Applies to: All plans.
Before you start: You will need access to your current (losing) registrar to unlock the domain and get its EPP/auth code, a Maxinodes client area login at my.maxinodes.com, and a way to pay the transfer fee (PayPal, card, bank transfer or cryptocurrency). Most registries also block transfers within roughly 60 days of a domain's registration or of a previous transfer — if your domain is brand new or was recently moved, you may need to wait.
Transferring a domain moves its registration to Maxinodes so you can manage it alongside your hosting in the client area. A transfer does not move your website or DNS automatically — it only moves who the domain is registered through. A successful transfer also adds one year to the domain's registration term.
Step 1: Prepare the domain at your current registrar
Do these things in your old registrar's control panel before you start anything at Maxinodes:
- Unlock the domain. Find the option labelled something like "Transfer lock" or "Registrar lock" and turn it off.
- Get the EPP/auth code. This is the transfer authorisation code (also called an "auth code" or "EPP key"). Request or reveal it — many registrars email it to the registrant contact.
- Check the WHOIS email is current and that domain privacy will not block the approval email. If you use privacy protection, you may need to disable it temporarily.
Result: The domain is unlocked and you have the EPP/auth code copied somewhere safe.
Step 2: Start the transfer in your client area
- Log in at my.maxinodes.com.
- Go to Domains -> Transfer a Domain (or start from the Domains area of the client area).
- Enter the domain name and submit it. The client area checks that the domain is eligible to transfer.
- When prompted, paste in the EPP/auth code from Step 1.
- Review the price and complete checkout. Pay by PayPal, card, bank transfer (SEPA) or cryptocurrency. VAT is not charged at checkout.
Result: The transfer order is placed and the registry begins processing it.
Step 3: Approve the transfer
After the order is placed, the registry or your losing registrar usually emails the domain's registrant contact asking you to confirm or approve the transfer.
- Watch the inbox for the registrant/admin contact on the domain.
- Open the approval email and follow the link or instructions to confirm the transfer.
Approving speeds things up. If you do nothing, most transfers still complete automatically once the registry's waiting period passes, but this is slower.
Result: The domain shows in your client area under Domains -> My Domains once the transfer completes.
Timing and what to expect
- How long: Transfers typically take a few days, depending on how quickly you (or your old registrar) approve.
- The added year: Most transfers add one year to your registration term, so you do not lose the time you already paid for.
- Your website stays up: As long as your nameservers and DNS do not change during the transfer, your site and email keep working. Once the domain is at Maxinodes, you manage its DNS records in the client area (our DNS is managed by us, on our own nameservers). If you want the domain to point at your Maxinodes hosting, set your nameservers to ns1.maxinodes.com and ns2.maxinodes.com.
- Non-refundable: Domain transfers and registrations are generally non-refundable once processed.
Troubleshooting this task
- "Domain is locked" error: Go back to your old registrar and turn off the transfer/registrar lock, then retry.
- "Invalid authorisation code": Re-copy the EPP/auth code (watch for trailing spaces) and request a fresh one if it has expired.
- Too new to transfer: Domains recently registered or recently transferred may be inside a registry hold window — wait until it passes and try again.
- No approval email arrived: Check the WHOIS/registrant email address is correct and reachable, and temporarily disable domain privacy if it is hiding the contact address.
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