Guide
Transfer a domain at Cloudflare: account move or transfer out?
Check which job you have. Moving a Cloudflare Registrar domain to another Cloudflare account needs both accounts to confirm, and the domain is transfer-locked for 30 days afterwards. Leaving for another registrar means unlocking it, copying an authorization code and waiting up to five days.
Not legal advice. This is a procedure guide. It does not decide who is entitled to a domain. That depends on your agreements and local law. The steps below come from Cloudflare's own documentation, which I checked on 2026-11-03. Cloudflare can change it, so read the current page before you click.
Which transfer do you need?
| Your goal | The job | Time to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Hand the domain to a cofounder or a shared company account, and keep it at Cloudflare | Move between accounts (both accounts confirm) | The gaining account has 5 days to accept, or the request cancels itself. |
| Use a different registrar | Transfer out (unlock, authorization code, start at the new registrar) | Cloudflare auto-approves on the fifth day if you don't approve it yourself. |
| Bring a domain into Cloudflare from another registrar | Transfer in, which is a different guide on Cloudflare's side | Cloudflare says up to 10 days, depending on the old registrar. |
If the real problem is that one person holds the only login, a second admin may be enough. Read does a second domain admin protect you? before you move anything.
Check the 60-day rules first
Both jobs run into the same lock, so check it before you start. Cloudflare says ICANN rules prohibit a transfer if the domain was registered or transferred in the last 60 days, or if the WHOIS registrant information changed in the last 60 days, even if it is redacted.
That last one catches teams out. Changing the registrant's name, organization or email counts as a "Change of Registrant". If the registrant accepts it without ticking "Do not apply 60 day transfer lock", Cloudflare locks the domain for 60 days. Cloudflare says the lock blocks transfers to another registrar and to another Cloudflare account. Phone and address changes update straight away and don't need approval.
Option 1: move the domain to another Cloudflare account
This follows Cloudflare: move a Cloudflare Registrar domain registration between accounts. It only works for domains registered with Cloudflare Registrar.
Before you start
- Prepare the new account. Get its account ID, add the domain there as a website, select a plan and set up the new zone.
- Registered for more than 10 days. Younger domains can't move.
- DNSSEC off. Turn it off before the move. You can switch it back on in the new zone afterwards.
- Verified registrant email and no pending Change of Registrant. Finish any pending request first.
- No administrative lock. A dispute or court order blocks the move. So do the registry statuses pendingDelete, redemptionPeriod and pendingTransfer.
- You lose the settings. Cloudflare says the move loses all configuration and settings for the domain in the source account. WHOIS contact information moves as it is. Nothing else carries over.
Steps
- In the source account, open Manage Domain, go to the Configuration tab and select Start.
- The gaining account gets an email. Its owner logs in, opens Manage Domains under Domain Registration, selects View Actions and accepts or rejects the request.
- If the gaining account does nothing within five days, the request is cancelled automatically.
- If you want DNSSEC back, switch it on again for the new zone after the move completes.
After the move
Cloudflare says the domain is transfer-locked for 30 days after a successful move, and the new account is responsible for renewals from then on. Cloudflare's FAQ adds that all renewals are final and it won't issue refunds, so settle who pays before you click.
Option 2: transfer the domain away from Cloudflare
This follows Cloudflare: transfer a domain out from Cloudflare.
Steps
- In the Cloudflare dashboard, open the Manage Domains page, find the domain and select Manage.
- Select Configuration, then Unlock, then Confirm and Unlock.
- Copy the authorization code Cloudflare generates. Some systems call it an EPP code.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar and enter the code when it asks.
- The new registrar sends the request to the registry, which forwards it to Cloudflare. When it arrives, you can approve it manually to start straight away, or reject it. If you reject it, Cloudflare puts the registrar lock back.
If you do nothing, Cloudflare says the transfer auto-approves on the fifth day after it receives the request. If you lose the code, you can generate a new one with the Regenerate button, or by locking the domain and repeating the steps.
What happens to DNS
Cloudflare's FAQ says every domain on Cloudflare Registrar uses Cloudflare nameservers. To use other nameservers, you have to move the domain to another registrar. So plan the DNS before you leave: take a screenshot of your records, and set up the zone at the new provider before the transfer completes. Cloudflare's page doesn't say what happens to your zone when the transfer finishes, so check that with Cloudflare and the new registrar.
Cost
When the transfer completes, Cloudflare removes the domain from your account and says you won't be charged for future renewals. The page doesn't state a transfer-out fee. The new registrar may charge one, so ask it.
Who can already unlock your domain?
Cloudflare warns that users with super-admin or admin permissions on a zone can manage your domains too. They can unlock domains and get authorization codes. It says: be careful who you give these roles to.
That works both ways. If a former cofounder still has an admin role on the account, they can start a transfer. Review the member list before you rely on any lock. The user access review checklist shows how.
Checks after any transfer
Don't close the tab until a person other than the old owner has proved each line. The handover checklist has the full version.
| Check | Proof |
|---|---|
| The new owner can sign in | They open the domain's settings from their own device. |
| DNS records are intact | Compare the records to a screenshot taken before the move. |
| Website and email still work | Load the site. Send and receive a test email. |
| Registrant contact is current | The registrant email is one the new owner or the team controls. Cloudflare says invalid registrant data risks suspension. |
| Renewal is set up | The renewal date and payer are written down, with a payment method on the new account. |
| A second person can step in | A second admin or manager can see the domain. |
A scenario, worked through (illustrative)
This is a made-up example, not a real team. Two cofounders, Ana and Piotr, registered their domain through Ana's personal Cloudflare account. Piotr set up a shared project account.
Piotr adds the domain to the project account as a website, picks a plan and checks the zone. Ana turns DNSSEC off and confirms no Change of Registrant is pending. She starts the move from the Configuration tab. Piotr accepts the email request on day two. They compare the DNS records to Ana's screenshot, send a test email, and note that the domain can't move again for 30 days. Only then do they write the renewal date and card owner into their records.
Frequently asked questions
How do I transfer a domain to someone else at Cloudflare?
If the domain is registered with Cloudflare Registrar, prepare the other person's Cloudflare account, start the move from the Configuration tab and have them accept it within five days.
How long does a transfer away from Cloudflare take?
Cloudflare says that if you don't approve the request yourself, it auto-approves on the fifth day after Cloudflare receives it. Approving manually starts it straight away.
Why can't I transfer my Cloudflare domain?
The most common cause is the 60-day rule. It applies to new registrations, recent transfers and recent changes to the registrant's name, organization or email. For an account move, DNSSEC, an unverified registrant email or a pending registrant change can also block it.
Does the domain keep its Cloudflare settings after an account move?
No. Cloudflare says the move loses all configuration and settings for the domain in the source account. Set up the zone in the new account first.
Does transferring a domain settle who owns it?
No. It changes where the registration sits, not who is entitled to it. If there's a dispute, read who owns the domain when cofounders split up and get advice.
Sources
- Cloudflare: move a Cloudflare Registrar domain registration between accounts, checked 2026-11-03.
- Cloudflare: transfer domain out from Cloudflare, checked 2026-11-03.
- Cloudflare: registrant contact updates, checked 2026-11-03.
- Cloudflare Registrar FAQ, checked 2026-11-03.
- Cloudflare: transfer your domain to Cloudflare, checked 2026-11-03.
Related
- Handover checklist
- Transfer a domain at GoDaddy
- Transfer a domain at Namecheap
- Who owns the domain when cofounders split up?
- Does a second domain admin protect you?
- Domain safety check
- User access review checklist
- All co-founder guides and free tools
Moving a domain? Record who owns it, who pays and who can recover it.