How do I transfer a domain name to another Alibaba Cloud account - Domain Names

Transfer a domain name from one Alibaba Cloud account (the source account, also called the transfer-out account) to another Alibaba Cloud account (the destination account). The transfer changes only the account that manages the domain name. The registrant information (ownership) and the expiration date remain unchanged, and DNS resolution and SSL certificates are not affected. To change the domain name registrant instead, see Change the domain name registrant.

If you use paid editions of Alibaba Cloud DNS, the DNS records in those editions do not move with the domain name. The FAQ section of this topic describes this exception.

Cross-account transfers are commonly used in the following situations:

Centralized management — For example, transfer a domain name from an employee's personal account to a company account.
Permission handover — For example, reclaim domain name management permissions when an employee leaves.
Business ownership adjustment — Adjust the account to which a domain name belongs based on business requirements.
Renewal management — Transfer a domain name to an account that is easier to use for renewals.

In each of these situations, only the managing account changes. The domain name registrant stays the same, so a cross-account transfer is not an ownership transfer.

Procedure

This procedure transfers a domain name between Alibaba Cloud accounts in the console.

Step 1: Perform pre-transfer checks

Before you start the transfer, log on to the console with the source Alibaba Cloud account (not a RAM user) and confirm each of the following conditions.

Check item	Domain name and instructions
Domain name validity	The domain name must be valid. If it has expired, renew it first.
Domain name status	“.cn” domain names must have completed identity verification. The domain name must not be in an abnormal status, such as “transfer prohibited” (`clientTransferProhibited`), “redemption period” (you must redeem the domain name first), or “judicial freeze”.
Registration date	The domain name must have been registered for a specified period. The console displays the applicable requirement.
Account type	The source account and the destination account must both be Alibaba Cloud accounts. Resource Access Management (RAM) users are not supported.
Site restrictions	A cross-account transfer between an Alibaba Cloud China site account and an Alibaba Cloud International site account is not supported. To transfer a domain name from the International site to the China site, use the account that contains the domain name to transfer the domain name out of Alibaba Cloud and then use the destination account to transfer the domain name into Alibaba Cloud. A cross-site transfer incurs a fee (the transfer-in fee) and extends the domain name term by one year. A cross-account transfer on the same site does not incur this fee and does not change the domain name term.

Step 2: Initiate the transfer

The source account (the account that currently contains the domain name) performs the following steps.

Go to the transfer page

Log on to the Domain Names page in the console, find the target domain name, click Manage, and then select Transfer between Accounts in the left-side navigation pane.

For batch transfers: In the left-side navigation pane, click Batch Operation > Common Batch Operations > Account Transfer.
Enter information and submit

Important
After the domain name is transferred to another account, the destination account has management permissions for the domain name, and the operation cannot be revoked. Before you submit the request, confirm that the destination account ID is completely correct.
- Batch Mode: select Enter Domain Names (one per line, up to 1,000) or Upload a file (supports .xls and .xlsx files, 2 MB maximum, with only one domain name column and no header).
- Transfer To:: enter the account ID (UID) of the destination account accurately.
  
  How do I obtain the account ID (UID)?
  The destination account logs on to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console and hovers over the profile picture in the upper-right corner to view and copy the 16-digit account ID.
After email verification, click Submit. The online transfer takes effect immediately. Make sure that the account ID you enter is correct.

Step 3: View the transfer result

The transfer takes effect immediately, and no additional acceptance operation is required.

Source account (the original account): After the transfer succeeds, the domain name is no longer visible in the source account's domain name list. View the transfer record in Operation Records.
Destination account: Log on to the destination account to find the domain name in the console's Domain Names list.

FAQ

What should I do if I cannot see the domain name after the transfer?

Check the items described in Step 3 first, and then troubleshoot the issue as follows:
1. Confirm the logon account: Make sure that you are logged on to the correct destination account, not the source account.
2. Check operation records: Log on to the source account and view the domain name transfer status in Operation Records. If the status is “Transfer failed”, remove the restriction based on the failure reason, such as a locked domain name or an ineligible destination account, and try again.
3. Clear the cache: Try clearing the browser cache or using another browser before checking again.
How long does a domain name transfer between Alibaba Cloud accounts take? Is there a fee? Does it affect the expiration date?
- Time: transfers are instant. Once the source account confirms and initiates the transfer, the destination account can immediately find the domain name in the console's Domain Names list.
- Fee: No fee is charged for a cross-account transfer between Alibaba Cloud accounts on the same site. A cross-site transfer incurs the transfer-in fee and extends the domain name term by one year, as described in the Site restrictions item in Step 1.
- Expiration date: It is not affected. Your domain name's expiration date remains unchanged.
Will transferring a domain name to another account affect DNS resolution or SSL certificates?
- DNS resolution: It is not affected.
  
  If you use Alibaba Cloud DNS, DNS records in the Free Edition move with the domain name, but DNS records in paid editions remain in the source account. For more information, see Transfer a domain name between Alibaba Cloud accounts without affecting DNS resolution.
- SSL certificates: They are not affected. SSL certificates are bound to domain names. A cross-account transfer does not affect certificate validity. The certificate sharing feature lets you share certificates between Alibaba Cloud accounts that have the same identity verification.
Will the identity verification information change to that of the new account after the domain name transfer?

No. A cross-account transfer changes only the Alibaba Cloud account to which the domain name belongs. The domain name's registrant information remains unchanged. If you need to change domain name ownership from “Zhang San” to “Li Si” or “Company A”, perform an additional registrant change after the transfer.
Can the operation be revoked? What should I do if I accidentally transfer the domain name to the wrong account?

No, it cannot be revoked. Once submitted, domain name management rights change immediately. Therefore, confirm the destination account information before you perform the operation. If you transfer the domain name to the wrong account, you can only try to contact the holder of that account and negotiate a transfer back. Alibaba Cloud cannot intervene unilaterally.
Why does a cross-account transfer display “Failed to create order”?

This message is usually caused by an eligibility issue with the destination account. Check the following items:
- Whether the destination account has a valid payment method bound, such as a credit card or PayPal.
- Whether the destination account has a mobile phone number bound.