Guide
Transfer a domain at GoDaddy: account move or registrar transfer?
Check which job you have. Moving a domain to another GoDaddy account keeps it at GoDaddy and needs the new owner to accept by email. Moving it to another registrar means unlocking it, getting an authorization code and waiting about a week.
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 GoDaddy's own help pages, which I checked on 2026-10-31. GoDaddy can change them, 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 GoDaddy | Account move ("Transfer to another GoDaddy account") | The new owner must accept by email within 10 days. |
| Use a different registrar, such as Cloudflare or Namecheap | Registrar transfer ("Transfer to Another Registrar") | GoDaddy says it typically takes 5-7 days. |
| Let a teammate manage the domain without moving it | Neither. Use delegate access. | See GoDaddy domain delegation. |
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.
Option 1: move the domain to another GoDaddy account
The domain owner starts it from the Domain Portfolio. A delegate can start it only with the Transfer Access permission for that domain, according to GoDaddy: transfer my domain to another GoDaddy account.
Before you start
GoDaddy lists four cases where the move is blocked: a contact update is pending approval, the domain is within one day of expiring, it has already expired, or it already has a transfer pending. Bundled domains also can't move within 120 days of new registration.
Steps
- Open your Domain Portfolio and select one domain to open its settings.
- In the Transfer section, choose "Transfer to another GoDaddy account".
- Type the new owner's email twice. You can add their customer number too. If you do, the email must match the one on that account.
- Choose whether your current contact info is copied to the new account.
- Select "Send Transfer Request". If the domain has Domain Protection, GoDaddy asks you to verify your identity first.
- Ask the new owner to open the email and accept. GoDaddy says the request expires if they don't accept within 10 days.
What moves and what doesn't
Your DNS settings are kept. Connected products, such as a website or email plan, do not move with the domain. That is the line people miss. If your email runs on a GoDaddy plan, you need a separate plan for that email.
Option 2: transfer the domain away from GoDaddy
This follows GoDaddy: transfer my domain away from GoDaddy. GoDaddy says transfers follow ICANN's Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy.
Before you start
- The 60-day lock. A domain can't move within 60 days of a new registration, a transfer, or a contact info change, but GoDaddy says this applies only if the current registrant chose a 60-day lock when approving the change.
- Bundled domains. They can't move within 120 days of new registration.
- Expired domains. GoDaddy says they can be transferred until they're in redemption. Don't plan around that edge.
- Country-code domains. Some have special rules. For .uk, you enter the IPS tag of the new registrar.
- Preparation. You can do it by hand: unlock the domain, turn off Domain Privacy, and fully downgrade Domain Protection to none. GoDaddy can also prepare the domain for you during the steps below.
Steps
- Open your Domain Portfolio and select the domain.
- Under Transfer, choose "Transfer to Another Registrar". If the domain isn't eligible, GoDaddy shows why.
- Read the checklist, then choose "Continue with transfer". If Domain Protection is on, verify your identity. A text or authenticator code works only if two-step verification has been on for at least 24 hours. Otherwise GoDaddy emails a one-time password.
- Copy the authorization code. GoDaddy also emails it to the registrant address.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar and paste the code there.
- Approve the transfer if it asks you to. GoDaddy says approving can speed it up.
One warning from GoDaddy: Domain Privacy is turned off once you continue with the transfer, so your contact info can move to the new registrar. Turn it back on at the new one if you want it.
GoDaddy's page does not say what the transfer costs or how renewal is handled. Check both with GoDaddy and the new registrar before you start.
Checks after either 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. |
| Renewal is set up | The renewal date and payer are written down, with a payment method on the new account. |
| Recovery is not on the old owner's phone or inbox | The recovery email and phone belong to the new owner or a shared project address. |
| A second person can step in | A second admin or delegate can see the domain. |
A scenario, worked through (illustrative)
This is a made-up example, not a real team. Two cofounders, Ana and Piotr, bought a domain on Ana's personal GoDaddy account. They now have a shared project account. Their email runs on a separate paid email plan on the same domain.
They want to stay at GoDaddy, so they need an account move. Ana sends the request to the project address and Piotr accepts it the same day, well inside the 10 days. The DNS records stay. The email plan does not move, so they have to set up email again on the new account and check the records before they cancel the old plan. Only then do they run the checks above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I transfer a domain to someone else at GoDaddy?
Use "Transfer to another GoDaddy account" in the domain's settings, enter their email, and ask them to accept within 10 days. Or, if you only want them to manage it, grant delegate access instead.
Does the DNS move with the domain?
For an account move, GoDaddy says existing DNS settings are kept, but connected products like websites and email do not transfer. Check your records afterwards either way.
How long does a transfer away from GoDaddy take?
GoDaddy says typically 5-7 days, and that approving the transfer can speed it up.
Why can't I transfer my domain?
Common blocks from GoDaddy's pages: a pending contact update or transfer, an expired domain, a bundled domain inside 120 days, or a 60-day lock you chose. The transfer screen shows the reason if the domain isn't eligible.
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
- GoDaddy: transfer my domain to another GoDaddy account, checked 2026-10-31.
- GoDaddy: transfer my domain away from GoDaddy, checked 2026-10-31.
- GoDaddy: grant delegate access to domains.
Related
- Handover checklist
- Transfer a domain at Namecheap
- Transfer a domain at Cloudflare
- Who owns the domain when cofounders split up?
- Does a second domain admin protect you?
- Domain safety check
- Access audit
- All co-founder guides and free tools
Moving a domain? Record who owns it, who pays and who can recover it.