If you have ever registered a .com domain and wanted to transfer it to another domain registrar shortly afterwards, you may have encountered an unexpected hurdle: the famous “60-day change of registrant lock”. This regulation prevents a domain from being transferred to another provider within 60 days of a change of registrant data. But this could soon be a thing of the past! The internet administration ICANN is planning to abolish this transfer lock completely.

Why does the 60-day ban exist at all?

The regulation has been set out in ICANN’s “Transfer Policy” since December 1, 2016. Its main purpose is to prevent misuse – for example, someone could resell a stolen domain several times within 60 days so that the actual owner no longer has a chance of getting it back. However, the block is not uniformly regulated, as some registrars allow exceptions while others do not. This causes confusion and often trouble, especially after a domain purchase when the new owner wants to transfer the domain to their preferred registrar.

Why does ICANN want to abolish the block?

The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), an advisory body to ICANN, has taken a close look at the transfer block. The result? The regulation causes more frustration than benefit! In a report dated 4 February 2025, it was found that the number of cases of domain hijacking (i.e. the unauthorized takeover of a domain) is much lower than originally suspected. Of 205 complaints between September 2020 and October 2023 relating to “Unauthorized Changes of Registrant”, 169 were unjustified. Of a further 780 complaints relating to “Unauthorized Inter-Registrar Transfers”, 679 proved to be unfounded.

The most important finding from the investigations:

“Based on available data, it is not clear that the 60-day lock demonstrably reduces instances of domain hijacking.“
(In short: there is no clear evidence that the lock really prevents domain theft).

Instead, the GNSO recommends alternative security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA)which is far more effective than a blanket transfer block.

What happens next?

The GNSO’s recommendations now lie with ICANN’s Board of Directors, which must make a final decision. When exactly this will happen is still open. If the Board follows the proposals – which is very likely – there will be a transition period of at least one year before the new regulation comes into force.

What does that mean for you?

If you often buy, sell or transfer domains, things will improve for you:

• Faster transfers: You can transfer domains to your preferred registrar immediately after a purchase or ownership change without having to wait 60 days.
• Less bureaucracy: The different regulations of the registrars repeatedly lead to problems – this would finally be eliminated.
• More control: You decide when and where your domain is transferred to, without a predetermined waiting period blocking the whole process.

Conclusion

The planned abolition of the 60-day transfer lock is one of the biggest changes in domain trading in recent years. If you trade domains or simply want to manage your own web address efficiently, this change could save you a lot of time and nerves. The decision is not yet final, but the signs are pointing to an easing – and that’s good news for all domain owners!