clientTransferProhibited status

What clientTransferProhibited means

clientTransferProhibited tells the registry to reject any request to transfer the domain from its current registrar to a different one. It is set by the sponsoring registrar (the "client" in EPP terms) and is the most common status you will see in a WHOIS or RDAP lookup. In RDAP it appears as client transfer prohibited.

This is the status behind the "domain lock", "registrar lock" or "transfer lock" switch in most registrar control panels. It has no effect on the website, email or DNS: the domain keeps resolving, it can still be renewed and, unless other locks are set, its name servers and contacts can still be changed.

The lock only blocks moving the domain to another registrar. It does not stop changes made from inside your registrar account, so a strong password and two-factor authentication on that account matter just as much.

Official definition: ICANN, EPP Status Codes: What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know? (clientTransferProhibited)

Why a domain has this status

• It is a default security setting: many registrars lock every domain automatically after registration.
• The registrant switched on "domain lock" in the registrar's control panel.
• The domain is in a period during which the registrar will not allow a transfer. For gTLDs, ICANN's Transfer Policy lets registrars refuse transfers for a while after a domain was registered or last transferred, and some registrars also lock a domain after a change of registrant.
• There is an unpaid invoice, a dispute or a verification issue on the account, and the registrar keeps the lock until it is resolved.

What you should do

• If you are not planning a transfer, leave it on. It is a normal, healthy status.
• To move the domain to another registrar, sign in to your current registrar, turn off the domain lock (it may be called registrar lock or transfer lock) and request the authorization code, also known as the EPP code or auth code. Then start the transfer at the new registrar with that code.
• Run a fresh lookup and wait until clientTransferProhibited is gone before you start the transfer; if the status is still present, the registry will reject the request.
• If the unlock option is missing or greyed out, the domain may still be inside a post-registration or post-transfer lock period, or there may be an open billing or dispute issue. Ask your registrar's support why.
• If the lookup also shows serverTransferProhibited, the registry has a lock of its own on the domain that your registrar has to get lifted separately.

Check a domain's status

Look up any domain to see its current status codes, registrar, expiration date and name servers from the registry's RDAP or WHOIS service.

Related status codes

• serverTransferProhibited: The registry has locked the domain against transfers to another registrar, often as part of a registry lock or during a dispute.
• pendingTransfer: A transfer of the domain to a new registrar has been requested and is waiting to be approved, rejected or completed automatically.
• clientUpdateProhibited: The registrar has locked the domain against changes, so its name servers, contacts and DNSSEC data can't be updated.
• clientDeleteProhibited: The registrar has locked the domain against deletion, protecting it from being deleted by mistake or by an attacker.
• transferPeriod: The domain was recently transferred to a new registrar and is in its transfer grace period, usually 5 days for gTLDs; no action is needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is clientTransferProhibited bad?

No. It is a standard security lock set by the registrar to prevent unauthorized transfers. The domain, its website and its email keep working normally.

How do I remove clientTransferProhibited?

Sign in to your registrar account and switch off the domain lock or transfer lock for the domain. If there is no such option, ask your registrar's support to remove it. Once a fresh lookup no longer shows the status, you can start the transfer with your authorization code.

Can I renew a domain that has clientTransferProhibited?

Yes. The status only blocks transfers to another registrar. Renewals, DNS changes and contact updates are unaffected unless other statuses such as clientRenewProhibited or clientUpdateProhibited are also set.

Further reading

• What is RDAP? How registries publish status codes and other registration data
• RDAP vs WHOIS: why the same status has two names
• How to find a domain owner