Transfering domain - Google Apps to GoDaddy

I was thinking that transferring a domain from one registrar to other is very simple. But I was wrong, there are many who finds it a nightmare like one of my friends who contacted me last week for assistance in transferring his domain from Google Apps to GoDaddy.

He had his domain registered with GoDaddy through Google Apps when he created an account in Google Apps. Since his domain was not directly registered with GoDaddy, he had the following issues:

• Had to go through Google Apps for anything he wanted to do with his domain
• Renewal cost is about 20% high
• Limited options

To address these issues, he wanted to transfer his domain to GoDaddy instead of having it with GoDaddy through Google Apps. I thought of posting the steps involved in this transfer as this may be helpful for others like my friend.

The process of domain transfer from Google Apps to GoDaddy involves the following four steps:
1. Initiate
2. Authorize
3. Accept/Decline
4. Completion

1. Initiate
a. Initiate Domain Transfer and Make the Payment

1. Go to www.godaddy.com
2. Choose 'Transfer Domains to Go Daddy' from Domains drop-down menu
3. Enter the domain name that you want to tranfer and continue to Checkout
4. Create an account in Go Daddy if already don't have an account
5. Make the payment
6. Based on the WHOIS database, a Transaction ID and Security Code will be sent to the email address that is provided as Administrative Contact Email
7. Make a note of these Transaction ID and Security Code

b. Unlock the Domain

1. Go to www.google.com/a and login to your Google Apps account
2. Click on Advanced DNS Settings under 'Domain Names'
3. Login to "Sign in to DNS Console" using the GoDaddy Google Sign-In Name and Password
4. In the Domain Control Center, click on the domain name that you want to transfer
5. Click on the "Locking" button and unlock the domain

c. Request the Authorization Code

1. Go to www.google.com/a and login to your Google Apps account
2. Click on Advanced DNS Settings under 'Domain Names'
3. Login to "Sign in to DNS Console" using the GoDaddy Google Sign-In Name and Password
4. In the Domain Control Center, click on the domain name that you want to transfer
5. Click on the link "Send by Email" next to "Authorization Code"
6. The Authorization Code will be sent to the email address that is provided as Administrative contact email
7. Make a note of this Authorization Code

2. Authorize

1. Go to www.godaddy.com and login to your account
2. Click on Transfers tab under Domains tab to see the Pending Transfers
3. Click on the Domain Name for which you initiated the Domain Transfer
4. Click on Authorization button provided at the top right and click on 'Begin Authorization of Domain Transfer'
5. Enter the Transaction ID and Security Code when asked and click Next button
6. Enter the Authorization Code and click Finish

3. Accept/Decline

1. Go to www.google.com/a and login to your Google Apps account
2. Click on Advanced DNS Settings under 'Domain Names'
3. Login to "Sign in to DNS Console" using the GoDaddy Google Sign-In Name and Password
4. In the Domain Control Center, you will see the Domain name for which you initiated the Domain Transfer
5. Click on the button 'Accept/Decline' provided next to the Domain Name
6. Click on the 'Accept/Decline' button to accept the Domain transfer
7. A Domain Transfer Confirmation email will be sent by Go Daddy to the Administrative Contact email.

Note: If not accepted or declined within 5 days then the domain will be transfered to the New Registrar automatically

4. Completion

1. Go to www.godaddy.com and login to your account
2. If the Domain Transfer is successful then you would see the transferred domain listed under Domains -> My Domains
3. Under Domains -> Transfers, you would see a message "You have no pending transfers"

Hope these steps will be useful when you plan to transfer your domain from Google Apps to GoDaddy.