Domain transfers without the fuss

Frequently asked questions about our domain transfers

• What is a domain transfer?

  A domain name transfer is the process of changing the designated registrar of a domain name. For example, moving a domain to LCN, from a different registrar.

  The domain name itself stays unchanged, as does details like the registered owner, registered address and other domain information. A common reason for moving a domain between registrars is to consolidate domain names with a registrar company you like. Perhaps you like the customer service or features a particular registrar (such as LCN) can provide.

• How to transfer a domain

  There are two different domain transfer processes: one for UK extensions, and another for all other domains (COM, NET, ORG, etc).

  How to transfer a UK domain

  1. Login and add your domain name on the transfers page
  2. Click the + button to submit the domain transfer
  3. Ask your current registrar to update the IPS tag to LCN
  4. Your domain transfer should complete within 48 hours

  How to transfer a .COM, .NET, or .ORG

  1. Ask your current registrar to unlock your domain
  2. Make a note of the Auth code you receive
  3. Login and add your domain name on the transfers page
  4. Click the + button to submit the domain transfer
  5. Submit the Auth code you were given previously
  6. Your domain transfer should complete within 7 days

  Please see our support guide for an in-depth walkthrough to transfer your domain. If you have any questions along the way, don’t hesitate to contact us.

• How long does it take transfer a domain?

  Again, it depends on the extension. Generally speaking a domain transfer should take no more than a week. .uk domains usually only takes a couple of days – unfortunately there’s no way to speed this up. For more information about transferring a domain to us, check out our domain transfers support guide.

• What about downtime? Will you change DNS on the domain?

  When you transfer a domain to us, we don’t change any of the DNS details on the domain– so if your site is online when you begin the move, it should stay online after the transfer is complete. We appreciate that nameservers and DNS can be confusing, so don’t hesitate to drop us a line and we can answer any questions you might have.

• How do I unlock my domain and what’s an Authorisation / EPP code?

  Your current domain name provider will need to unlock your domain name before it can be moved to us. This can usually be done from your provider’s control panel but in some cases you’ll need to contact them directly.

  They’ll give you a string of characters called an EPP code, also known as an auth code. Keep a note of it, as it needs to be entered at LCN when you initiate the domain transfer service at our end.

  .uk domains work a little differently – they have an IPS tag instead of an EPP code. To learn more about IPS tags and how you can transfer .uk domains to LCN, check out our next FAQ.

  We also have guides on transferring your domain names from other providers…

  • How to transfer from 1and1 to LCN
  • How to transfer from GoDaddy to LCN
  • How to transfer from Fasthosts to LCN

• What’s an IPS tag?

  .uk domains don’t have EPP codes because the domain transfer process is slightly different. To move your .uk domains you’ll need to change the IPS tag on your domain – again this can be done via your current domain providers control panel, or by getting in touch with their support team.

  To move to LCN you’ll need to change the IPS tag to “LCN”. That’s all there is to it for .uk domains.

• What about SEO rankings?

  Your place in the search engine results pages will not change as a result of a domain transfer. There are many factors that make up Google’s search ranking algorithm but who your domain registrar is not thought to be one of them.

  If you want to learn more check out our beginners guide to SEO.