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>File an ICANN Complaint: If the registrar is in violation of the ICANN Transfer Policy (e.g., refusing to unlock a domain without valid cause), file a complaint with ICANN.

5 Things Every Domain Name Registrant Should Know About ICANN's Transfer Policy

1. There are 2 important rules you should be aware of regarding whether and when a domain name can be transferred from one registrar to another and/or from one registrant to another. The first rule is that you generally cannot transfer a domain name to a new registrar within 60 days of making a change to your contact information. While some registrars may provide an option to opt-out of this 60-day “lock period” this rule is in place for your protection (to prevent unauthorized transfers) and the registrar does not have to offer this option. Contact your registrar to find out if they offer this option. The second rule is that you can only initiate the transfer process if you are the registered name holder, administrative contact, or an individual explicitly authorized to act on behalf of either of those contacts. This information can be viewed by going to whois.icann.org and enter your domain name in the look-up tool. This requirement is in place for your protection to guard against an unauthorized transfer of your domain name. Because of this requirement, it is important to keep your contact information up-to-date. Read more about the transfer rules and process here.

2. To initiate the process to transfer your domain name from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another, you should first contact the registrar to which you wish to transfer the name. After you contact that registrar, it is required to confirm your intent to transfer your domain name using the Standardized Form for Gaining Registrars. If you do not respond or return this form, your transfer request will not be processed. Please note that as of 25 May 2018, if the gaining registrar cannot access registration data for a name subject to a transfer, then the gaining registrar is not required to obtain the Form of Authorization from the Transfer Contact. Your current registrar must also verify your intent to transfer using the Confirmation of Registrar Transfer Request form. After you’ve responded and provided the necessary information to the registrar you wish to transfer your domain name to, the ‘gaining’ registrar will then tell the registry to make the transfer.

To find out who your current registrar is, you can look it up by performing a search for your domain name at:<http://www.whois.icann.org>. The “Registrar” field shows you who your registrar is.

3. There are some circumstances under which a registrar must deny a transfer request, and some circumstances where the registrar has the option to deny a transfer.

Your registrar may deny a transfer request in the following limited circumstances:
Evidence of fraud
Reasonable dispute over the identity of the person authorizing the transfer