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How To Transfer a Domain Name To Us

Maintaining your domain registration and hosting services within the same account allows you to manage both services with only one login password, making it easier for you to stay on top of everything related to your website. This article explains the process to transfer your domain to Bluehost so there aren't any surprises along the way.
 

This process includes transfers to/from our .MX partners.
 

Important:
  • You can transfer the following domain extensions to us: com, net, org, us, co, info, and biz.
  • To avoid any delays, please complete all five steps before initiating the transfer.
  • Avoid transferring your domain within 45 days of a domain that's been recently renewed, or you could lose that renewal year.

Want to host your website here and keep the domain registered elsewhere? Try assigning a domain to your account, instead.

Pro Tip: Buy a new domain. Help grow and protect your brand’s reputation. Keep others from buying domains similar to yours and avoid losing visitors or customers to competitors.

Prepare Your Domain

In preparation for the transfer, you need to update your domain settings with the current registrar. Please contact them if you need assistance.
 

Review Your Contact Information

Your contact information is included on your domain's record in the WHOIS database, as required by ICANN. Upon transfer, the gaining registrar will use the information on the domain's record to email critical information regarding the transfer to the administrative contact, so you need to make certain it's correct. It's best to avoid using an email address that's associated with the domain; use a public email service, like Gmail, instead.

Updating the registrant contact information (name, organization, or email address) for a general top-level domain (gTLD) will initiate a Change of Registrant process, which requires additional verification before the new information is saved. Each registrar handles this process a bit differently, so check with yours to see what you need to do.
 

Disable Privacy

The next step is to disable domain privacy. Privacy masks your contact information from being made public in the WHOIS database, but the gaining registrar needs that information to know where to send the code(s) authorizing the transfer. Once privacy is disabled, the registrar can view the contact information on your domain's WHOIS record and send the domain transfer emails to the administrator; otherwise, those emails will go to a Privacy Protection inbox that cannot be accessed.
 

Update Your Name Servers

Name servers direct the traffic for your domain to the host server. If you've already moved the website to your Bluehost account, you'll want to update your name servers now to minimize downtime during the transfer; otherwise, you'll have to wait until the transfer is complete. You cannot make DNS changes while the transfer is in progress, so it is important that you do it now.

Our name servers are:

  • ns1.Bluehost.com
  • ns2.Bluehost.com

Your new DNS settings will begin to propagate as soon as you save your changes. Each ISP updates at a different rate, usually taking 24 - 72 hours to complete worldwide. During this time, your emails will be down, and your web traffic will be directed to either the old or new host, depending on the visitor's ISP.
 

Unlock the Domain

The next step is to unlock your domain, making it available for transfer. Some registrars allow you to unlock your domain manually while other registrars will do it for you.
 

Obtain the EPP Code

Finally, you need the EPP code, also called the Authorization or Auth code. It's essentially a unique password for the domain, made up of letters, numbers, and special characters, which is required to authorize the transfer. For example: 1e20459-438b211db# or N7HS-V24-T16-B81.
 

Initiate the Transfer

Rock

Before you initiate the transfer, be sure to assign the domain. Please see How to Assign a Domain Name for more information.

  1. Log into your Bluehost control panel.
  2. Click the Domains tab from the side navigation menu to the left. 
  3. Click Transfer from the sub-menu that appears.
  4. Enter the domain name you want to transfer (without the www), then click the Continue button.
  5. Enter the EPP Code, then click the Continue button.
  6. As part of our two-step verification process, the Admin Verification code will be sent to the admin email address for the domain that is being transferred.
  7. Enter the verification code when ready, then click the Continue button.
  8. Update your Name Servers, set your renewal preference, and choose if you would like to add Privacy.
  9. Check the box to agree to the Terms of Service, then click the Add to Cart button.
  10. Process the payment to initiate the transfer.

Legacy

  1. Log into your Bluehost control panel.
  2. Click the Domains tab at the top of the page, then click Transfer in the submenu.
  3. Enter the domain you want to transfer to your account (without www), and click the Continue button.
  4. Enter the EPP code and click Continue.
  5. As part of our two-step verification process, the Admin Verification Code will be sent to the domain's administrator. Enter the code and click Continue.
  6. Here you have the option to change your name servers, set your renewal preference, and choose if you want to add domain privacy.
  7. Finally, check the box agreeing to the Terms of Service, then click Add to Cart.
  8. ICANN requires the gaining registrar to renew the domain for one year upon transfer, which you'll see in the Shopping Cart. Process the payment to initiate the transfer.

Check the Progress

It can take up to five days for a domain transfer to complete, but some registrars will allow you to expedite it by manually approving the transfer. In the meantime, you can check its progress by following these steps:

  1. Log into your Bluehost Domain Manager.
  2. Click Transfer in the submenu at the top of the page.
  3. View the transfer progress under Details, and click the link for more information.


Did your transfer fail or are you having trouble getting it started? Check out Domain Transfer Troubleshooting. For the domain pricing and to check the Top-Level Domains (TLDs) supported please refer to this article. If you are trying to transfer a domain name away from Bluehost, please see How to Transfer a Domain Name to Another Registrar.