Transfers

This section provides instructions on Inter-Registrar Transfers, Internal Transfers, and Change of Registrant (Owner-Change) Procedures.

• Transferring Domains to Joker.com
• Bulk Transfer
• Internal Transfer
• Change of Registrant Procedure
• Transferring Domains Away From Joker.com
• UDRP Procedures
• Specific ccTLDs: Transfers

Transferring Domains to Joker.com

According to ICANN regulations, when transferring domains between registrars, the Gaining Registrar (Joker.com) must initiate the process. To begin, Joker.com needs to obtain express authorization from either the Registered Name Holder or the Administrative Contact. This authorization is fulfilled by possessing the AUTH-ID. You can find more information about the transfer policy here: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/transfer-policy-2016-06-01-en

The transfer policies and rules may vary from registry to registry, for more information and examples please also refer to our Specific ccTLDs: Transfers article.

Prepare for the Transfer

• Check with your current/old registrar
• Make sure your domain is "unlocked" and eligible "change of registrar"
• Request the AUTH-ID (also known as the 'epp-code') for the domain you want to transfer.

Note: Generally, the domain must be registered for at least 60 days before a transfer is possible.

Initiate the Transfer

1. Log in, and click the "Transfer a Domain to Joker.com" button:

 

2. Enter the domain name you want to transfer (without "www."), click "Transfer Domain"

 

3. Enter the AUTH-ID (epp-code) obtained from your current Registrar, click "Proceed":

 

4. Add the contacts:

You can either create new contacts, or use already existing. See also:

What are Domain Contacts?

Creating and Modifying Contacts

Please note: due to GDPR regulations and technical reasons, we cannot automatically transfer your existing domain contact data.

 

5. Choose your nameservice:

Tip: If you are currently using the name service of the initial registrar, it is best to choose our equivalent, the free Joker.com name service. Our system will attempt to read and accept your current name server entries. You can add and confirm them before starting the transfer: click on "edit DNS records" on the next page.

You may also consider using our free DNSSEC option for secure name services.

 

6. Add privacy service, if desired:

More info about our Privacy Service.

 

7. Enter your payment details, and click "Proceed":

 

Processing the Transfer

Once we have received the AUTH-ID and other required information, we will charge you for the transfer. If the attempt is successful, we will forward the transfer request to the registry. The registry will then notify your current (old) registrar.

Your current (initial) registrar may have their own verification procedures. They might ask you, the owner, and/or the admin contact to verify the transfer via email or other means. Be cautious with emails from your old registrar, as some may be confusing or appear as spam. It's important to respond appropriately to these emails, as failure to do so could result in a denied transfer.

 

Finishing the Transfer

After a maximum of 5 days, we will receive a notification from the registry regarding the success or failure of the transfer. We will inform you immediately once we receive this notification. If the transfer is successful, you can start using the domain right away.

However, please note that after a successful transfer, the domain will be locked for 60 days to prevent another transfer. This is part of the transfer policy.

If you encounter any issues during the transfer, please don't hesitate to contact us. Choose the topic 'transfer - move the domain to Joker.com,' or email us at transfer@joker.com

 

Cost of Domain Transfers

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When you transfer a domain from another registrar to Joker.com, an additional one-year term will be added to the domain. You will only be charged for this one-year renewal if the transfer is successful, and there won't be any additional transfer costs.

For most gTLDs (generic top-level domains), this extra year of registration will be added to your current domain term. This means you won't lose any remaining time from your current registration. However, there are exceptions, which are explained below.

Here's an example: 

Let's say your domain has 7 months left until it expires when you transfer it to us. If the transfer is successful, your domain will expire in 1 year + 7 months, which equals 19 months.

Please note that the fee for the transfer is non-refundable if the transfer fails due to a reason not caused by Joker.com.

Exceptions:

If you transfer your .eu, .de, or .nl  domain to Joker.com, the registration period will automatically be extended to 12 months from the date the transfer is completed. After the transfer, the expiration date of your domain will be extended by one year from the transfer completion date, not from the current expiration date. In other words, if you have 3 months left on your domain before the transfer, you will have 1 year left after the transfer, not 1 year and 3 months.

For .at domains, there is no specific "expiry date" in the registry, and explicit renewal after the transfer is not possible. Instead, the registration of .at domains will be extended for an additional year starting from the creation date.

 

Typical Reasons Why Transfer Fails

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If you receive a message stating, "The current status of '<domain name>' didn't allow this operation (transfer)," it means that the attempt to transfer the domain to Joker.com has failed. There are several reasons why a transfer request may fail, according to ICANN policies:

Additionally, it is possible that the domain is still locked at your current registrar. In such cases, you need to unlock the domain at your current registrar before initiating the transfer.

 

Domain Expiration and Transfers

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If your domain transfer was initiated before the expiration date, you can still complete the transfer. Most domain registrars allow the transfer to proceed even if the domain has expired before the transfer is completed.

However, it's worth noting that some registrars manually deny transfers after the domain has expired. If this concerns you, it's advisable to contact your previous domain registrar and inquire if they will still permit the transfer to proceed since it was initiated before the domain expired.

If you have any doubts, it's recommended to renew the domain before initiating the transfer. Our support team or transfer@joker.com are always available to assist you.

Please keep in mind that a domain transfer doesn't commence immediately after submitting a transfer order to us. The transfer starts once it has been authorized. You will receive an email titled "Transfer Initiated" from us when this occurs.

Bulk Transfer

You can transfer to us up to 100 domains at once by using our bulk transfer feature. Here's how it works:

1. Go to the Transfer section and click on "Bulk Transfer":

2. Enter the domain names and AUTH-IDs, separated by commas, with one domain per line:

3. Double-check the accuracy of the entered data:

4. Create the owner contact for the domains in the list:

5. Choose the nameservers:

6. You're done!

Please keep in mind the following:

• Bulk Transfer works only as gaining transfer (to Joker.com)
• Bulk Transfer is a manual procedure, so you won't see your transfers initiated immediately
• End customers are required to make advance payment for the Bulk Transfer. We will send you a payment link after processing your request
• Only one Owner Contact can be added for all the domains in the bulk transfer
• The Admin/Tech/Billing contacts will be the same as the owner contact

Internal Transfer

Moving Domains to Another User

Transfer from one Joker.com account to another is just like an inbound transfer, described here

To summarize the procedure, let's say Alice is the current domain creator (owner of the account where the domain belongs), and Bob is the desired new creator (another Joker.com account).

Alice needs to perform the following steps:

• Unlock the domain
• Obtain the AUTH-ID (authorization code)
• Provide the AUTH-ID to Bob, the desired new owner of the domain

Bob should initiate a domain transfer at Joker.com by doing the following:

• Start the gaining transfer process, as described here
  

What happens next?

• FOA (Form of Authorization) emails will be sent to the current owner and admin of the domain
• The current owner or admin must acknowledge the FOA, otherwise the transfer fails
  
• A losing transfer FOA is sent to the current owner and admin
• The current owner and admin have the option to deny or acknowledge the losing transfer. If no objection is raised within 5 days, the transfer is performed. If both, the owner and admin, acknowledge it, the transfer is finished immediately
• The domain's creator will be changed
• The owner/admin/billing/tech details will be updated according to the transfer order
• The old owner will be informed about the completed COR process in accordance with ICANN policy

Reseller Feature: Moving Domains Between Your Own Accounts

If you have multiple Reseller accounts at Joker.com and want to transfer domains between them, you can do so by granting an Assignment (Creator) role. Detailed instructions on how to perform this action can be found by clicking HERE.

 

In case you have lost the login credentials for one of your Joker.com accounts and are unable to retrieve your domains, please follow these instructions.

Change of Registrant Procedure

Change of Owner (COR)

When you register a domain with Joker.com, you become the "owner" of that domain. This means the domain is added to your domain portfolio, and you always maintain full control over it.

Your role as the Joker.com "account holder" also designates you as the "Designated Agent" (DA) of the domain since December 1, 2016. This change was introduced in the ICANN Change of Registrant policy (COR).

The responsibilities of a DA are governed by Joker.com's Terms & Conditions, specifically outlined in sections §19-2, §19-4, §10-2, §10-7, and §10-8.

The definition of a DA is further explained in Addendum 1 of the T&C.

There is also a contact called the "registrant" who represents the official identity of the domain owner according to ICANN and/or Registry requirements. More information about the domain registrant can be found here.

Just like any registrant data, you can edit or maintain the registrant information using Joker.com's Domain Management section.

Since December 1, 2016, changing the registrant (COR or owner change) of a generic top-level domain requires an extended procedure mandated by ICANN:

• Generally, both the prior registrant and the new registrant need to confirm the change
• Emails will be sent to both parties containing coded links to acknowledge the transaction
• The designated agent (DA) is also empowered to make decisions regarding this process (see above for details)
• Before initiating the process, the initiator has the option to choose not to apply a 60-day transfer lock after the change of registrant. Otherwise, this lock will be applied by default.
• For Resellers, we offer extended IRTP-C options and tools to handle COR and secure keys.
• The full policy can be found here.
• It is mandatory to provide valid and accurate address and identity information for Whois data. This requirement applies to all domain registries.

Please note:

• some ccTDLs (.be, .fi, .es) can not be modified regularly and requires a special procedure. Please refer to Specific ccTLDs: Transfers article
  
• In case you have received an "invalid address" or "Wrong Whois Data" notice, please refer to this article.
  

To update the current Whois information in a regular way, or change the registrant, please:

1. Go to Domain Management, and click "edit" in the "Domain Owner" section:

 

2. Enter the new registrant's data, and click "Proceed":

 

3. Apply the changes by clicking the link in the confirmation email you received from us.

How to Claim Domain Ownership

There are situations that may require you to claim ownership of your domain, such as losing your login credentials for the account of DA or if your domain is being managed by someone else whom you have lost contact with.

In such a scenario, the only option left is to transfer your domain to a new active account. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your account or create a new one if necessary

2. Go to the "Domains" menu and select "Change Ownership or Permissions of a Domain":

 

3. Enter your domain and click "Proceed":

Depending on the Whois data and the current owner of the domain, you may be asked to submit additional documents. Along with the provided form for this procedure, please prepare the following documents:

• A copy of an official document (identity card, driving license, or passport) that confirms the registrant's name and address
• For organizations: Print out the form on the company letterhead
• For organizations: A copy of a utility bill that confirms the address

Transferring Domains Away From Joker.com

To transfer a domain away from Joker.com to another registrar, follow these steps:

1. Go to your dashboard and click "Modify" next to your domain name:

2. Click on "remove domain protection" to disable it:

3. Click on "Request AUTH-ID":

4. Initiate the transfer at the gaining (new) Registrar.

The transfer process may vary depending on the registrar you choose.

Please note:

• When a transfer request is initiated, a confirmation email is sent notifying the domain owner.
• If you don't explicitly disagree with the transfer within 5 days, it will be acknowledged.
• To confirm or deny the transfer, reply to the authorization form in the confirmation email.
• If both the domain owner and the Admin contact agree to the transfer, it will be completed immediately.

Important: If the domain is unprotected (unlocked), any incoming transfer request will be acknowledged if you don't respond to explicitly disagree. Therefore, it is highly recommended to keep your domains protected.

I Can't Request AUTH-ID or Unlock the Domain. Why?

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The most common reason for this issue is a lack of permissions. It is likely that your account only has an Admin role for the domain, which does not allow you to transfer the domain. You can verify this by checking the Domain Management section:

If this is indeed the case, please contact the domain owner (creator) to coordinate the transfer. More information about roles can be found here.

Another possible reason for being unable to unlock the domain is if it is currently suspended:

There are several common causes for domain suspension:

• Domain has expired
• Domain is under dispute
• Domain is younger than 60 days and can not yet be transferred
• Domain is in a 60-day lock period after the last transfer, and can not yet be transferred
• Domain is in a 60-day lock period after the last COR (Change of Registrant) procedure, and can not yet be transferred

If you encounter any issues during the transfer, please don't hesitate to contact us at transfer@joker.com

UDRP Procedures

The UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) is a policy that applies to all ICANN domains and is also adopted by many other domain types (ccTLDs). You can find detailed explanations on Wikipedia as well.

When registering a domain, you must accept this policy in order to purchase a domain. This policy is included in our Terms & Conditions, specifically in section 11.

The UDRP process handles complaints related to domain ownership. If the arbitrator decides that a domain should be transferred to the complainant, it is the complainant's responsibility to initiate the transfer and become the new owner.

If you, as the complainant, have been awarded the domain after a UDRP decision, please follow these steps to gain access to the domain:

• Create a Joker.com account if you don't already have one. This account is free of charge and ensures the fastest processing.
• Provide us with the customer ID of this account by sending it to udrp@joker.com
• We will then immediately transfer the domain to your Joker.com account.

Please note: During the UDRP procedure, the domain will be blocked from changes (status 'freeze'). After the execution of the UDRP decision, the domain will be set to normal status again.

Specific ccTLDs: Transfers

Transfer of the .UK Domains

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Transferring Your .UK Domain to Joker.com

To transfer a .UK domain, you need to follow these steps:

If you encounter any difficulties transferring your domain with your current registrar, you have the option to transfer it directly with Nominet.

Transferring Your .UK Domain Away From Joker.com

To transfer a .UK domain to a different registrar, follow these simple steps:

Please keep in mind the following points:

Other ccTLDs Which Don't Require AUTH-ID for Transfer-In

Similar to .UK domains, there are a few more ccTLDs that do not require an AUTH-ID for the transfer. These include .es and .dk.

The transfer process for these TLDs is dependent on the approval of a Form of Authorization (FOA) by the domain owner. When initiating the transfer for any of these TLDs at Joker.com, simply enter "none" in the AUTH-ID field.

Trade - Owner Change for Specific ccTLDs

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.FI Trade

A trade for a .FI domain involves a two-step process. When you update the Owner data for a .FI domain, the following takes place:

1. A new COFI-XXXXXX handle is created with the new registrant's data.
2. The previous owner receives an email from Traficom containing a Holder Transfer Key for Owner Change:
3. The domain Creator (Designated Agent) receives an email from Joker:
4. You need to click on the link provided in the email and submit the Holder Transfer Key:
5. Once the Holder Transfer Key is submitted, the Owner Change is completed, and the new handle appears in the registry.

Please note that if you fail to submit the Auth-code within 32 days after the Owner Change was initiated, the owner change will be automatically canceled.

.BE Trade

Owner-Data-Change of a .BE domain is a trade process, which can only be initiated manually directly at the Registry (BENIC) for a fee of 9.75 Euro.

If you decide to initiate an Owner Change for a .BE Domain, please follow these steps:

1. Create a new Owner Contact (Handle) with the new owner's data.

2. Send your request for Owner Change via email to ownerchange@joker.com.

3. We will send you a Payment Link or charge your Payment account with the fee of 9.75 Euro.

4. We will request a new AUTH-ID for the domain, which will be sent directly to the domain owner via email.

5. If you are not the domain owner, you need to ask the Owner of the domain to forward us the email with the new AUTH-ID and send us the new Owner Contact Handle for the trade process, if you haven't done so already.

6. We will initiate your TRADE request with BENIC.

7. The new Owner will appear in the Whois shortly..ES Trade

 

.ES Trade

The change of registrant for .es domains must be performed directly at the Registry. For this you will need to do the following:

1. Check your domain info here: https://nic.es/sgnd/dominio/publicDetalleDominio.action
   And write down the "Identifier" of the registrant.
2. Go to https://www.nic.es/sgnd/contacto/passRecoverInicializar.action?tContacto.nic
   and using the Identifier from step 1, request a password. It will be sent to the current owner's email.
3. Log in with Identifier and password here: https://www.nic.es/sgnd/login.action
4. Make the necessary changes, and upload the required documents. Document check usually takes 24-48 hours.

 

.DK Trade

Changing the registrant of a .dk domain is only possible at the Hostmaster-DK Self Service.

For more information please refer to https://punktum.dk/en/faq

Transferring a .DK Domain to Joker.com

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The Danish registry has implemented two domain models:

• Registrar Management 
• Registrant Management

Currently, our system only supports the "Registrant Management" model. Therefore, before initiating the transfer of your .dk domain to us, ensure that your domain is configured under the "Registrant Management" model. To make this adjustment, please use the Hostmaster-DK Self Service.

Transferring an .FR Domain to Joker.com

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Please note that AFNIC, the registry of .FR domains, does not allow simultaneous domain transfers and Change of Registrant. Therefore, when initiating a transfer of a .FR domain to Joker.com, please ensure that the owner data you provide is identical to the current owner data.

Please note: we can not automatically transfer your existing domain contact data due to GDPR regulations and technical limitations.

AUTH-INFO 2 for .DE Domains

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If the domain holder is unable to request a regular AuthInfo from DENIC through their current provider, for example, if the provider no longer exists or cannot be reached, they can directly request a provider change password (AuthInfo2) from DENIC.

In such cases, the domain holder should contact the future domain administrator, such as transfer@joker.com.

The provider initiates the generation of an AuthInfo directly from DENIC. DENIC then sends the generated AuthInfo to the domain holder via registered regular mail (letter in paper form).

The letter will be addressed to the recorded address in the Whois database. If the domain holder is not located in Germany, the letter will be addressed to the Admin-Contact in Germany to ensure prompt and secure delivery.

Simultaneously, DENIC stores the generated AuthInfo as a hash in its database.

The domain holder should share the AuthInfo with the future domain administrator, who will then initiate the provider change by submitting the AuthInfo to DENIC.

If you need to request an AuthInfo2, please send an email to transfer@joker.com.