An EPP code is the secret password that proves you own a domain and lets you move it to a new registrar. Every domain has its own unique code, and you request it from your current registrar when you're ready to transfer out. It has nothing to do with your hosting account, DNS settings, or email password.
TL;DR:
- Many registrars require waiting 60 days after registration or a recent change before allowing a transfer, which can block the process.
- The EPP code only verifies domain ownership and does not affect your website files, DNS records, or email services, which must be migrated separately.
- Request the code early and verify your domain is unlocked before starting the transfer, to avoid delays caused by flags like clientTransferProhibited or recent ownership updates.
- Using a trusted registrar or support team helps ensure timely code delivery, especially if self-service options are unavailable or support response times are slow.
- Coordinating domain transfer with DNS and hosting changes through professional support prevents downtime and ensures a smooth migration.
Table of Contents
- What an EPP Code Actually Is
- How to Get Your EPP Code From Your Registrar
- Why Your Transfer Might Get Blocked Before It Starts
- The Actual Transfer Sequence, Step by Step
- Handling Your EPP Code Safely
- What inSave Hosting Can Do When You're Ready to Move
- A Straight Answer From Someone Who's Seen This Go Wrong
- Get Help Moving Your Domain the Right Way
- Sources
- FAQ
What an EPP Code Actually Is
An EPP code goes by several names: auth code, authorization code, transfer key, or AuthInfo code. They all mean the same thing. EPP stands for Extensible Provisioning Protocol, the technical standard registries and registrars used to talk to each other about domain records, and the AuthInfo field is the piece of that protocol that proves you're the legitimate registrant.
Here's what that code actually does:
- It identifies you as the registered name holder to the registry.
- It lets the gaining registrar verify that you, not someone else, authorized the move.
- It's tied to one specific domain and expires or resets once the transfer completes.
- It cannot touch your website files, DNS records, or inbox.
That last point trips people up constantly. A domain transfer EPP code changes who your registrar is. It does not move your site, your email, or your DNS zone anywhere. Those are separate jobs, and confusing them is the single most common reason small business owners end up with unexpected downtime mid transfer.
How to Get Your EPP Code From Your Registrar
Most registrars put this behind two or three clicks. The exact wording changes, but the path is nearly always the same:
- Log in to your registrar account.
- Go to your domain list and click the domain you want to transfer.
- Look for a tab labeled "Transfer Out," "Security," or "Domain Settings."
- Click "Get Code," "Reveal Code," or "Generate Auth Code."
- Copy the code exactly, including capital letters and symbols.
Registrar documentation commonly places this option inside a "Transfer Out" or "Auth Info" section of the dashboard, which is where most people should look first before contacting anyone.
If your account doesn't show a self-service option, don't panic. Contact your registrar's support team directly and ask for the AuthInfo code by name. Under ICANN's transfer policy, registrars without a self-service tool must hand over the code within a short, defined timeframe after your request. That's a hard policy deadline, not a suggestion.
Only the registrant or an authorized administrative contact on the account can usually request the code, and registrars typically verify identity through the account email or a support ticket before releasing it.
Pro Tip: Request your EPP code a few days before you actually plan to transfer, not the same day. That buffer covers you if support is slow or the code needs to be regenerated.
Why Your Transfer Might Get Blocked Before It Starts
A valid code doesn't guarantee a smooth move. Several common locks can stop a transfer cold, and it's worth checking for these before you even ask for the code:
- The 60-day new registration lock. ICANN allows registrars to block transfers for the first 60 days after a domain is first registered.
- The 60-day post-transfer lock. Once a domain changes registrars, it's typically locked from transferring again for another 60 days.
- Recent registrant or contact changes. ICANN policy permits registrars to deny a transfer for 60 days after you've updated the registrant name or organization on the account, unless you opted out of that hold when you made the change.
- ClientTransferProhibited status. This is a flag your registrar can set (often automatically) that blocks all outbound transfers until it's removed.
Check your domain's status before requesting anything. A quick WHOIS or RDAP lookup on your domain, or a glance at your registrar's dashboard, will show whether clientTransferProhibited is active. Our guide to how 60-day domain locks work walks through each scenario in more detail if you want to check your specific situation.
The Actual Transfer Sequence, Step by Step
Once your domain is unlocked and you have a fresh code in hand, the transfer itself follows a predictable order:
- Request and copy the current AuthInfo code from your losing registrar.
- Start the transfer request at your new (gaining) registrar and paste in the code.
- The gaining registrar submits that AuthInfo to the registry to verify the request.
- Both registrars, and sometimes the registry itself, send Form of Authorization (FOA) confirmation emails to the registrant contact.
- You approve the transfer, and it typically completes within five to seven days unless a lock or dispute intervenes.
Notice what's missing from that list: your website. A registrar transfer moves ownership of the domain record. It does nothing to your hosting account, your DNS zone file, or your email inbox. If you're planning to also switch hosts, treat that as a separate project with its own timeline and consider strategies to increase DA with proven strategies to maintain your site's authority during the transfer. Our post on transferring a domain without downtime covers how to sequence both moves so your site and email stay live the whole time.
Handling Your EPP Code Safely
Your EPP code is a short-lived password, and it deserves the same caution you'd give a bank login. A few rules to actually follow:
- Never paste it into email, chat, or a support ticket you didn't initiate yourself.
- Copy and paste it directly rather than retyping it. One wrong character and the transfer fails.
- If you suspect it's been exposed, regenerate it immediately before anyone else can use it.
- Confirm the domain shows as unlocked before you request the code, not after.
If your registrar drags past the five-day window ICANN requires, escalate. Contact support again, cite the policy directly, and if that goes nowhere, ICANN accepts complaints against registrars that fail to comply. Registrars also can't withhold your code just because you have an unpaid invoice or open dispute.
Pro Tip: If a transfer fails right after you enter the code, check three things first: the domain's lock status, whether the registrant email address is current, and whether you're using the most recently generated code rather than an old one.
What inSave Hosting Can Do When You're Ready to Move
Moving a domain shouldn't mean losing sleep over downtime. inSave Hosting's domain transfer support walks you through code retrieval, timing, and DNS continuity so your site and email stay reachable through the whole process, backed by free migration assistance for the hosting side of the move.
Before transfer day, run through this short checklist:
- Request your EPP code at least a few days ahead of schedule.
- Confirm your registrant and admin contact emails are current and monitored.
- Take a snapshot of your current DNS records before anything changes.
- Schedule the move during low-traffic hours to minimize any disruption.
Our guide on changing nameservers without downtime pairs well with this checklist if DNS changes are part of your plan.
A Straight Answer From Someone Who's Seen This Go Wrong
The mistake I see most often isn't a lost code. It's timing. People update their registrant contact info, change an email address, or fix a typo in their business name right before starting a transfer, not realizing that alone can trigger a fresh 60-day lock and stall everything.
My advice: get the code first, before you touch anything else on the account. Leave contact details alone until the transfer is done. And if your domain has any history of disputes, recent ownership changes, or you're just not sure what status it's in, don't guess. Check the domain lock rules or reach out to support before you start the clock.
— Ihor
Get Help Moving Your Domain the Right Way
Sorting out an EPP code, checking for locks, and coordinating DNS timing is a lot to manage solo, especially if you're running the transfer alongside a hosting move. inSave Hosting handles domain transfers with free migration support built in, so you're not juggling two separate vendors and two separate timelines while your site is on the line.
Whether you're consolidating everything under one provider or just want a smoother handoff, our domain transfer page explains exactly what to expect and how our team helps with DNS continuity along the way. If you're also considering a hosting switch, our WordPress hosting plans and shared hosting plans are worth a look, and current pricing for each is listed on those pages. Reach out to support before you start your transfer and we'll walk through the timing with you.
Sources
Claims here draw on ICANN's transfer policy documentation and registrar procedural guides like Gandi's AuthInfo documentation.
- Frequently Asked Questions: Transfer Policy Updates (Change of Registrant) — ICANN
- Transfer Policy (redline) — ICANN (24 Sep 2015)
- How to find the authorization code (EPP code) for a transfer — Gandi documentation
FAQ
Where Do I Get My EPP Code?
Log in to your current registrar's dashboard and look under "Transfer Out," "Security," or "Domain Settings" for an option to reveal or generate the code. If you don't see it, contact your registrar's support team directly and they must provide it within five calendar days under ICANN policy.
Where Can I Find the GoDaddy EPP Code?
GoDaddy places the auth code inside your domain's settings under a transfer or "Domain Lock" section, similar to how most registrars display it. If it's not visible on the account page, GoDaddy support can generate and send it to your registrant email on file.
Where to Find EPP Code on Other Registrar Dashboards?
Most registrars, including smaller regional ones, follow the same basic pattern: sign in, open the domain's management page, and look for "Transfer" or "Auth Info." When self-service isn't available, a direct request to support is your fallback, and registrars must respond within the same five-day window regardless of brand.
Why Isn't My EPP Code Working?
The most common causes are an expired or previously used code, a domain that's still locked, or a clientTransferProhibited flag that hasn't been removed. Generate a fresh code, confirm the domain status is unlocked, and double check you copied the code without extra spaces or characters.
Does an EPP Code Move My Website or Email Too?
No. An EPP code only authorizes a change in registrar, meaning it does not touch your hosting, DNS records, or email accounts. Those need to be handled as a separate migration, and inSave Hosting's domain transfer service can help coordinate both so nothing goes offline.