This section covers the most common domain transfer related questions and provides instructions on transferring a domain between Registrars.
When you are transferring a .st domain registration from one registrar to another, there are specific steps you will need to take to prepare your domain. Below are the details to prepare your domain for transfer with your current registrar and then submit the transfer request with gaining Registrar (where domain is transferred in).
Steps to move your domain registration to another Registrar:
- Verify that the domain name is eligible for transfer.
To make sure your domain name can be transferred, log in to your current registrar and check the following:
• The initial registration of the domain name was at least 60 days ago
• The domain has been with your current registrar for at least 60 days.
• The domain name is not on hold with your current registrar - Prepare your domain for transfer:
• Disable Whois privacy protection tool or Private Registration for your domain
• Verify you have access to the email within the domain’s WHOIS Administrative contact
• Unlock your domain – remove the registrar lock you may have set for added security
• Obtain the EPP code (transfer authorization code) from the current registrar - Submit your transfer from your new (gaining) Registrar. This is done by providing domain name and EPP code. For the detailed instructions about transfer process please refer to your gaining Registrar.
Please NOTE: transfer require domain renewal which mean that your gaining Registrar may charge you additionally before transfer is initiated.
When transfer is initiated – ST Registry generate corresponding notice(email/poll messages) to the loosing registrar and provide 7 calendar days to approve or reject transfer request, if this is not done within provided time scale – ST Registry will automatically approve transfer request.
More details on domain preparation & what can cause a transfer to fail:
There are a few things that will cause a domain transfer to fail. If you have followed the preparation steps, you have eliminated the majority of these possibilities. The information below will help you understand why you will take each of these steps:
Domain is not more than 60 days old or has been transferred within the last 60 days:
According to ST Registry regulations, a domain that has been newly registered or transferred from one registrar to another within the last 60 days is not eligible for transfer.
The domain is locked or on hold with the current registrar:
Most domains will have a Registrar Lock in place for added security. We recommend you leave these in place unless you are transferring a domain from one registrar to another. You should have access to remove these directly within your account at your registrar. If you do not, contact their support department for assistance.
If the domain has a hold in place, it will be reflected in the domain status when you do a WHOIS lookup. These are usually put in place at either the registry or registrar level. You will not have direct access to remove these and will need to contact the loosing registrar for assistance in removing.
Domain expired:
If your domain has expired – you will be unable to initiate transfer. In this case you will need first to re-activate your domain by renewing it and only after that you will be able to initiate transfer. Since transfer process include domain renewal – you have to keep in mind that in this case domain will be renewed twice: first time to activate it before initiating transfer and second time on successful transfer completion.
What is EPP code?
Domain Authorization Code (also referred to as an Auth Code, Domain’s secret or an EPP Code) provides an extra level of security for the domain name registration. The authorization code is unique for each domain name and is assigned by the Registrar or ST Registry at the time the domain name is registered. It is needed when you would like to transfer domain from one registrar to another.
EPP/Authorization code is used as a protection mechanism to ensure that only the rightful domain owner can control the transfer of the domain registration. It is one of the essential security measures against unauthorized transfers.
Some hosting companies may tell you that this is the only way to verify the domain for using hosting with them, but please be aware that it should be requested only if domain registration is being transferred to them, and there are usually alternative methods of verification like change of nameservers, etc.
If the EPP code is provided to your hosting provider, your domain may be completely transferred to them.
How to cancel pending domain transfer?
Every registrar is able to cancel pending transfer request. If you decided to cancel transfer request – please contact gaining Registrar (where you initiated transfer) to cancel request OR loosing registrar to reject transfer request. Please keep in mind that this can be done only if domain is in pending transfer state. You can always check domain transfer state using WHOIS lookup, “pendingTransfer” domain status identify that domain is in pending transfer state.
