Applies to: anyone with a domain registered at another provider
Moving your domain to Webtech puts your domain, hosting and support under one roof. The process differs slightly depending on whether it's a South African (.co.za) domain or an international one — this guide covers both.
Before you start (both types)
- Check your WHOIS contact email. The approval email goes to the domain's registered contact — make sure that address is current at your existing provider, or the transfer will stall.
- Unlock the domain at your current provider if it has a registrar/transfer lock.
- Don't let it expire mid-transfer. If expiry is close, renew first or start the transfer well in advance.
Transferring a .co.za (or other ZA) domain
ZA domains don't use EPP codes — the transfer is approved by email:
- Go to our domain transfer page, enter your domain, and complete checkout.
- The registry sends an approval email to the domain's registered contact. Click the approval link in that email.
- Once approved, the transfer usually completes within 24 hours. The domain then appears under Domains > My Domains in your Webtech client area.
Transferring a .com, .net, .org or other international domain
International domains require a transfer authorisation code (called an EPP or auth code):
- Request the EPP code from your current provider (usually available in their control panel or on request).
- Go to our domain transfer page, enter the domain and the EPP code, and complete checkout.
- Approve the confirmation email if one is sent to the domain contact.
- International transfers typically take 5–7 days to complete. Note: registries block transfers for domains registered or transferred within the last 60 days.
What a transfer does — and doesn't — move
A domain transfer moves the registration only. Your website files, databases and email mailboxes stay wherever they're hosted. If you're moving your hosting to Webtech too, set up the hosting first, copy your site and mail across, and only then update DNS — that way there's no downtime. We're happy to help plan this; just open a support ticket.
Your domain's existing expiry date is not lost by transferring, and for most international extensions the transfer adds a year to it.
Frequently asked questions
Will my website go down during the transfer?
No — a transfer doesn't change your DNS or hosting, so your site and email keep working throughout.
My approval email never arrived — now what?
It went to the domain's registered contact address, so check that address (and its spam folder). If the address is outdated, update it at your current provider and ask us to resend the request.
Related articles
How to change your domain's nameservers • How to manage your DNS records • How to update your domain WHOIS contact details
