An Auth-Code,
also known as an EPP code, authorization code, transfer code,
or Auth-Info Code,
is a generated passcode required to
transfer an Internet domain name between
domain registrars; the code is intended to indicate that the
domain name
In the Internet, a domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control. Domain names are often used to identify services provided through the Internet, such as websites, email services, and more. ...
owner has authorized the transfer.
Auth-Codes are created by the current registrar of the domain. The registrar is required to provide the Auth-Code to the domain name owner within five calendar days of the owner's request, and
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN ) is a global multistakeholder group and nonprofit organization headquartered in the United States responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several dat ...
accepts complaints about registrars that do not. Some registrars allow Auth-Codes to be generated by the domain owners through the registrar's website. All
Generic top-level domains
Generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are one of the categories of top-level domains (TLDs) maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for use in the Domain Name System of the Internet. A top-level domain is the last level o ...
use an Auth-Code in their transfer process.
The
.nz domain registry used an eight-character Auth-Code called Unique Domain Authentication Identifier (UDAI) for domain transfers and name conflict procedures. The UDAI was provided to the domain owner by the domain's current registrar, and expired after 30 days. With the .nz registry update in 2022 the term UDAI was retired, and the passcode is now also referred to as an Auth-Code.
Alternative systems
The
.uk and
.co.uk domain registry, instead of using a passcode, has the domain owner specify the new registrar using the old registrar.
The destination registrar is specified using the destination's registrar tag,
also known as an Internet Provider Security (IPS) tag or
Nominet Provider tag.
Some registries use a document based approach either in conjunction with or instead of an Auth-Code. An example for that is
.hu for which the registrant has to fill out a document and send it to the new registrar, who sends it to the registry to fulfill the domain transfer.
The
.is domain registry uses the domains admin
NIC handle and the old registrar has to update it to the new registrars NIC handle.
Some other registries use an email template (that may or may not be in part processed automatically) like
.lr or
.jm. In this case the technical contact is set to the registrar and can be updated by sending an updated template from the registrant or admin contacts email address.
See also
*
Domain lock — another attribute of a domain registration to prevent unauthorized domain transfers and other
domain name scams
*
Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) — protocol used by a large number of
domain registries and registrars to communicate domain changes
References
{{reflist
Computer access control
Domain Name System