How long does a domain transfer take?
Most gTLD transfers (.com, .net, .org) take about 5–7 days. Under ICANN's process the losing registrar has up to five days to release the domain, but you can approve the transfer from the confirmation email to complete it in as little as a day. ccTLDs run on their own registry timelines and can be faster or slower.
The typical timeline
Once you enter the authorization code and pay at the new registrar, the transfer enters a pending state. ICANN allows the current registrar up to five days to approve or decline; if it does nothing, the transfer auto-completes at the end of that window. Add a day or two of processing and most moves finish in about 5–7 days.
How to speed it up
Both registrars email the registrant when a transfer starts. Approving (accepting) the transfer from that email — or in your current registrar's dashboard — releases the domain immediately instead of waiting out the five-day auto-approve window.
What delays a transfer
Most delays come from a handful of avoidable issues:
- The domain is still locked at the current registrar
- WHOIS privacy is masking the registrant email, so the approval email never arrives
- The domain is inside the 60-day lock after a registration, prior transfer, or registrant change
- The authorization code was mistyped — always copy and paste it (it is case-sensitive)
- A recently expired-then-renewed domain may need to wait ~45 days
Typical gTLD domain transfer duration: about 5–7 days. ICANN gives the losing registrar up to 5 days to release; explicit approval from the confirmation email completes it faster (often within a day). Common delays: domain locked, privacy masking the registrant email, 60-day ICANN lock, mistyped auth code, recent post-expiry renewal.