Transferring a domain

This page describes how to transfer a domain from Cloud Domains to a third-party domain registrar.

By default, domains are locked to prevent unauthorized transfers. To prepare a domain for transfer, you must:

  • Unlock the domain to make it eligible for a transfer
  • Get an authorization code to provide to your new domain registrar
  • Verify that your contact details in the WHOIS directory are correct

Unlocking a domain for transfer

To unlock a domain for transfer, follow these steps:

Console

  1. Go to the Cloud Console.

    Go to the Cloud Domains page

  2. Click the domain name that you'd like to transfer.

  3. To unlock the domain, click Unlock.

  4. On the confirmation dialog, click Unlock.

    A message at the bottom of your screen confirms that the unlocking is successful.

gcloud

To update the management settings of a registration, including unlocking the domain for transfer, use the gcloud beta domains registrations configure management command:

gcloud beta domains registrations configure management DOMAIN_NAME

Replace DOMAIN_NAME with the name of the registered domain—for example, example.com.

Your output looks similar to the following:

Your current Transfer Lock state is: LOCKED
Specify new transfer lock state
 [1] locked
 [2] unlocked
 [3] cancel
Please enter your numeric choice (3):  2

Waiting for 'operation-1596736789522-5ac394123aa03-f2d2f2c3-948ac1a3' to complete...done.
Updated registration [example.com].

API

To unlock a domain for transfer, use the configureManagementSettings method:

POST https://domains.googleapis.com/v1beta1/projects/PROJECT_ID/locations/global/registrations/DOMAIN_NAME:configureManagementSettings

{
  "managementSettings": {
    "transferLockState": "UNLOCKED"
  },
  "updateMask": "transferLockState"
}

Replace the following:

  • PROJECT_ID: the name of your project
  • DOMAIN_NAME: the domain that you want to transfer

Getting the authorization code

To get the authorization code for a transfer, see Getting or resetting the authorization code.

Verify contact details

To ensure that your new registrar can confirm your intent to transfer, verify that your contact details for the domain registration are correct.

Some registrars might require you to make your contact information public before you transfer a domain.

For instructions on how to change your contact and privacy settings, see Edit contact and privacy settings.

What's next