after the registrant (the owner named on the registration) has been changed, unless the registrar allows you to opt out

Zycon shows the date the lock ends on the buy page for any domain that is still inside it.

Why Does the Transfer Lock Exist?

The lock is a security measure. If a domain is hijacked or registered fraudulently, the lock stops it being passed quickly from registrar to registrar, where it becomes much harder to trace and recover. It also gives the original owner time to notice that something has gone wrong.

Does the Transfer Lock Stop Me Using My Domain?

No. The lock only prevents the domain being moved to a different registrar. Everything else works as normal. As soon as the domain is in your account you can:

• change the DNS or nameserver settings to point it at your website or hosting
• connect it to a website builder
• set up professional email addresses on it
• forward it to another address
• renew it

Visitors and customers cannot tell that a domain is under a transfer lock. If you are new to this, our guide on how to turn a domain name into a website and our guide on creating a professional email address both apply in exactly the same way.

Which Domains Does the 60-Day Lock Affect?

The ICANN rule applies to .com, .net, .org and most other generic extensions. It matters most when you buy a domain that was registered very recently, because the 60 days run from the original registration date. A .com that was registered more than 60 days ago has no lock of this kind.

.co.uk and .uk domains are run by Nominet and do not have the 60-day lock. They move between registrars by changing the IPS tag instead. See our guides on how to transfer a .co.uk or .uk domain name and what an IPS tag is.

Can I Still Buy a Domain That Is Under Transfer Lock?

Yes. The domain can be sold at any time, and because moving it to another registrar is not possible yet, we deliver it in a different way. Instead of a registrar-to-registrar transfer, we use an account push.

A push moves a domain from one account to another at the same registrar. Some registrars call it an account transfer or an internal transfer. It does not need an authorisation code and it is not a transfer between registrars, so the 60-day lock does not get in the way.

Here is how it works with Zycon:

1. Buy the domain as normal. The buy page tells you which registrar currently holds it: Spaceship, Hostinger or Dynadot.
2. Create a free account with that registrar, using the email address you want to own the domain.
3. Send us your account details. We will contact you after payment to ask for the email address or username of your account.
4. We push the domain into your account, free of charge. It then appears in your account and you are its owner.
5. Update the DNS to point the domain at your website, email or hosting. This can be done straight away.

Do I Have to Stay with That Registrar?

No. Once the lock has ended, you can transfer the domain to any registrar you like. We show the end date on the buy page, and your registrar will confirm the exact date in your account. Treat the date as the earliest you can move it.

The usual process for moving a .com is:

1. Unlock the domain in your current registrar account.
2. Request the authorisation code (sometimes called an EPP code).
3. Start the transfer with your new registrar and enter the code.
4. Approve the transfer if either registrar asks you to.

Registrars usually add a year to the registration when a .com is transferred in, and charge for that year, so it is worth comparing renewal prices before you move.

Is the Domain Really Mine During the Lock?

Yes. Once the push is complete, the domain is in an account in your name. You control the DNS, the contact details and the renewal. The lock does not change who owns the domain, only where it can be held. Because the account now holds a valuable asset, protect it with a strong, unique password and two-factor authentication. Our guide on keeping your business domain name secure explains how.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer the domain to another registrar straight away?

Not while the lock is in place. Until the lock end date, the domain stays with the registrar where it was first registered. You can still use it fully in the meantime.

Does it cost anything to have the domain pushed into my account?

Zycon does not charge for the push, and opening an account with the registrar is free. You only pay the registrar for renewals and for any extra services you choose to add.

Does the 60-day lock apply to .co.uk domains?

No. The lock is an ICANN rule for generic extensions such as .com. .co.uk and .uk domains follow Nominet’s own process, which uses the IPS tag.

What if the lock has already ended?

Then you will not see a transfer lock notice on the buy page and the domain can be moved to the registrar of your choice in the usual way.

Can I use the domain for email while it is locked?

Yes. Email, websites and forwarding all work normally. The lock only affects moving the domain between registrars.

Summary

• The 60-day lock stops a new .com being moved to a different registrar. It does not stop you using it.
• You can buy a locked domain. We push it, free of charge, into your own account at the registrar that holds it.
• You can update the DNS and start using the domain straight away.
• When the lock ends, you can transfer the domain to any registrar you prefer.
• .co.uk and .uk domains do not have this lock.

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