Quick answer
How do I transfer a .ai domain to another registrar?
To transfer a .ai domain, unlock it at the current registrar, request its authorization (EPP) code, and start the transfer at the new registrar. The .ai registry adds 2 years to the expiry date, so a transfer is billed for 2 years, at Pearlcay's rate of $86.99/year. Leaving Pearlcay has no exit fee and no KYC: the transfer code is free, requested from the client area.
A .ai transfer at a glance
| Before you start | The domain must be unlocked and outside any lock period. Many registrars refuse a transfer within 60 days of a registration or a previous transfer |
|---|---|
| What you need | The authorization (EPP) code from the current registrar |
| Effect on the expiry date | The .ai registry adds 2 years |
| Billing at Pearlcay (transfer in) | 2 years: the transfer price ($86.99/year) covers year one, a renewal ($86.99/year) covers year two |
| Time | A few days, up to 10 or 15 depending on the registrars |
| Leaving Pearlcay | Transfer (EPP) code free, requested from the client area; no exit fee |
Transfer a .ai domain in six steps
Check that the domain can move
Many registrars refuse a transfer within 60 days of a registration, of a previous transfer, or of a change of the registrant's name or email. ICANN sets this rule for generic domains such as .com. A country-code registry sets its own, so ask your current registrar for the date your .ai can move. If the domain is about to expire, renew it first.
Unlock the domain
Remove the registrar lock at the current registrar. Some have several locks, such as a domain lock, a transfer lock and a privacy lock. Turn each one off.
Request the authorization (EPP) code
Ask the current registrar for it. Codes often expire, so request it when you are ready to use it. At Pearlcay, the code is free, requested from the client area.
Start the transfer at the new registrar
Enter the domain and the code, and pay. Expect a charge for 2 years, because the registry adds 2 years.
Approve it and wait
The current registrar may ask you to approve the request by email. Approving it speeds things up. The transfer then completes within the delay of the registrars.
Verify the registrant email
ICANN's registrar agreement asks for the registrant's email to be verified within 15 days of a transfer. Watch for the message at the new registrar.
What does the .ai registry add to the expiry date on a transfer?
Two years. The .ai registry sells and renews in 2-year terms, and a transfer includes a 2-year renewal. Domain Name Wire asked Identity Digital, which runs the registry for the Government of Anguilla, when transfers would start to include renewal time. Its chief strategy officer answered that they include a 2-year extension from 15 January 2025, when the move of .ai to Identity Digital was completed.
Registrars say the same. Dynadot says .ai domains include a 2-year renewal when transferred, and GoDaddy gives transfers to GoDaddy a 2-year extension of the current registration period. Pearlcay checked the .ai transfer terms of the 10 registrars in its price survey on 2 November 2026: 4 (Porkbun, Dynadot, Spaceship and Gandi) state or price a 2-year transfer, and none of the other 6 states a shorter term.
For example, a .ai that expires on 10 March 2028 expires on 10 March 2030 after the transfer. The years are added to the current registration period, so no time is lost.
How is a .ai transfer billed at Pearlcay?
A transfer in is charged once, at checkout, from your crypto balance. It is the transfer price for year one, $86.99/year, plus a renewal for year two, $86.99/year. You pay for the 2 years the registry gives you.
To fill the balance, see how to buy a .ai with crypto: the coins are BTC, USDT, USDC, ETH, SOL, LTC, from $25. Another registrar bills the 2 years at its own rates. Read the cart total there before you pay. The pricing page lists the renewal price of every extension.
How long does a .ai transfer take?
Plan for a few days, and up to 10 or 15. Cloudflare's guide says the total can reach 10 days depending on the current registrar, and that most registrars process the approval within 5 business days. Dynadot says transfers can take 5 to 15 days.
For domains under its transfer policy, ICANN requires a registrar to give you the authorization code within 5 calendar days of your request. A country-code registry such as .ai's sets its own rules, so the delay can differ.
What happens to my DNS during the transfer?
Registrar and DNS are two separate settings. ICANN's registrant FAQ notes that you can change nameservers or hosting without transferring. So your DNS keeps working until you change the nameservers.
- Do not change the nameservers or delete records until the transfer has completed.
- Copy your records first if the new registrar must host your DNS. Cloudflare Registrar, for example, requires Cloudflare DNS and wants the nameservers to point to it before the transfer starts.
- Check DNSSEC. Cloudflare asks you to turn it off at the old registrar before a transfer in. Ask the new registrar what it needs.
After a transfer to Pearlcay you get free DNS hosting with A, AAAA, CNAME, ALIAS, MX, TXT, NS, SRV and CAA records, one-click templates (Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages, Cloudflare Pages, Shopify, Proton Mail, Fastmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail), or your own nameservers (2 to 13).
How do I transfer a .ai out of Pearlcay?
Request the transfer (EPP) code in your client area. The code is free, requested from the client area, and there is no exit fee. Enter the code at the new registrar and confirm the move there. We never ask for your password, your account number or your domain transfer (EPP) codes by email or chat.
A registry can block a move for a period after a registration or a previous transfer. If the new registrar refuses the code, write to support and give the domain name.
With Domain protection, the domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC and the transfer lock is on. You can take it back in your own name, free, before you leave.
How do I bring a .ai to Pearlcay?
Remove the lock at your current registrar and copy the code. Then start the transfer in your client area and pay from your balance. Domains are registered through our ICANN-accredited registrar partner. The domain stays in your name.
The account needs one email address for the domain, verified as ICANN rules require. There is no ID check.
Moving a .ai?
No exit fee when you leave, and a transfer in at $86.99/year, billed for 2 years. No ID, paid in crypto.
Transferring a .ai: questions
How do I transfer a .ai domain?
Unlock it at the current registrar, request the authorization (EPP) code, and start the transfer at the new registrar with that code. Approve the request if asked, then wait a few days. Nameservers stay as they are until you change them.
What does the .ai registry add to the expiry date on transfer?
Two years. The .ai registry sells and renews in 2-year terms, and a transfer includes a 2-year renewal. A .ai that expires on 10 March 2028 expires on 10 March 2030 after the transfer.
Does Pearlcay charge to transfer a .ai out?
No. The transfer (EPP) code is free, requested from the client area. There is no exit fee. You pay only the new registrar's own price for the transfer.
How much does it cost to transfer a .ai to Pearlcay?
It is billed for 2 years: the transfer price ($86.99/year) for year one and a renewal ($86.99/year) for year two. You pay from a crypto balance, with no KYC.
Will my website go down during a .ai transfer?
Not because of the transfer itself. Your DNS keeps working while the nameservers stay unchanged. Copy your records first if the new registrar must host your DNS, and check DNSSEC.
Sources (7)
- Identity Digital is now managing .ai domains: what this means for registrants (23 January 2025) — Domain Name Wire (checked 2026-11-02)
- Transfer domain names to Dynadot (.ai domains include a 2-year renewal; transfers take 5 to 15 days) dynadot.com/domain/transfer — Dynadot (checked 2026-11-02)
- About .ai domains (transfers to GoDaddy add 2 years) godaddy.com/help/about-ai-domains-32220 — GoDaddy (checked 2026-11-02)
- .ai (Anguilla): terms of 2 to 10 years, transfer lock supported, authorization code required — Amazon Route 53 (checked 2026-11-02)
- Transfer your domain to Cloudflare (60-day rule, locks, authorization code, timing, DNSSEC) — Cloudflare (checked 2026-11-02)
- FAQs for registrants: transferring your domain name — ICANN (checked 2026-11-02)
- 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement, WHOIS Accuracy Program Specification (email verification within 15 days) — ICANN (checked 2026-11-02)