ICANN 60-Day Lock After Change of Registrant
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Changing the registrant on a domain locks it against transfer to another registrar for 60 days. This is ICANN policy that took effect on 1 December 2016, and it applies to domains under registries contracted with ICANN, including all gTLDs and newGTLDs, and potentially some ccTLDs.
DNSimple does not offer an opt-out. If you plan to transfer a domain away, complete the transfer before changing the registrant.
When the lock applies
The lock is not triggered by every contact edit. It applies when the change is a change of registrant, meaning the identity of the domain’s owner changes at the registry.
Correcting a typo in a phone number or updating a postal address on the existing registrant does not normally trigger it. Assigning a different contact as the registrant, or changing the registrant’s name, email address, or organization, does.
When a change will trigger the lock, DNSimple warns you before you confirm it. The confirmation screen shows an “ICANN 60-day lock” notice, so you can cancel if the timing does not suit you. If you do not see that notice, the change is not treated as a change of registrant.
Why the 60-day lock exists
The 60-day transfer lock after a registrant change is an ICANN security measure designed to prevent domain hijacking. When registrant information changes, there is a risk that the change could be unauthorized or fraudulent. The lock period gives the previous registrant time to detect and report any unauthorized changes before a domain can be transferred away. This protection is especially important because once a domain is transferred to another registrar, recovery becomes significantly more difficult.
The lock applies specifically to transfers between registrars. It does not prevent other operations like DNS changes, contact updates (other than registrant), or renewals. The lock only affects the ability to initiate a transfer to another registrar.
After 1 December 2016, registrars must impose a lock that will prevent any transfer to another registrar for sixty (60) days following a change to a registrant’s information. Registrars may (but are not required to) allow registrants to opt out of the 60-day lock prior to the change of registrant request.
To transfer a domain name to another registrar and change the registrant’s information, registrants may:
- Request the transfer to another registrar before changing the registrant’s information (to avoid the 60-day lock); or
- Have the prior registrant opt-out the 60-day lock (if this option is offered by the registrar) before making any change to registrant information.
Because policies may vary by registrar, please review a registrar’s policy before making a change to registrant information or transferring to another registrar.
Working around the lock
DNSimple does not support opting out of the 60-day lock. It cannot be bypassed or shortened once it is in effect. If you need to transfer a domain, complete the transfer first and change the registrant afterwards. A registrant change made after a transfer does not trigger a new lock on the transfer you just completed, so the order of operations is what matters.
For the steps to change a domain’s contact, see Changing Domain Contacts.
Have more questions?
If you have any questions about the 60-day lock after a change of registrant, just contact support, and we will be happy to help.