A .UK transfer can mean two different things: moving a registration to another registrar, or changing the person or organisation recorded as its registrant. A sale may require both. Establish which change is needed before asking for a TAG change, a transfer authorisation code or an ownership update.
Which kind of transfer do you need?
| Question | Registrar change | Registrant change |
|---|---|---|
| What changes? | The provider responsible for managing the registration | The person or organisation recorded as the registrant |
| Typical reason | Moving administration or consolidating renewals | Completing a domain sale or moving a registration from an individual to a company |
| Does it prove the other change happened? | No: a new registrar does not itself establish a new registrant | No: an ownership change need not move the name to another registrar |
| What should you retain? | Provider acceptance and a verified completion record | Authorised instructions and confirmation of the intended registrant details |
Nominet's current guidance separates switching registrar from transferring a domain to someone else. A change to hosting, nameservers or a website login is a different task again. Keep those workstreams explicit in a handover plan.
What applies now, and what is scheduled?
As checked on 3 November 2026, the current .UK platform remains in use. Nominet's formal notice schedules the new framework for 9 February 2027, subject to a revised effective date if transition is delayed.
| Area | Current .UK procedure | Scheduled procedure after transition |
|---|---|---|
| Starting a registrar move | Arrange the move using the receiving registrar's TAG; acceptance may involve a handshake | Obtain a TAC and ask the receiving registrar to request the transfer |
| Important coordination | Confirm the correct destination and its acceptance requirements | Confirm the code, locks, destination contract and renewal choice |
| Ownership | Treat a registrant change as a separate authorised operation | Continue to distinguish the registrant from the sponsoring registrar |
For a move under current rules, contact the existing provider first and check the receiving provider's instructions. Do not replace a currently valid TAG-based process with future TAC instructions merely because you have read a future-state guide. If a move will cross the transition, ask both providers how they will handle unfinished work.
The scheduled TAC process
Nominet's future transfer FAQ describes the losing registrar supplying a Transfer Authorisation Code, which the registrant passes to the gaining registrar. Subject to the required checks, the gaining registrar initiates the move. The FAQ gives a TAC a 14-day validity period and says successful use invalidates it.
Treat a TAC as sensitive authority to move a domain. Obtain it through the verified provider channel, pass it only to the intended receiving registrar and avoid putting it in public messages or screenshots. DomainSabre does not collect transfer codes.
Before proceeding, ask whether a registrar or registry lock prevents the move, who can remove it and whether the request needs identity verification. Do not assume every lock has the same cause or removal route. If a code has expired or been replaced, request a new one through the authorised process rather than repeatedly retrying an old value.
Registry costs and your provider's charges
The future inter-registrar transfer policy permits transfers without a renewal where the receiving registrar supports them, except during the auto-renew grace period. Its rules require at least a one-year renewal for a transfer during that period. A zero-renewal transfer carries no registry transfer charge, but the receiving registrar may still charge its customer.
That distinction matters when comparing providers. Obtain the retail total, any renewal included, the resulting expiry date, VAT treatment and any separate administrative charge. A registry capability is not a promise that every provider offers the same retail service. Current procedures and prices should also be confirmed with the providers involved rather than inferred from scheduled rules.
Questions for the receiving registrar
- Which account should receive the name, and must it exist before the move starts?
- Does the provider support the exact suffix and any restrictions associated with it?
- Are you arranging only a registrar move, or also a change of registrant?
- What identity evidence and authorisation will each party need?
- What is the full charge, and does the move include a renewal?
- Will nameservers, DNSSEC and any hosting arrangements be preserved or changed?
- What record will establish completion, and who handles a failed or disputed transfer?
Keep the answers with the transaction records. Where a third party coordinates the handover, write down which step they perform and which steps remain with the registrars. Payment, contractual completion and the registry record are separate pieces of evidence.
Illustrative handover: a sale and a provider move
Fictional preparation example; this is not a DomainSabre sale or transfer service. An owner agrees to sell “Illustrative name A”. The buyer also wants to use a different registrar.
First, both parties identify the correct registrant and establish who may authorise the sale. They agree which party arranges the registrant update and which provider will perform it. Second, the buyer checks the receiving registrar's onboarding, charges and acceptance requirements. Third, they identify the procedure in force on the intended handover date: current TAG arrangements or the confirmed future TAC process.
Finally, they verify the intended registrant, sponsoring registrar and expiry date, and check any agreed DNS changes separately. A screenshot showing the new registrar alone would not answer the ownership question. Equally, a receipt for the sale would not demonstrate that the registration record had been updated.
Continue your preparation
Read the lifecycle guide if expiry is close, and the auction guide or selling guide for the surrounding transaction questions. The Nominet transition overview and readiness checklist help identify which scheduled changes affect your next action.