Domain lock, often referred to as registrar-lock, is set to prevent domain name from being transferred by unauthorized third parties. You should lock domain or leave domain locked unless you want to transfer it to another registrar. People transfer domain names due to various reasons. For example you can transfer domain to your web hosting service for easier management. In this article, we will show you how to unlock domain so as to transfer domain out from Webhost4Life, a notable budget web hosting service for individuals and small businesses.
How to Unlock Domain before Transfer?
Log on your vDesk hosting control panel with Webhost4life. Go to Domain >> Domain Central. A list of all added domain names will be displayed. Find the domain you want to unlock, click on the domain name to view all options you can manage the domain, you will see a screen like below.
The Domain Overwiew tab opens by default, you can find the Domain Lock below it. If it shows Inactive, it means your domain is not locked. If it reads Active, it means the domain name is currently locked. As we mentioned above domain locking is an essential security feature to prevent domain hijacking or unauthorized transfers. Your domain must be unlocked in order to transfer away from current domain registrar. To unlock domain name, you can have to click on Domain Lock or Security tab to find the option to turn on or off domain locking, see below screen capture.
You can now hit the Unlock Domain button to disable domain locking.
More domain transfer tips
In order to transfer domain or domain registration from one registrar to another, unlocking domain is not enough. You also need to disable domain whois privacy. Also the domain transfer normally takes about 7 days to complete. However, this is not a guarantee. It also depends very much on your registrar’s response to your transfer request. So do NOT try to wait until the last week before your domain expire. We recommend you begin domain transfer at least 2 months before domain expiry so as to avoid any unforeseen complication or any delay during the transfer process. Once you pay for domain transfer with the new domain registrar, it simply adds one more year to the time you have left on your original registration. That’s to say, if you transfer domain 2 months before expiry or 1 month before expire, they do not change the time of your domain renewal.
If you want to transfer domain name to Bluehost or other web hosting service with free domain names, you do not need to pay for the domain transfer. Contact your web hosting service see how to waive the fee. If it is an existing hosting accunt other than a new signup, you can also add the domain to new web host to avoid unnecessary charges, see this guide to add multiple domains to Bluehost for free.
