What Is Registry lock? Domain Glossary

Why it matters

Registry lock protects valuable names from theft and account takeover. A hacker who steals a registrar password still cannot move the name without the extra verification. Verisign offers it for .com, .net and a few other extensions through participating registrars. The cost is speed. A lock must be lifted before a sale can close, which can take hours or a day. Sellers with locked names should plan ahead and tell the broker or escrow agent. A common mistake is promising a same-day transfer on a locked name. Ask your registrar how fast they can unlock it.

Source: verisign.com

Related terms

Registrar lock: A registrar lock is the EPP status clientTransferProhibited. It tells the registry to reject any request to move the domain to another registrar. The owner or registrar sets it to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Domain theft: Domain theft, also called domain hijacking, is taking control of a domain without the owner's permission. Thieves often steal registrar account logins or trick the registrar into a transfer.
EPP status codes (EPP): EPP status codes are labels set on a domain by its registrar or registry. They show whether the domain can be transferred, changed, renewed, or deleted, and they are visible in lookups.
Inter-registrar transfer: An inter-registrar transfer moves a domain from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another. The new registrar asks for an authorization code, and the registry completes the move once both sides approve.
Verisign: Verisign is the company that runs the .com and .net registries. It also maintains the DNS root zone under an agreement with ICANN. It reported 166.6 million .com registrations in mid-2026.

All 205 terms

Why it matters

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