The current ICANN-mandated transfer policy for domains requires a new Change of Registrant process to occur whenever there is a change to a domain’s registrant, organization, or email address.

• Contact verification is required for both the initial domain registration and for changes to a domain that is already registered.
• ICANN mandates this policy for all accredited registrars.

Supported Functionality #

WHMCS provides the following features to help domain registrars comply with the ICANN Transfer Policy:

• Informational in-product alerts and messaging when:
  • A domain is awaiting verification of the WHOIS contact following a new registration.
  • A Change of Registrant process is pending for a domain, with the date by which verification must be complete.
• Warnings prior to making a change to the registrant name, organization, or email address, indicating that the change will trigger the Change of Registrant process.
• The ability for end users and admins to opt out of the transfer lock following the Change of Registrant process.
  Rules and requirements for opting out of the transfer lock vary by registrar. Check the requirements for your chosen registrar.
• The ability to request re-sending of verification emails for the Change of Registrant process.
  • All verification emails for WHOIS contact changes send directly from the domain registrars and not from the WHMCS product.
  • Both the former and the new email address of the domain will receive a verification email requesting approval of the change.

Supported Registrars #

The following registrars support ICANN Transfer Policy functionality:

• Enom
• ResellerClub
• StarGate/UK2
• ResellerCamp
• NetEarthOne
• CentralNic Reseller

Example Messages #

Below are examples of the messages that users will see when managing domains within WHMCS.

New Registration Verification #

WHOIS Contact Verification is required for first-time domain registrations. Until that verification is complete, users will see the following message:

IRTP Transfer Lock Enabled #

For first-time domain registrations and changes to the registrant, the system locks the domain for transfers and users will see the following message:

Change of Registrant Opt-Out Confirmation #

When changing the registrant name, organization, or email address, users will see the following message, indicating that the change triggers the IRTP transfer lock and providing the option to opt out:

Contact Change Successful - Approval Required #

After a change triggers the verification process, users will see the following message, indicating that the change requires verification and has sent an email:

Pending Contact Change with Transfer Lock #

When a contact change is pending, users will see the following message, indicating the date by which they must approve the change:

Last modified: June 14, 2024