Domain Renewals, Transfers and EPP (Authorization) Codes

To keep a domain, renew it before its expiry date, or turn on auto-renew in the Cloudesta client area so it renews from your account automatically. To move a domain to Cloudesta, unlock it at your current registrar, get its EPP (authorization) code, and start a transfer in our cart with that code. To move a domain away, unlock it and copy the EPP code from the domain's page in the client area. This guide covers each step, plus the grace and redemption periods, the 5-7 day transfer window, and how to manage nameservers and DNS.

Prerequisites

• Access to your Cloudesta client area, and to your current registrar's panel if you are transferring in.
• Access to the registrant (owner) email address on the domain. Renewal notices and transfer approvals are sent there.
• For verification commands, any Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 machine with the whois and dnsutils packages installed.

1. How do I renew a domain and turn on auto-renew?

Check the expiry date

In the client area, open Domains → My Domains. The list shows each domain's next due date and status. Click a domain, or choose Manage Domain, to open its management page. The options in the left sidebar vary by extension.

Enable auto-renew

On the domain's page, open Auto Renew and enable it. A renewal invoice is then generated before expiry. If a saved payment method or account credit is available, the invoice is paid automatically. Otherwise, pay the invoice when it arrives, because an unpaid invoice does not renew anything.

Renew manually

Go to Domains → Renew Domains, choose the renewal period for each domain, add them to the cart and check out. The new expiry date appears once the registry processes the renewal, which usually takes a few minutes.

2. What happens if a domain expires, and why do late renewals cost more?

For most generic domains (.com, .net, .org and similar), expiry follows these stages:

• Expiry day: the domain stops resolving, so your website and email go offline.
• Grace period (typically up to 30 days): you can still renew at the normal or a slightly higher price.
• Redemption period (about 30 days): the registry has marked the domain for deletion. Getting it back requires a restore fee charged by the registry, which is why late renewals cost noticeably more than on-time ones.
• Pending delete (about 5 days): the domain cannot be recovered. It is then released for anyone to register.

3. How do I transfer a domain to Cloudesta?

Step 1: Prepare at your current registrar

• Confirm the domain is more than 60 days old and was not transferred or had its owner changed in the last 60 days.
• Make sure the registrant email is one you can read. Update it now, before you start, not during the transfer.
• Remove the registrar lock (often called "Transfer Lock" or "Domain Lock").
• Request the EPP/authorization code. Copy it exactly, because codes are case-sensitive and often contain symbols.
• Check that the domain has at least a couple of weeks left before expiry, and that it is not already in grace or redemption.

Step 2: Start the transfer in the Cloudesta cart

In the client area, choose Domains → Transfer Domains to Us. Enter the domain and EPP code, add it to the cart, review the nameserver settings and check out. For most generic domains, a transfer includes a one-year extension that is added to the current expiry date, so you do not lose any remaining time.

Step 3: Approve the transfer email

Your previous registrar may email the registrant address asking you to confirm or reject the transfer. Approving it usually completes the transfer within hours. If you take no action, most generic domains complete automatically after 5 days. Allow 5-7 days in total.

4. How do I transfer a domain away from Cloudesta?

• Open Domains → My Domains and select the domain.
• Open Registrar Lock and disable it.
• Open Get EPP Code. Depending on the extension, the code is shown on screen or emailed to the registrant address.
• If the domain has WHOIS privacy (ID protection), disable it, or confirm that the registrant email is correct, so the new registrar's messages reach you.
• Start the transfer at the new registrar using the EPP code.

If Get EPP Code or Registrar Lock is not shown for your domain, the extension handles these differently. Open a ticket and we will provide the code or unlock the domain for you.

5. How do I change nameservers and DNS records?

Nameservers: on the domain's page, open Nameservers, choose to use custom nameservers, enter at least two, and save. For Cloudesta shared hosting, use the nameservers listed in your hosting welcome email.

DNS records: where you edit records depends on which nameservers the domain uses:

• cPanel hosting nameservers: edit records in cPanel under Domains → Zone Editor.
• Client area DNS: if DNS Management appears on the domain's page, you can add records there.
• Cloud VPS: to point a domain at a Cloud VPS, create an A record for example.com and www with your server's dedicated IPv4, for example 203.0.113.10.

Nameserver changes can take up to 24-48 hours to propagate worldwide. Individual record changes follow the record's TTL.

Verify it works: how to confirm renewal, transfer and DNS changes

On Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04, install the lookup tools:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y whois dnsutils

Check the expiry date, the current registrar and the lock status:

whois example.com | grep -iE "registrar:|expir|status"

How to read the results:

• After a renewal, the expiry date should have moved forward.
• After a transfer, the registrar line should show the new registrar.
• A status of clientTransferProhibited means the domain is still locked.
• A status of pendingTransfer means a transfer is in progress.
• A status of redemptionPeriod means the domain must be restored before anything else can happen.

Check that the nameservers and records are live:

dig NS example.com +short
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com A +short
dig @8.8.8.8 www.example.com A +short

Why is my renewal or transfer failing? Common problems

The transfer is rejected with "domain is within 60 days of registration or transfer". Registries block transfers for 60 days after a registration, a transfer, or (for many extensions) a change of registrant. The only fix is to wait until the 60 days have passed, then try again.

The approval email never arrives. The registrant email is outdated, or it is hidden behind privacy. Correct the contact details at the current registrar, wait for the change to take effect, then request a fresh EPP code and restart the transfer. If the transfer is already pending, it will normally still complete automatically after 5 days unless the old registrar rejects it.

"Invalid authorization code". Copy the code again without leading or trailing spaces. Codes can expire or be regenerated, so request a new one if needed. Then update the transfer from the client area or open a ticket with the new code.

An expired domain cannot be transferred. Domains in redemption or pending delete cannot move between registrars. Renew or restore the domain with the current registrar first, then transfer it.

Auto-renew was on, but the domain still expired. The renewal invoice was not paid. Check Billing → My Invoices, pay any overdue invoice, and keep a valid payment method or credit on the account.

Frequently asked questions

Will my website or email go down during a domain transfer?

No, as long as you leave the nameservers and DNS records unchanged. A transfer changes only the registrar, not where the domain points.

Do I lose the remaining time on my domain when I transfer it?

For most generic domains, no. The transfer adds one year on top of the existing expiry date. Some country-code extensions behave differently.

Where do I find my domain's EPP code at Cloudesta?

Go to Domains → My Domains, select the domain and choose Get EPP Code. If that option is not shown, open a support ticket and we will send the code to the registrant email.

Need help? Open a ticket at https://cloudesta.com/submitticket.php and include the domain name and what you were trying to do. For more guides, browse the Cloudesta knowledgebase.