How to Transfer a .com.au Domain Safely

Why Transfer a .com.au Domain?

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Businesses move their .com.au domain to a new registrar for lots of reasons: better pricing, better support, consolidating domains in one place, or getting control back from a former web developer. Transferring a domain is usually straightforward, but a careless transfer can take your website or email offline, especially if your old registrar also hosts your DNS.

This guide explains how to transfer a .com.au domain safely: the difference between changing registrar and changing ownership, what to check first, the step-by-step process, and how to avoid downtime.

Two Different Kinds of "Transfer"

People use "transfer" for two different things.

Changing registrar

The domain stays with the same owner (the registrant) but moves from one registrar, the company you pay, to another. This is the most common type of transfer.

Changing registrant

The domain's licence moves to a different person or business, for example when you sell a business or restructure into a company. The new registrant must meet the .au eligibility rules. Our .com.au domain eligibility guide explains those rules.

The .au domain space is administered by auDA, the Australian Domain Administration, under its own licensing rules. Some generic advice about transferring .com domains doesn't apply to .au domains, so check your registrar's .au-specific instructions.

Before You Start: Checklist

1. Confirm you're the registrant

Look up your domain in a .au WHOIS lookup or check your registrar account to see who's listed as the registrant. If a former web developer or staff member registered it in their name, sort that out first. Our guide on who owns your website explains why the domain should be in your business's name.

2. Get access to the registrar account

You'll need to log in to your current registrar, or contact them, to get the domain password.

3. Check the registrant contact email

Transfer and verification emails go to the registrant's contact email. Make sure it's an address you can access, not an old employee's inbox.

4. Record your DNS settings

This is the step most people miss. If your current registrar also hosts your DNS, your DNS records may disappear when you transfer. Take screenshots or export every record:

• A and AAAA records (your website)
• CNAME records
• MX records (your email)
• TXT records, including SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification records
• any other records, such as SRV.

5. Check the domain's expiry

Check how long the licence has left and how your new registrar handles renewal on transfer. Policies vary, so ask before you start.

Step-by-Step: Transferring to a New Registrar

1. Choose your new registrar. Make sure it's an auDA-accredited registrar or a reseller of one.
2. Get the domain password (sometimes called the authInfo code or EPP code) from your current registrar. Most let you view or generate it in the account dashboard.
3. Set up DNS at the new provider first, if the new registrar will host your DNS. Recreate every record you exported.
4. Start the transfer at your new registrar, entering the domain name and password.
5. Approve any confirmation emails sent to the registrant contact.
6. Pay any transfer fees the new registrar charges.
7. Wait for completion. Transfers often complete within a day or so, but can take longer.
8. Check everything works: website, email sending and receiving, website forms, and any services that rely on DNS verification.

Avoiding Downtime

Keep DNS steady during the transfer

The simplest way to avoid downtime is to keep your DNS hosted somewhere that won't change during the transfer, such as your hosting provider or a dedicated DNS service. If the nameservers stay the same, the registrar change is invisible to visitors.

Don't change too much at once

Don't transfer the domain, move hosting and change email providers on the same day. If something breaks, you won't know which change caused it.

Lower TTLs ahead of planned DNS changes

If you do need to change DNS records, lowering their TTL a day or two beforehand helps changes take effect faster.

Changing the Registrant

Changing ownership of a .com.au domain involves both the current and new registrants. The process varies by registrar but usually involves:

• the current registrant authorising the change
• the new registrant providing their details and eligibility information, such as an ABN or ACN
• the registrar checking eligibility
• agreement to the registrar's terms.

If you're buying a business, make sure the domain transfer is included in the sale agreement, along with access to the website, hosting and email accounts.

After the Transfer

• Turn on auto-renew so the domain doesn't expire accidentally.
• Update payment details.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication for the registrar account.
• Store the login securely, with more than one trusted person in the business able to access it.
• Check your SSL certificate still renews correctly, especially if DNS moved. Our SSL certificates explained guide covers how certificates work.

Keep a Domain Record

Once the transfer is done, write down the essentials in one place your business controls: the registrar, the account login owner, the registrant name and ABN, the expiry date, where DNS is hosted, and which provider handles email. Keep it with your other business records. When you change web developers, sell the business or need to fix a problem urgently, this short record saves a lot of time.

Common Problems

• Wrong or expired domain password: generate a new one at the current registrar.
• Registrant email inaccessible: contact the current registrar to update contact details, which may require proof of identity or business details.
• Domain registered to someone else: you'll need a registrant change, which requires the current registrant's cooperation or a dispute process in some cases.
• Email stopped working: usually missing MX or SPF records after DNS moved. Recreate them from your export.
• Website down: usually missing A or CNAME records.

Moving Your Website Too?

If you're also moving your website to a new host or rebuilding it, plan that separately and follow a proper redirect plan. Our website migration SEO checklist explains how to protect your search rankings during a move.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a .com.au domain transfer take?

Many transfers complete within a day or so once the domain password is entered and any approvals are done, but timing varies by registrar.

Will my website go down during a domain transfer?

It shouldn't if DNS stays the same or is set up at the new provider before the transfer. Downtime usually happens when DNS records are lost.

Where do I find my .com.au domain password?

In your current registrar's account dashboard, or by asking the registrar. It may also be called an authInfo or EPP code.

Can I transfer a domain registered by my web designer?

If they're listed as the registrant, you'll need a registrant change with their cooperation. If you're the registrant and they only manage the account, ask them for the domain password or contact the registrar.