When to Transfer a Domain Name to a New Provider?

Hello friends,

Hope you all are doing well. I need help/suggestions from your side.

My domain name is going to expire on 18-December-2009, I want to transfer my Domain as well as hosting to a New Provider Separately. Kindly help me with the following queries:

* I have heard that (maybe I have heard wrong) to transfer a domain to a new provider, we must initiate the transfer process 30-45 Days in advance. Is it true or Can I start the transfer process say 10 days before the expiry date?

* I want to go with Namecheap - Kindly give your valuable opinions on this.

* Namecheap Support Department said: Transferring of domain will itself take 8-10 days. Is it true? or the transfer gets done immediately as soon as the various formalities for transferring of domain is over?

Kindly help me with the above queries. And if there's something more to say, please add :)

I don't know anything about the above as this will be my first transfer :)

- Regards :)

Hello,
you need to initiate transfer 7-8 days before expiration as transfers can take up to 8 days and you take a risk that domain will expire during the transfer. But, as far as i am aware, Namecheap accepts expired domains *if* your previous registrar releases them.
As for 8-10 days needed for transfer - i'am afraid your mixed up something, the transfer takes 5-8 days (and again, it depends on how fast your current registrar releases domain but according to ICANN they have 5 days.. :()
If you are transferring separately domain and hosting, i strongly advise to change nameservers *before* initiating domain transfer during which *no* changes can be made to a domain and all the settings remain the same. Also, when during domain transfer domain points to hosting DNS, you normally don't experience downtime.

Thanks NotanAngel for your valuable response :)

I also want to know that during Transfer Days (5-8 Days), the site will remain active or it will become completely unavailable (Considering DNS is pointing to Correct Host)?

Regards :)

Thanks NotanAngel for your valuable response :)

I also want to know that during Transfer Days (5-8 Days), the site will remain active or it will become completely unavailable (Considering DNS is pointing to Correct Host)?

Regards :)

When your domain points to hosting nameservers, your domain will stay active during and after transfer. if it points to your registrar's default nameservers, there will be downtime until propagation is completed.

So, once again: first change host, then - regisrar :)

Thanks a ton NotanAngel for your Responses :)

don't wait till the last week. start the transfer earlier (now), in case there is an unexpected problem.

don't wait till the last week. start the transfer earlier (now), in case there is an unexpected problem.

indeed - though it takes no more than 7 days, if transfer gets canceled, you might need to re-submit it. So yes, i'd follow CD Burnt's advice and start transfer now. Prevention is always better than cure :)

You are always welcome :)

OK Thanks to both of you :)