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How to Handle Rejected Transfers

We will notify you via email and also update the transfer manager page within your account should your current registrar reject your domain transfer request. Unfortunately, there is no way for us to know the reason that the other registrar rejected the transfer, but, per ICANN rules, they are required to provide the reason to you. We have more information below covering the reasons a domain transfer may be rejected.

What do I do if my transfer was rejected?

If your transfer request was rejected, but you would still like to transfer the domain, you do not need to cancel your transfer order. Instead, the best course of action is to find out why the request was rejected by your current registrar. You can then take the necessary steps to resolve whatever the problem is and then simply re-submit the transfer request via the transfer manager page within your account. There are no additional fees for re-submitting the request, and you can do it as many times as you like. Our system will notify you if the transfer is rejected again.

Possible reasons for transfer rejection

ICANN publishes very specific reasons for which a registrar may reject a transfer request. Unfortunately, some registrars implement their own rules that are not in this list. For example, one registrar in particular (whose name rhymes with "No Daddy") will reject transfer requests if there are any changes made to the registrant of the domain within 60 days of that request. Other registrars have other such rules which we believe to be in violation of ICANN's rules, but there is not much we can do to prevent the rejections from occurring. We therefore provide the following information so that you have all of the facts concerning the only reasons specifically permitted by ICANN. If your current registrar rejects your transfer for any reason not found below, we would strongly encourage demanding your registrar to allow the transfers, and, if they will not, to file a complaint against that registrar which you may do here.

The segment below is taken directly from ICANN's published "Policy on Transfer of Registrations between Registrars" as found at http://www.icann.org/en/transfers/policy-12jul04.htm:

Upon denying a transfer request for any of the following reasons, the Registrar of Record must provide the Registered Name Holder and the potential Gaining Registrar with the reason for denial. The Registrar of Record may deny a transfer request only in the following specific instances:

1. Evidence of fraud
2. UDRP action
3. Court order by a court of competent jurisdiction
4. Reasonable dispute over the identity of the Registered Name Holder or Administrative Contact
5. No payment for previous registration period (including credit card charge-backs) if the domain name is past its expiration date or for previous or current registration periods if the domain name has not yet expired. In all such cases, however, the domain name must be put into "Registrar Hold" status by the Registrar of Record prior to the denial of transfer.
6. Express written objection to the transfer from the Transfer Contact. (e.g. - email, fax, paper document or other processes by which the Transfer Contact has expressly and voluntarily objected through opt-in means)
7. A domain name was already in “lock status” provided that the Registrar provides a readily accessible and reasonable means for the Registered Name Holder to remove the lock status.
8. A domain name is in the first 60 days of an initial registration period.
9. A domain name is within 60 days (or a lesser period to be determined) after being transferred (apart from being transferred back to the original Registrar in cases where both Registrars so agree and/or where a decision in the dispute resolution process so directs).

Instances when the requested change of Registrar may not be denied include, but are not limited to:

• Nonpayment for a pending or future registration period
• No response from the Registered Name Holder or Administrative Contact.
• Domain name in Registrar Lock Status, unless the Registered Name Holder is provided with the reasonable opportunity and ability to unlock the domain name prior to the Transfer Request.
• Domain name registration period time constraints, other than during the first 60 days of initial registration or during the first 60 days after a registrar transfer.
• General payment defaults between Registrar and business partners / affiliates in cases where the Registered Name Holder for the domain in question has paid for the registration.

The Registrar of Record has other mechanisms available to collect payment from the Registered Name Holder that are independent from the Transfer process. Hence, in the event of a dispute over payment, the Registrar of Record must not employ transfer processes as a mechanism to secure payment for services from a Registered Name Holder. Exceptions to this requirement are as follows:

(i) In the case of non-payment for previous registration period(s) if the transfer is requested after the expiration date, or
(ii) In the case of non-payment of the current registration period, if transfer is requested before the expiration date.