Overview
The following provides solutions to common issues that may occur when a domain registration fails to transfer to DreamHost.
If your transfer fails
In the event that a registration transfer fails to complete, DreamHost immediately sends you an email with further information on why it failed. The following sections describe a few of the most common reasons why a transfer fails and how to solve them so that they successfully complete.
The current registrar has rejected a domain transfer
What does this mean?
There are various reasons why this may occur, including (but not limited to):
- The domain has expired.
- The current registrar has a setting enabled preventing the transfer.
How do I fix it?
The best way to fix a rejected transfer is to contact your current registrar and obtain further information on what is preventing the transfer from completing.
- If you need help finding out where your domain is registered, see this article to learn more about how to find WHOIS information for your domain.
- If your domain is registered at DreamHost, you can contact support to obtain more information on how to fix a rejected transfer.
The domain is locked at the current registrar or is not yet 60 days old
What does this mean?
The most common reasons for this to occur are:
- Your domain was newly registered within the last 60 days.
- Your domain status is set to "locked" at your current registrar.
- You have made a change to the WHOIS information within the last 60 days (such as the contact information or email address). Per a recent policy change, ICANN prevents a transfer by locking the domain for 60 days from the date any WHOIS changes are made.
How do I fix it?
To fix this, contact your current domain registrar to determine why your domain is locked (see the previous section to find your current registrar). If your domain is registered at DreamHost, you can contact support to obtain more information on what to do if your domain is locked.
There is no response to the verification email
What does this mean?
In most cases, a verification is email is sent to the WHOIS contact for the domain you wish to transfer to DreamHost. You must respond to this confirmation email in order to initiate the transfer.
How do I fix it?
To fix this, make sure you have access to the email account associated with the WHOIS information for the domain so you can respond to the verification email. Be sure to check the spam folder as well. For more information, see this article that describes how to transfer a domain to DreamHost.
Will I get a refund if my registration or renewal fails to complete?
No. If your registration or renewal request fails to complete, your payments are not automatically refunded. Instead, the balance paid is applied to the account as a credit, which will be used if the registration/renewal is resubmitted.