Key takeaways
- Moving a .com.au to a new registrar is routine, but the order of steps matters.
- Copy every DNS record first. Missing an email record is the most common way transfers break things.
- You’ll need the domain password (auDA’s name for the transfer or EPP code) from your current registrar.
- Since 20 May 2026, .au renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN behind the domain is no longer active. Check it before you start.
- Done carefully, a transfer is designed to cause no downtime at all.
To transfer a .com.au domain safely: check the ABN and contact email are current, copy every DNS record, get the domain password from your current registrar, start the transfer with the new one, and confirm the records are in place before anything changes. Your website and email keep running throughout, because the transfer moves who manages the domain, not where it points.
That last point is worth repeating. A registrar transfer and a hosting move are two different jobs. You can do either on its own, or both. This guide covers the transfer.
What actually changes when you transfer a domain?
Your domain has two important settings. The registrar is the company you pay to hold the licence, such as us or another provider. The DNS records are the instructions that tell the internet where your website and email live.
A transfer changes the registrar. If the DNS records come across exactly as they were, visitors and email never notice. Problems only happen when records go missing along the way.
Before you start: three quick checks
- Is the ABN or ACN still active? Since 20 May 2026, .au renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN behind the domain is no longer active. A transfer is a good moment to check. Look up the domain in a .au WHOIS search to see which ABN it’s registered to.
- Can you receive the registrant email? Approval emails go to the registrant contact. If that’s an old staff member’s address, update it first.
- Is the domain close to expiry? If it expires within a few weeks, renew it before you start, or ask the new registrar how they handle it. You can renew up to 90 days before expiry.
Registered to the wrong entity? If the domain sits under an old company or a sole trader ABN you no longer use, fix that first. It’s a different process from a transfer. See how to change a .com.au registrant.
Step 1: Copy every DNS record
Log in to wherever your DNS is managed. That may be your registrar, your host or a service like Cloudflare. Export the zone, or take screenshots of every record.
Pay special attention to these:
- A and AAAA records point your website to its server.
- MX records deliver your email. Lose these and email stops.
- TXT records hold SPF, DKIM and DMARC email security, plus verification codes for Google and Microsoft.
- CNAME records often connect services such as Microsoft 365, booking tools or email marketing.
Step 2: Lower the TTL if DNS is moving too
If your DNS will move to the new registrar, lower the TTL (time to live) on your records to a few minutes, a day ahead. That way, if anything needs correcting after the move, the fix spreads quickly.
If your DNS stays where it is, for example with your host or Cloudflare, you can skip this step. The transfer won’t touch it.
Step 3: Get the domain password
auDA calls the transfer code the domain password. Other registrars may call it an auth code or EPP code. Your current registrar provides it, usually in their control panel or by request. Our guide to what a domain auth code is explains where to find it.
Treat it like a password. Anyone with it can start a transfer of your domain.
Step 4: Start and approve the transfer
Start the transfer with your new registrar and enter the domain password. The registrant contact will be asked to approve it, usually by email. Once approved, .au transfers are usually complete within a day or two.
Step 5: Check everything works
When the transfer completes, compare the DNS records against your copy from Step 1. Then test:
- Your website loads on both the www and non-www addresses, with the padlock showing.
- Email arrives. Send a test from an outside address, such as a personal Gmail account.
- Email you send isn’t landing in spam. That’s a sign SPF or DKIM records are missing.
- Contact forms still deliver.
If you’re moving hosting at the same time, do that as a separate step. Our guide to pointing your domain to a new host covers it, and our free website migration handles the whole move for hosting customers.
What does a transfer cost?
It depends on the registrar. Many charge for a period of registration as part of the transfer. With us, a .com.au domain is $80 for two years. See our guide to what a .com.au should cost for typical prices and the fees to watch for.
Frequently asked questions
Will my website go down when I transfer my domain?
It shouldn’t. A transfer changes the registrar, not where your website and email point. Downtime only happens if DNS records are lost along the way, so copy them all before you start.
What is a .com.au domain password?
It’s auDA’s name for the code that authorises a transfer to a new registrar. Other providers call it an auth code or EPP code. Your current registrar provides it.
How long does a .com.au transfer take?
Once the registrant approves it, .au transfers are usually complete within a day or two.
Do I need an ABN to transfer a .com.au?
The domain must still meet eligibility rules, which usually means an active ABN or ACN. Since 20 May 2026, renewals are blocked if that ABN or ACN is no longer active.
Can I transfer my domain and move hosting at the same time?
Yes, but treat them as two jobs. Transfer the domain first, check everything works, then move the hosting. It makes any problem much easier to trace.
Sources
- Renewing your domain licence, auDA, accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Important update: .au domain renewal rules changing from 20 May 2026, TPP Wholesale, 2026
- WHOIS Policy v1.2, auDA, June 2026