Moving a .de, .eu, .fr, .no or .it domain to a cheaper registrar works like any transfer, with a code from the old registrar. The details that differ are how long the code lasts, whether a year is added, and who has to release it.
You can move a restricted domain to another registrar without changing who holds it. Ask the current registrar for the transfer code, give it to the new one, and the registry does the rest. The code expires after 30 days at .de and 40 at .eu, and only some registries add a year. If a trustee is the holder, the trustee has to release the code.
Registrar transfer or change of holder
A registrar transfer moves the management of the domain and leaves the holder on the record. A change of holder replaces the holder, which is what leaving a trustee needs and is covered in leaving a trustee service. This guide is the first kind. Some registries let you do both in one step, and we note where.
Transfer codes, registry by registry
| Registry | The code and how to get it | Does a transfer add a year |
|---|---|---|
| .de | AuthInfo1: your current provider creates it at your request. If it will not, AuthInfo2: the new provider asks DENIC, which posts it to the holder by registered mail. Eight to 16 characters, valid 30 days, single use (terms, section 1(4)). | Not at DENIC, whose contract has no term (section 7(1)). Your registrar may bill a year. |
| .eu | Authorisation code from the registrar, or issued by the holder in My .eu. EURid can issue an emergency code. Valid 40 days or until used. A valid code cannot be stopped by the old registrar or EURid. | EURid's help pages do not say. Ask the new registrar. |
| .fr | AuthInfo of 12 to 32 characters. The registrar must give the holder free access to it at any time. The old registrar has 8 days to respond, 22 at most if it rejects, and silence means approval. | Yes. The Procedure Guide adds one year. |
| .no | A transfer code from the old registrar, or a one-time token Norid emails to the address on the subscription. The old registrar cannot charge for the code or for updating that address. | Norid says you keep the subscription. It does not mention a year. |
| .it | AuthInfo of 8 to 32 characters, given to the new registrar. The transfer is pending for at most one day, and the old registrar can veto only on an authority's notice. | The expiry date is updated and the new registrar is billed. |
Afnic's policy lets holders change registrar subject to the contract with the old one (article 6.6, paragraph 123), and the .no policy allows the same while keeping the domain name (section 10.1).
What it costs
Registrars set the price, and the registry charge underneath is small or unpublished. Transfer fees run from free to about €9 on our .de price page, from free to about €13 on our .eu price page, from about €5 to €8 on our .fr price page and from free to about €12 on our .no price page, with one registrar at $83.99. Afnic charges registrars €5.07 for a change of registrar (2026 schedule). Where a transfer adds a year, as at .fr, the fee is in effect a renewal, so compare it with the renewal price and not the first-year price. Many registrars publish nothing, so ask first.
Watch out
Check the expiry date before you start
When a trustee is the holder
The code belongs to the holder, and a trustee is the holder. So the trustee must release it, and many will not until the trustee service is ended or moved. Some terms tie the service to the registrar: PTS Trustee can forbid a transfer to a non-partner registrar unless it has first been removed from the record (see PTS Trustee). A registrar transfer then either takes the trustee with it or becomes a change of holder.
The registries make the combined move possible. At .de the code can change provider and holder in one step, and the .it rules allow a change of registrar together with a change of registrant. EURid's terms (section 2) allow a transfer to another registrar and/or a new eligible holder, while Afnic recommends doing the registrar change first. See .fr and .eu trustee terms for who charges for it. Move your name servers first, and cancel the service last, as the exit checklistsays. How we date these rules is in our methodology.
Next
Common questions
How long is a .de AuthInfo valid?
Thirty days from when it is deposited with, or issued by, DENIC, and it can be used once. It also lapses if the provider that deposited it stops managing the domain (DENIC terms, section 1(4)). Request a new one if it expires.
Can my current registrar block the transfer?
Not for long. At .eu a valid code cannot be stopped. At .fr a rejection only stretches the process to 22 days. At .it a veto needs an authority's notice, and at .de AuthInfo2 exists for a provider that will not cooperate. A registry lock or dispute can still stop a transfer.
Will my website go down during the move?
Not if the name servers stay the same. The transfer changes the registrar record, not the DNS. Move DNS first only if the old registrar runs it and will delete the zone on exit.
Sources
- DENIC, provider transferAuthInfo issue, delivery and the 30-day validity.
- DENIC, provider change requests (AuthInfo1 and AuthInfo2)
- DENIC, domain terms and conditionsSections 1(4) and 7(1). German text; the English version is on denic.de.
- EURid, how can I obtain a transfer authorisation code
- EURid, who handles the transfer of a domain name
- EURid, Terms and Conditions for .eu domain namesSection 2. Version 13.0, October 2022.
- Afnic, Procedure GuideTransfer and the authinfo. January 2024 edition.
- Afnic, Naming PolicyArticle 6.6. Version of July 2026.
- Afnic, Appendix 1, invoicing schedule 2026
- Norid, how to change registrars
- Norid, registering and updating domain namesExpired domains and the transfer code format.
- Norid, Domain Name Policy for .noSection 10.1. Policy version August 2025.
- Registro.it, Technical Guidelines for synchronous operationsSections 3.4 and 3.5. Version 3.2, January 2025.
Last updated October 2026. Transfer procedures and registrar fees change. Confirm the current process with your registrar before you start. If something here is out of date, email info@trusteeindex.com.