What an EPP (auth) code is and how to use it
If you're moving a domain from one registrar to another, sooner or later someone will ask for the "EPP code." It sounds technical, but the idea is simple, and once you understand it, domain transfers become much less mysterious.
What the code is
An EPP code is a password attached to one specific domain. It proves that whoever starts a transfer has permission from the domain's current owner. Without it, anyone could try to move your domain to another registrar.
You'll see it called different names depending on the registrar:
- EPP code
- Auth code or authorization code
- Transfer key or transfer secret
They all mean the same thing. EPP stands for Extensible Provisioning Protocol, the system registrars use to talk to the registries that run each extension, but you never need to know that to use one.
Where to find it
The code is held by the registrar where the domain is currently registered, and only the domain owner can request it. Look in the domain's settings in your registrar account, usually under a heading such as "Transfer," "Transfer out" or "Authorization code."
Depending on the registrar, the code may:
- show on the screen right away,
- be emailed to the domain's registered contact address, or
- need to be requested from support.
Before the code will work, the domain usually needs to be unlocked. Most registrars lock domains by default so they can't be transferred by accident. Turn the lock off in the same settings area.
How to use it
The transfer always starts at the registrar you're moving to, not the one you're leaving:
- At the new registrar, choose the option to transfer a domain in, and enter the domain name.
- Paste the EPP code when asked. It's usually case-sensitive and may contain symbols, so copy and paste it rather than typing it.
- Pay the transfer fee. For many extensions, this includes a one-year renewal added to the domain's existing expiry date.
- Approve the transfer if you receive a confirmation email.
- Wait. Transfers between registrars commonly take up to about five to seven days, although some finish much sooner.
You can keep using the domain while the transfer is in progress; the website and email normally keep working as long as the DNS settings don't change.
If you're selling a domain
When you sell a domain, the buyer needs the code so they can transfer it to their own registrar. Unlock the domain, get the code, and share it only through the channel you agreed with the buyer, for example in the order on the marketplace where you sold it. Treat it like a password: anyone who has it, and an unlocked domain, can start moving it.
Don't send the code before you're sure payment is secured. On a marketplace with escrow, the buyer's money is already held when you're asked for the code, which is what makes it safe to hand over.
When the code doesn't work
Transfers fail for a handful of common reasons:
- The domain is still locked. Unlock it at the current registrar and try again.
- The code was mistyped or has expired. Some registrars generate a new code after a while; request a fresh one.
- The domain was registered or transferred recently. Many registrars block transfers for a period after registration or a previous transfer, often 60 days. The rules vary and are being updated, so check with the current registrar.
- The domain has expired or is about to. Renew it first.
- Some extensions use a different process. Certain country-code extensions don't use EPP codes at all. For example, .uk domains are moved by changing a registrar tag rather than with a code. Check the extension's rules if the usual steps don't fit.
If you're stuck, the current registrar's support team can usually see exactly why a transfer was refused.
After the transfer
Once the domain appears in the new account, turn the registrar lock back on, check the contact details, and make sure auto-renew is set. Codes from the previous registrar stop being useful at that point, and the new registrar will issue a fresh one if you ever move again.