While we can’t imagine every possible system out there, the actual steps are almost always the same. (You can also visit our Transfer Help Page for specific instructions on many of the most common domain registrars.) Transfer any .com, .net, .org, .info, .us, or .biz domain to Bluehost by following these simple instructions.

How do I transfer my domain name?

First, you’ll need to access the domain registrar where the domain is currently registered. From here you will prepare the domain name for transfer. Every registrar is a little different, but you should be able to follow these general steps:

1. Login and access the domain manager tools of your current registrar.
2. Update your contact info (particularly your e-mail address) so that Bluehost can reach you with important information both during and after the transfer process.
3. Ensure privacy options are disabled for the transfer process. Don’t worry, you can re-enable them when your domain is successfully transferred to Bluehost.
4. Update the nameservers to point to Bluehost. Use the following: NS1.BLUEHOST.COM and NS2.BLUEHOST.COM. (This indicates that your site is hosted at Bluehost.com. The DNS change can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to propagate. Once it is finished you will be able to complete the transfer process.)
5. Unlock your domain name.
6. Acquire your “transfer EPP code,” or authorization code. This should be provided to you. Copy this code down and login to your new registrar (Bluehost) to initiate the transfer.

Once you’ve prepared your domain for transfer, all that’s left is to initiate the transfer from the new registrar (Bluehost).

1. Visit the Domain Manager tab in your Bluehost control panel.
2. Select “Transfer a new domain to your account” from the Shortcuts menu on the top left-hand side.
3. Type in the domain you wish to transfer and click continue.
4. Enter the EPP code you received from your previous registrar and click continue.
5. Bluehost will e-mail a second verification code to the administrator e-mail associated with the domain. (Which is why it’s important to update your contact information before you start the transfer process.) Enter this verification code and click continue.

And that’s it! There’s a lot of behind the scenes work that goes on to make the transfer actually happen. It typically takes between 5 to 10 days to complete.

If you need extra help with a domain transfer, contact our support team at any time, 24/7 by calling us at 888.401.4678 or talking to us via live chat. Stay tuned for our next post to learn how to move your WordPress website to Bluehost with almost zero downtime!

Primary Domain
This is the domain name assigned as your account’s “main” domain. It’s the domain you use to log into your account, as well as to identify your account to Bluehost representatives. There can only be one Primary domain name at a time on a given hosting account.

Parked Domain
Any domain set as a “parked” domain serves to point to the same content and website as your primary domain. This is helpful if you have one website but wish to have multiple domains point to it. For example, mycookiestore.com might be your primary domain, but you might also wish to register mycookiestore.net, mycookiestore.org, mycookiestore.biz, etc… and point them all to the same website.

Add-On Domain
This is any domain hosted and managed from your main hosting account, but that is linked to a separate website than your primary domain. Content and files for a separate website are stored in a unique folder within your public_html folder. Use domains as “add-ons” when you wish to create a completely separate website on your account with its own domain name, apart from the primary domain name.

Sub-domain
Subdomains are based on prefixes added before a given domain name. They are a great way to organize your site or create sub-websites that while different, still make sense to include under the same domain. For example, we’ve set our bluehost blog to be accessible via blog.bluehost.com. We also set our webmail to be accessible via mail.buehost.com. You can create as many sub-domains as you wish for any of your domain names.

As you can see, there are a lot of different ways to use your domain names with Bluehost. All of your domains on your account can always be managed from your domain manager. We work hard to make our domain manager super simple to use and completely full-featured. From there you can not only purchase or renew domains, but you can change how they are assigned to your account.

And if you’ve ever been curious how to transfer a domain, stay tuned. Our next post will go through this in detail!

To create additional domains visit the ‘Upgrades’ tab or ‘Domain Manager’ in your Bluehost control panel.