Digital & Online
How long does a domain transfer take?
Estimated wait
~5 days
Based on published sources
By case
- Faster cases~3 days
- Average cases~5 days
- Slower casesUp to 7 days
Do not confuse the transfer time with the 60-day lock. A domain cannot be transferred at all within 60 days of being registered, within 60 days of a previous transfer, or (at many registrars) within 60 days of changing the registrant name or email — that is an eligibility rule, not part of the transfer time. Unlocking the domain and getting the auth/EPP code first is what usually delays people. Your website and email keep working throughout; DNS/nameserver changes are a separate step.
Moving a domain between registrars usually takes about 5 to 7 days. This is set by ICANN's Transfer Policy: your current (losing) registrar has up to 5 calendar days to release the domain, and if nobody denies the request within that window, the registry completes the transfer automatically.
More details
You do not have to wait the full five days. If you approve the transfer at your current registrar instead of leaving it to time out, it often finishes within a few hours to a day. So the honest answer is: a few hours if you actively confirm both ends, up to about a week if you let the clock run.
Sources
Last updated: 20 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.