Assorted Guides: Domain Transfers

Table of Contents

1. Ownership Transfer
2. Registrar Transfer
   1. Transfer From Other Registrars
   2. Which gTLDs and/or ccTLDs Can Be Transferred to Domain Contender?
   3. Transfer Failure Notices

Ownership Transfer

Using Online Transfer

You can use online Ownership Transfer or file ownership change agreement (paperwork).

I. To transfer a domain to your Domain Contender account from another Domain Contender account while adding one additional year of registration time:

1. Log into the receiving account.

2. Click on the "Domain Transfers" link.
3. Enter in the names of the domains you would like to transfer. You can enter up to 200 at a time. Click on the ?Submit? button.
4. There will be a US$7.95 charge for each domain, which will add one additional year to the domain?s current registration. Click on the "Continue Purchase" button.
5. If you are presented with a page to modify your contacts, select the appropriate contacts and click on ?Continue Purchase.?
6. Verify that all of your information is correct and click on the "Purchase" button.
7. Please note that after the request is submitted, the owner (administrative contact) of each domain to be transferred will receive an email with instructions on how to authorize the transfer. Upon his/her approval, it may take up to one (1) hour for the transfer to be completed.

Using Paperwork

a) Transfer between Separate Individuals/Entities

To transfer the ownership of a domain to another individual or entity, the following procedure applies:

1.1. The domain has to be currently registered through Domain Contender. The recipient needs to have a separate Domain Contender account, which can be established free of charge under the Sign-Up tab at http://www.domaincontender.com.

1.2. Go to http://www.domaincontender.com/help/docs/rta.doc or http://www.domaincontender.com/help/docs/rta.pdf Select one of the files to download, based on which format you need, Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat, respectively. Download the documents.

1.3. Have both parties fill out the forms, get them notarized, and send them to us. Our mailing address is:

Intercosmos Media Group, Inc. 650 Poydras Street, Suite 1150,New Orleans, Louisiana 70130, USA

Once we have received the transfer forms, it can take up to ten (10) days for the transfer to be completed.

b) Transfer between Accounts for the Same Individual/Entity

Individuals and/or entities that simply have two separate Domain Contender accounts and want to move/transfer domains from one account to the other, need to follow the procedure for the ownership transfer of a domain. If the Account Information and Contact Information for the domain in the current account is EXACTLY the same as for the new account, no notarization will be necessary.

Registrar Transfer

This section explains the steps of transferring a domain from another registrar to Domain Contender, what types of TLDs are transferrable, and the meaning of the transfer failure notices.

Transfer From Other Registrars

When a domain is currently registered with any other registrar, the procedure to transfer that domain to Domain Contender is as follows:

1. Before attempting the transfer, make certain of the following:

1.1. The domain has been registered with the current registrar for at least 60 days.

1.2. The domain has not yet expired and has at least 10 days remaining before expiration.

1.3. The existing registrar does not have the domain locked for either non-payment or at the end user's (your) request. If it is locked, you, as the requesting party, need to contact the current registrar to resolve the issue and clear the name.

1.4. The domain is NOT in dispute.

1.5. The domain has NOT been deleted.

1.6. The current administrative contact email address of the domain, as per a WHOIS lookup under http://www.domaincontender.com/whois, is valid and accessible.

2. The OWNER of the domain requests the transfer through his/her Domain Contender account under the "Domain Transfers" link or, if Domain Contender dollars have been pre-purchased, under the "Quantity Discounts" menu through the "Domain Transfers" link.

2.1. Log into your account at http://domaincontender.com/myaccount/.

2.2. Click on the "Domain Transfers" link under the Basic Options section.

2.3. Enter the domains you would like to transfer to Domain Contender. You can enter up to 50 at a time.

2.4. Choose a contact you would like to use. If you do not have the contact set up yet, you need to add a new contact. Please refer to the FAQ "how do I add a new contact in my account."

At this time, your transferred domains can only be registered for one year. At the time of renewal you can change the number of years you have your domains registered. This US$7.95 charge, for one year's registration, will be added to the amount of time you have left with the current registrar. Click on the "Submit" button.

2.5. Verify that all of your information is correct and click on the "Submit" button.

2.6. Enter your payment information and click on the "Purchase" button.

3. Follow the steps in the request process completely. Please read all pertinent instructions completely. If the transfer is unsuccessful due to not following the correct procedures, a refund cannot be credited to your credit card. You will only receive the corresponding in Domain Contender Dollars in your Domain Contender account.

4. After purchase of the transfer request you will receive several emails.

4.1. The billing receipt and the transfer instruction will be sent to the email address listed in your Domain Contender account.

4.2. An authorization request email will be sent from transfers@domaincontender.com to the email address listed at the time of request by your current registrar as the administrative contact in the WHOIS records for the domain being transferred. This email includes a URL with verification codes. Go to the URL and enter the codes. After completing this, the transfer process can take up to 10 days. If you do not confirm the transfer through the confirmation email within 7 days, Step 7. in the transfer process applies.

(Note: For .ORG and .INFO domains, you need to obtain the authinfo code from your current registrar and then enter it in the proper field when you approve the transfer as the administrative contact.)

5. After owner confirmation, the domain transfer request is reviewed by Domain Contender.com. At that stage, the request is checked for the following (also mentioned in Step 1. of the Transfer Process):

- The domain must be 60 days old.

- The existing registrar cannot have the name locked for either non-payment or at the end users request. Otherwise, the requesting party needs to contact the existing registrar to resolve the problem.

- The domain cannot be in dispute.

- The domain cannot be deleted.

- The domain registration cannot be expired.

If none of the above is problematic, the transfer request is forwarded to the current registrar. Otherwise, the transfer is cancelled and Step 7 of the transfer process applies.

6. Current Registrar Review and Approval

The review by the current registrar can take up to 10 days. If the current registrar approves the transfer request, the domain will be transferred into your Domain Contender account. If the transfer is not approved after ten days, Step 7. in the transfer process applies.

7. Procedure for unsuccessful transfers due to cancellation and timing-out:

If an initial transfer request is cancelled or times out, Domain Contender automatically resubmits the transfer request a second time. If the second request is cancelled or times out, Domain Contender credits the account of the person attempting the transfer in Domain Contender Dollars for the amount of the transfer price. This credit can be used to resubmit the transfer request, register, transfer or renew a domain for one year of registration time, as well as for other Domain Contender services. The credited Domain Contender Dollars can be used within the "Quantity Options" menu in the respective Domain Contender account.

Which gTLDs and/or ccTLDs Can Be Transferred to Domain Contender?

gTLD

Currently: .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO

Transfer Failure Notices

1. Failure notice ? timed out waiting for owner approval:

Your transfer request for yourdomain.com was cancelled because it timed out waiting for owner approval. We sent the transfer request to the administrative contact of the domain but never received his/her confirmation. Please check the WHOIS information of the domain at http://www.domaincontender.com/whois and make sure the administrative email contact information is correct. If not, you need to change it immediately with your current registrar company.

We have credited your Domain Contender account with 7.95 Domain Contender Dollars. You may check your Domain Contender Dollars balance in your account under the ?Quantity Options? tab. You may use these credits to pay for the next transfer or any other Domain Contender service. You may resubmit the transfer after you have changed the administrative contact information and have verified the change at http://www.domaincontender.com/whois.

2. Failure notice ? timed out waiting for registry approval:

Your transfer request for yourdomain.com was cancelled because it timed out waiting for the registry approval. We sent the transfer request to your current registrar but never received their approval . Please contact your current registrar in regard to this transfer request as soon as possible.

We have credited your Domain Contender account with 7.95 Domain Contender Dollars. You may check your Domain Contender Dollars balance in your account under the ?Quantity Options? tab. You may use these credits to pay for the next transfer or any other Domain Contender service. You may resubmit the transfer after you have met all the demands of your current registrar.

A special notice for customers transferring domains from Network Solutions:

Network Solutions now sends their confirmation email to the administrative contact of the domain after they receive our transfer request. They only give you three days limit and should you miss the deadline, your transfer will be cancelled by them. Domain Contender transfer system will automatically resubmit the transfer for you a couple of days after the registry approval time frame times out. You will need to respond to our confirmation email again. Please be extremely careful with Network Solutions confirmation email. Try your best to confirm with them while you are on the phone with them. Or contact them before and after you have confirmed their email.

3. Failure notice ?552 registry error:

The transfer of yourdomainname.com has been cancelled due to a 552 registry error. This error can result from any of the following:

1) Domain is not yet 60 days old

2) Domain is expired

3) Domain is not in Paid Status with your current registrar or is in dispute. Please contact your current registrar to resolve this type of issue.

We have credited your Domain Contender account with 7.95 Domain Contender Dollars. You may check your Domain Contender Dollars balance in your account under the ?Quantity Options? tab. You may use these credits to pay for the next transfer or any other Domain Contender service. You may resubmit the transfer after the domain is older than 60 days old or you have met all the demands of your current registrar.

NOTES:

Before you transfer the domain, please check the following at http://www.domaincontender.com/whois:

1. Administrative contact email address: The autorization email is sent there. If the administrative contact information is incorrect, you need to change it immediately with your current registrar company.

2. Creation date: Domains created less than 60 days ago cannot be transferred. You need to wait till the 60 days waiting period is over and then resubmit the transfer.

3. Expiration date: Expired domains cannot be transferred. You need to renew with your current registrar for another year first, and then transfer the domain to us. The time you left with your current registrar will be added to your Domain Contender account.

Please constantly check your transfer status in your account at https://secure.domaincontender.com/myaccount/transfers/pending.php Please read the explanations carefully.

If you have any questions, please contact Domain Contender at support@domaincontender.com.