pendingTransfer domain status
pendingTransfer means a request to move the domain to a new registrar has been received and is being processed. During it the registration stays live and resolves normally.
Updated
- Set by
- Registry, on an incoming transfer request
- Effect
- Transfer in progress; domain still resolves
- Typical duration
- Typically a few days
- RDAP shows
- pending transfer
What pendingTransfer means
Per RFC 5731 and the ICANN status table, pendingTransfer indicates a transform command, here a transfer to a new registrar, has been processed but not completed. The domain keeps resolving while the request works through the approval window between the losing and gaining registrars.
ICANN advises treating an unexpected pendingTransfer as urgent: if the registrant did not request the move, it can mean someone else did.
On a domain you are watching
On a watched domain, pendingTransfer signals a registrar move mid-flight. The registration itself is untouched, but the registrar field and abuse contact in the next record may differ once the transfer completes.
Check a domain’s status codes
The lookup reads a domain’s live RDAP record and returns its current status set.
What to do about pendingTransfer
If you did not request the transfer, contact the current registrar immediately and ask them to deny it; an unrequested pendingTransfer is the classic early sign of a domain hijacking attempt.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
The transfer completes once the losing registrar approves it or the standard approval window lapses, typically a few days.
The losing registrar can deny the request inside the approval window on the grounds the ICANN Transfer Policy lists, such as evidence of fraud, which is why ICANN tells registrants who did not initiate the move to call their registrar immediately.
Related tools and resources
Domain Abuse Contacts
Query RDAP records, live status codes, and verified abuse channels for any domain.
Domain monitoring
Daily monitoring for lookalike domains across 1,570 TLDs, with every match checked and explained.
How to Report Domain Abuse to a Registrar
Find the sponsoring registrar, collect required DNS evidence, and submit an actionable report.
Ongoing brand monitoring
notolens checks daily registrations across 1,570 TLDs, trademark registers, and app stores. When a lookalike domain, conflicting mark, or copycat app appears, notolens checks it, explains the risk, and hands you the records and possible next steps.