A Namecheap domain handover is cleanest when your client already knows where the domain should live next. If it stays at Namecheap, treat it as account ownership work; if it leaves, prepare for the new registrar's transfer flow.
Before you ask for the Auth Code, check the registrant email and the 60-day windows. Namecheap sends the key approval material to the domain contact, not necessarily to the inbox you use for the account.
Before you start
- Confirm whether your client wants the domain in their account at the same registrar or moved to a different registrar.
- Make sure the registrant email is reachable before you request codes or approve contact changes.
- Lower DNS TTLs for records you may need to change, and record the current nameservers before you start.
On Namecheap, specifically
- Namecheap says the domain must be more than 60 days old before a transfer out can start. Source, checked September 3, 2026.
- Namecheap says the domain must not have been transferred between registrars within the previous 60 days. Source, checked September 3, 2026.
- The Transfer Out section in Namecheap's Sharing & Transfer tab is where you unlock the domain and request the Auth Code. Source, checked September 3, 2026.
- Namecheap sends the Auth Code to the registrant email address, which may differ from the account email address. Source, checked September 3, 2026.
- Namecheap says it has 5 days to release the domain after the new registrar starts the transfer and receives the Auth Code. Source, checked September 3, 2026.
The three stages
Prepare
Check lock status, privacy settings, DNSSEC, renewal date, and whether the domain is inside any bundled or protected product. Tell your client which email address will receive approval links or authorization codes.
Transfer
Use the provider's documented path for an account move or registrar transfer. Keep the domain live while the transfer runs, and avoid changing nameservers unless the provider requires it.
Confirm
After the client accepts the move, verify the registrar, registrant email, nameservers, DNSSEC state, and renewal owner. Keep your own access only if the client explicitly wants you to manage it.
What to tell your client
- Which account will own the domain after the handover.
- Which approval email or dashboard action they need to watch for.
- What may pause the move, including transfer locks, expired domains, or pending contact updates.
After it is done
Record the asset in Everkey, change its ownership status from needs_transfer to client_owned, and leave a short note with the account that now controls the domain. The free tier is enough for a small handover map.