What is an Auth Code for a domain transfer?

An au­tho­riza­tion code is a security key needed to transfer a domain between reg­is­trars. It confirms that the current domain owner has approved the transfer. Without this code, moving a domain to another provider is not possible.

What is an Auth Code and what is it used for?

The Auth Code (short for Au­tho­riza­tion Code), sometimes also referred to as the AuthInfo Code, works like a domain password that is only available to the reg­is­tered owner. It is made up of a com­bi­na­tion of 6 to 16 letters and numbers.

In a domain transfer, the Auth Code functions as proof of au­tho­riza­tion. Your new provider requires this code to host the domain on their server. It confirms that you are the rightful domain owner and protects against unau­tho­rized takeovers. For this reason, re­quest­ing the Au­tho­riza­tion Code is the first and most important step in any domain transfer.

How to obtain the Auth Code for your domain?

Option 1: Request the Auth Code from the registrar

In most cases, the hosting provider also acts as the domain registrar. They register the domain for you and supply the ap­pro­pri­ate hosting plan. To initiate a transfer, you simply need to request the Auth Code from your current provider—usually by com­plet­ing a short form on their website. In some cases, you may need to contact customer service directly. You will then receive the au­to­mat­i­cal­ly generated AuthInfo Code, which must be provided to your new domain provider.

Beyond hosting providers, there are also in­de­pen­dent domain reg­is­trars. When you reg­is­tered your domain, you should have received contact details for your registrar, which you can use to request your domain’s Auth Code.

Option 2: Request the Auth Code from the registry

If you reg­is­tered your domain directly with the registry for your top-level domain, you must request the Auth Code from that registry. For example, if you own a domain with the .us extension, the re­spon­si­ble registry is Verisign, where you can manage your domain directly through its services.

For other country-specific domains (e.g., .fr or .co.uk) as well as newer generic domain ex­ten­sions like .shop, .music, or .nyc, the re­spec­tive reg­istries are re­spon­si­ble for issuing the Auth Code.

How long is an Auth Code valid?

The validity of an au­tho­riza­tion code depends on the domain provider and the as­so­ci­at­ed top-level domain. In most cases, an Auth Code is valid for up to 30 days. Some reg­is­trars set shorter time­frames to increase security during domain transfers. Once a code expires, a new one must be requested from your current provider before the transfer can continue. For generic TLDs, longer validity periods are common, while stricter rules may apply to country-specific domains.

It’s best to use the au­tho­riza­tion code as soon as you receive it to complete the transfer. Delays can result in error messages from the new provider, forcing you to restart the process. To avoid issues, check the validity period with your current registrar in advance.