Domain Name Ownership Transfer: How to Change the Registrant of a Domain

There are two very different things people mean when they say they want to “transfer” a domain name. The first is moving a domain from one registrar to another — a routine administrative process covered in our guide on How to Transfer a Domain Name. The second — and the subject of this guide — is changing who actually owns a domain: updating the registrant’s name, organisation, and contact details. This is called a change of registrant or an ownership transfer, and it is a distinct process with its own rules, implications, and precautions.

What Is a Domain Ownership Transfer?

A domain ownership transfer (change of registrant) occurs when the legal owner of a domain name changes. This happens in situations such as:

• Selling a domain to a buyer and formally changing the registrant to the new owner
• A business acquisition where the acquiring company takes ownership of the acquired company’s domains
• A web agency that registered client domains in the agency’s name transferring them to the client
• A founder leaving a company and transferring domains from personal registration to the company’s name
• A divorce or estate settlement requiring domain ownership to be transferred to another individual
• Correcting registration errors (wrong name on a domain that was always intended for another person or entity)

Registrar Transfer vs. Ownership Transfer: The Key Difference

These two processes are frequently confused:

The ICANN 2016 Change of Registrant Policy

ICANN’s 2016 Transfer Policy introduced specific rules for changes of registrant. The key provisions:

• Both registrant and gaining registrant must confirm the change. The old registrant and the new registrant both receive email notifications and must confirm the change within a specified period.
• The registrar must confirm the change is not fraudulent. Registrars are required to verify that ownership changes are authorised before implementing them.
• A 60-day transfer lock is triggered. After a change of registrant, the domain is locked from registrar-to-registrar transfer for 60 days. This prevents the common fraud pattern of changing registrant details as a precursor to an unauthorised transfer.
• The lock can be waived. Both the old and new registrant can agree to waive the 60-day lock, allowing a simultaneous registrant change and registrar transfer.

How to Change Domain Ownership: Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm both parties’ email addresses are current

The old registrant’s email address must be accessible — they will receive a confirmation email. The new registrant’s email address must be accurate — it will become the contact on record for the domain. If the old registrant’s email is inaccessible (the person has left the organisation, the email account is closed), the process becomes significantly more complicated and may require registrar intervention.

Step 2: Log in to the registrar and navigate to domain settings

Most registrars handle registrant changes through the domain management panel. Look for “Edit Contact,” “Change Registrant,” “Registrant Details,” or similar options in your domain settings.

Step 3: Update the registrant contact information

Enter the new registrant’s full details: name (individual or organisation), address, email, and phone number. Ensure this information is accurate — it is the legal record of domain ownership.

Step 4: Confirm the change via email

Following ICANN’s 2016 policy, both the old registrant’s email and the new registrant’s email receive confirmation requests. Both parties must confirm. The window for confirmation is typically 14 days — unconfirmed changes may be cancelled automatically.

Step 5: Monitor the 60-day lock period

After the change is confirmed, the domain enters a 60-day registrar transfer lock. Plan any registrar transfer (if you also want to move registrars) to happen either before the registrant change or after the 60-day lock expires. If you need to do both simultaneously, request a lock waiver from the registrar.

Special Situations

Transferring a domain from personal to company registration

If you registered a business domain in your personal name and want to move it to the company’s registration, this is a standard registrant change. Note that from ICANN’s perspective, changing from “John Smith” to “Acme Ltd” (even if you own Acme Ltd) constitutes a registrant change and triggers the confirmation process and 60-day lock.

Agency-to-client domain transfers

Web agencies that register domains on behalf of clients — in the agency’s name — create problematic situations that are unfortunately common. The domain is legally owned by the agency, not the client. Transferring it requires the agency’s cooperation as the current registrant. To avoid this situation entirely: always register client domains in the client’s name, with their contact information, from the start. See our note in our How to Register a Domain Name guide.

Estate and inheritance

If a domain owner dies, domain registrations are part of the estate. The executor or heir needs to provide legal documentation to the registrar to initiate an ownership transfer. Registrar processes for this vary — contact the registrar’s legal or compliance team directly with supporting documentation (death certificate, probate documents, or letters testamentary).

Court-ordered transfers

In cases of business disputes, divorce settlements, or fraud judgments, a court may order a domain to be transferred to a specific party. Registrars comply with court orders — present the order to the registrar’s legal department.

What NOT to Do When Transferring Domain Ownership

• Do not simply share login credentials — Giving someone your registrar login is not a transfer of domain ownership. It gives them access but makes domain management insecure. The proper registrant details must be updated.
• Do not register the domain in your name for a client — This creates a legal ownership problem. Always register client domains with the client as the registrant.
• Do not attempt to skip the confirmation process — ICANN’s 2016 policy requirements exist to prevent fraudulent ownership changes. Attempting to bypass them can result in the change being rejected or reversed.
• Do not overlook the 60-day lock — If you are buying a domain and also want to transfer it to your registrar, plan the sequence carefully. An unplanned 60-day lock can delay your ability to consolidate domains at your preferred registrar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the registrant affect the website or email?

No. A registrant change updates the WHOIS record (who owns the domain) but does not change DNS records, nameservers, or any technical configuration. Your website and email continue operating without interruption during and after a registrant change.

Can I transfer domain ownership and move registrars at the same time?

Yes, but it requires a lock waiver from the current registrar. Request the waiver before initiating either change. With a waiver in place, you can update the registrant details and initiate a registrar transfer simultaneously, avoiding the sequential 60-day delay.

How long does a registrant change take?

Once both parties confirm via email, the change is implemented by the registrar — typically within 24–72 hours. The total time depends on how quickly both parties respond to the confirmation emails. If either party delays or the email is missed, it can take the full 14-day confirmation window.

What if the previous registrant is unresponsive?

This is the most challenging scenario. If the current registrant’s email is inaccessible or the person refuses to confirm, contact the registrar’s support team and explain the situation. They may have alternative verification processes for legitimate ownership claims. In extreme cases (proven fraud, estate situations), legal documentation may be required. Prevention is far better than cure — always ensure registrant contact information is current and accessible.

Conclusion

Changing domain ownership is a distinct process from changing registrars — one updates who owns the domain, the other updates where it is managed. The ICANN 2016 policy makes registrant changes secure through a dual-confirmation process, at the cost of triggering a 60-day transfer lock.

The most important preventive measure: always register domains in the name of the actual, intended long-term owner from the start. Retroactive ownership corrections are more complex than doing it correctly the first time.

Related: Domain Transfer Guide · How to Buy a Domain Name · Domain Security Guide.