Do domain registrars charge registrar transfer fees these days?

[SpongyBob]

I'm sure GoDaddy.com used to charge something like $30 or something to transfer a name to another registrar, a while back (maybe in 2000-2002 or something), which put me off them, inspite of their cheap prices, as I thought to myself "whats to stop them suddenly charging a fortune for re-registration too? Then you're trapped into paying a high fee".

But I never see any talk of such charges these days. Have registrars been forced to scrap them by ICANN? Are you totally free to transfer to and from any registrar without a fee?

Thanks

 

[Dave_Z]

Shhhhh! Don't give any registrar any funny ideas!

Seriously, though, yes they can:

http://icann.org/transfers/dnholder-faq-03nov04.htm

My registrar is charging me a fee to transfer to a new registrar. Is this allowed?

Yes. Registrars are allowed to set their own prices for this service.

 

[Untitled]

Transfer Fees.....I dont wanna pay that!!!!

LOL.........It is better without it

Untitled

 

[SpongyBob]

Thanks, it's alittle worrying that it's still allowed, means you have go through all the T&Cs in detail if you're using a new registrar (although I guess you should anyway). I'm assuming GoDaddy.com might have dropped theirs then, if they're still allowed.

Personally I don't think it should be allowed, seems bad practice to me, and not a way to get a good reputation. It could also be used to lock someone in or potientially pay a huge price for freedom, by an inscrupulous registrar, if there's no limit on the fees.

 

[Dave_Z]

Fear not. The same link above also gave this:

My domain name has just expired. Can my registrar require me to pay for a renewal before I can transfer to a new registrar?

No. Your new registrar of choice can initiate a transfer request on an expired domain name once they receive the required authorization from you. Expiration or nonrenewal of a domain name is not a valid reason for denial of a transfer request.

Note that if the registrar has already begun the deletion process on the domain name and its status shows it to be within a 30-day Redemption Grace Period, the name must be .restored. by your current registrar before it can be transferred.

Note this applies if the domain name has already been paid, then eventually it
expired.