How to Transfer a Domain in Squarespace
There are times when you need to transfer a domain to Squarespace, and it can be SUCH a daunting task for someone with little to no experience in web design. How do you go about doing this with ease and not break your entire website? You can hire a designer to do it for you if you’re not totally confident in your own skills (though you should be!), but if you’re not afraid of the DIY option, we can teach you how to do it yourself here!
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What do You Need Before You Start?
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Before you begin the transfer process, make sure everything’s in order. Here’s what you need to think about and line up:
Be aware that you’ll have a smoother transition when the person who is listed as the domain administrator handles your transfer.
Are you the domain administrator? If so, make sure the administrator email address that shows up in the contact info for your domain is both accessible and accurate (you’re going to use this address for transfer approval.)
Have you recently changed your domain contact info? You may not be able to complete the transfer at this time. Often, changing this information ends up locking the domain for sixty days.
Because it can lead to transfer failure, first delete the domain name system security extension (DNSSEC) record before initiating your transfer.
Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, let’s move on!
How Much Does it Cost to Transfer Domains to The Squarespace Platform?
Here’s the breakdown:
Pricing varies in accordance with the top-level domain (TLD) list.
The price ranges between $20 and $70.
There is no additional transfer fee.
Be sure to check with Squarespace to see if you’re eligible for a free additional year of registration.
At the conclusion of the registration term, the domain will renew at the same price.
What are the Transfer and Eligibility Requirements?
Before you transfer your domain, check that the following requirements are met:
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Is the domain’s TLD on Squarespace’s supported TLD list?
Has the domain been registered to the current provider for at least sixty days?
Is the domain active (not expired or past due) with your current provider?
Unfortunately, there are some domains that can’t be transferred to Squarespace. These ineligible domains include:
Domains with the words “sqsp” or “squarespace”
Subdomains
Domains that still have nine or more years left on the current registration
Any registry premium domains
Once you’ve met the requirements and you’re certain your domain is eligible for transfer, you can proceed with the following steps.
How to Unlock Your Domain
Except for some country-specific domains, the majority of domains need to be unlocked before they can be transferred. Follow the instructions from your current provider to unlock your domain.
1. Get an authorization code
Your provider can supply you with an authorization code, sometimes referred to as a transfer key or EPP code, via email or through the provider’s settings. It may take your provider a couple of days to generate this code.
2. Start your transfer and enter the code
Once you have the authorization code, you can initiate the transfer:
Make sure you’re logged into the right Squarespace site.
Go to the Home menu.
Click Settings.
Click Domains.
Click Use a domain I own.
In the Enter domain field, enter the complete domain name that you’re transferring, then click the arrow.
Click Transfer Domain.
Paste your authorization code in the Authorization Code field.
Click Save and Continue.
3. Review and confirm registration details
Go to the Registration panel and ensure the contact info is accurate:
Double-check the address in the Email Address field.
Make any other needed corrections to the information.
Once everything looks right, click Save and Continue.
4. Check the transfer status and fix issues
Go back to the Domains panel, where you should see that the transfer is in progress. If there’s a problem with the domain, you’ll see an error message. Here’s how to check the transfer status:
Go to the Home menu.
Click Settings.
Click Domains.
You should see a “Transfer pending” message.
Click your domain.
Click Refresh for current status.
If you see an error message, here’s what to do:
Domain is locked: Log into your domain provider and unlock the domain. The transfer should now proceed.
Authorization code needed: The code you entered was rejected. Make sure the authorization code you have is correct. Enter it into the text field of the error message. Click submit. The transfer should now proceed.
5. Review DNS settings
As you wait for the transfer to finish, go ahead and review your domain’s DNS settings by taking these steps:
Go to the Home menu.
Click Settings.
Click Domains.
Find the domain that’s pending transfer and click it.
Click Review your DNS settings.
Any records you don’t need anymore can be discarded by clicking the red trash can.
If you wish, make a new custom record for your domain by clicking Add record.
6. Wait for the transfer to finish
You’re almost done! All you need to do is give the transfer time to process. If all goes well, you’ll get a “Thank you” email message from customercare@squarespace.com.
Your domain will appear in the Domains panel, shown with a green label, when the transfer is done.
If it’s been 15 days and the transfer still hasn’t completed successfully, and you’re certain you’ve followed the steps correctly, contact your previous provider for help.
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