--- title: "ICANN Is Replacing the 60-Day Transfer Lock: What Changes" description: "ICANN's Board voted to replace the 60-day transfer lock with a 30-day lock. Here is what changes for domain buyers and sellers, and what applies today." url: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/post/icann-transfer-policy-changes-60-day-lock publisher: Grit Brokerage contact: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact offer: https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/inquiry --- [Domain guides](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/blog?topic=domain-guides) # ICANN Is Replacing the 60-Day Transfer Lock: What Changes ICANN's Board adopted the Transfer Policy recommendations on June 7, 2026. They remove the 60-day lock after a change of registrant and add a 30-day (720-hour) lock on new and newly transferred names. As of September 29, 2026, no effective date is published, so the 60-day rule still applies. By Grit BrokerageSep 29, 20264 min read ## What is the 60-day transfer lock and why does it exist? The 60-day transfer lock stops a domain from moving to a new registrar for 60 days after a change of registrant. It works as a security measure that makes a hijacked domain harder to move away fast. It also slows down honest buyers. Under ICANN’s current Transfer Policy, a registrar must impose the lock after a [change of registrant](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/change-of-registrant). That means a new name, organization or email on the record. The policy lets a registrar offer an opt-out, but only if the owner asks before the change request. Two other rules can also block a move. A registrar may deny a transfer within 60 days of the domain’s creation date. It may also deny one within 60 days after a prior transfer. This lock is a common technical snag in deals. The price is agreed and the money sits in [escrow](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/escrow). Then the buyer finds out the name cannot leave the seller’s registrar for two months. ## What did ICANN approve in June 2026? On June 7, 2026, the ICANN Board adopted the Transfer Policy Review recommendations in resolution 2026.06.07.04. The resolution directs ICANN’s CEO to implement them “subject to prioritization.” That phrase matters. It means the Board approved the direction, not a launch date. The recommendations came from a GNSO working group. Domain Incite reported in March 2025 that the final report held 47 recommendations. The main changes for deal-makers are these: Topic Today Under the approved recommendations Lock after a [change of registrant](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/change-of-registrant) 60 days, with optional opt-out Removed Lock on new or newly transferred names Registrar may deny for up to 60 days Mandatory [30-day (720-hour) lock](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/30-day-transfer-lock) Registrars with longer locks Allowed Must reduce to 720 hours Registrar may deny a transfer for DNS abuse Not a listed reason Added as a reason Notice to old and new owner on a change Required Requirement removed Domain Incite also reported that the rules for changing registrant data move into a separate Change of Registrant Data Policy. We have not read that future policy text, because it has not been written yet. ## When will the new rules take effect? Nobody can say yet. As of September 29, 2026, ICANN has not published an effective date. ICANN’s own Transfer Policy page still shows the 60-day lock as the rule in force. Here is what we know about the path from here: 1. The Board adopted the recommendations on June 7, 2026. 2. ICANN staff can now start an Implementation Review Team. Enom’s June 2026 recap says this work will take place “over the coming months.” 3. The team turns the recommendations into new Consensus Policy text. 4. Registries and registrars get time to build the changes before the policy goes live. When the GNSO Council approved the recommendations in March 2025, Domain Incite estimated at least 18 months before go-live. That was an estimate by a reporter, not an ICANN date. We treat it as a reason to plan on the current rules for the rest of 2026 and probably longer. ## What should buyers do about locks today? Plan for the 60-day lock in every deal until ICANN publishes a go-live date. Build the lock into the timeline, the same way you plan for payment clearing. Our practical checklist for buyers: 1. Ask the seller early when the domain was last transferred or had its owner details changed. 2. Ask whether the seller’s registrar offers an opt-out, and whether it must be used before any record change. 3. Have the seller avoid editing owner details until the deal is signed and funded. 4. Keep the money in third-party escrow until the name is in your account. Our [guide to domain escrow](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-escrow) explains the steps. 5. Read the steps in our [domain transfer process guide](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-transfer-process) before you sign. Sellers have a job too. If you plan to sell, update your contact details now, well before any buyer shows up. A name that has sat unchanged for months moves faster. ## Does a push avoid the lock? Not always. A [push](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/push) moves a domain between accounts, often at the same registrar. The 60-day lock is tied to a change of registrant, not to a push by itself. Whether a push triggers it depends on whether your registrar edits the registrant record during the move. Registrars handle this differently, and some push features carry their own holds. We cannot give one answer for all of them. Ask the registrar in writing before closing, and keep that reply with the deal file. This is operations advice, not legal advice. ## What does this mean for sellers and brokers? Once the new policy is live, a normal sale should close faster. The change-of-registrant lock disappears. The 30-day lock hits only new registrations and fresh inbound transfers. That is a better fit for resale, because a seller who has held a name for months would not face a lock at all. We would not rush to change how we run deals today. Our [guide to selling a domain name](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-to-sell-a-domain-name) still applies. The rules will change on ICANN’s schedule, and we will read the final policy text before we tell clients what it means. ## Next step If you want to buy or sell a domain and need help planning around transfer rules, [talk to us](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact?interest=sell). We run every deal through third-party escrow and can walk you through the transfer timeline before you commit. ## Questions this post answers ### What is the 60-day transfer lock? It is an ICANN rule that blocks a domain from moving to another registrar for 60 days after a change of registrant. A change of registrant means a new name, organization or email on the domain record. Registrars may let owners opt out before the change. ### Has the 60-day transfer lock been removed yet? No. The ICANN Board adopted the recommendations on June 7, 2026, but ICANN's Transfer Policy page still shows the 60-day lock. As of September 29, 2026, no effective date has been published. Current rules apply to every deal today. ### What replaces the 60-day lock? The recommendations add a mandatory 720-hour (30-day) lock on domains that were just created or just transferred in. The 60-day lock after a change of registrant is removed. Registrars with longer locks must cut them to 720 hours. ### Can a buyer avoid the lock when buying a domain? Sometimes. The current policy lets a registrar offer an opt-out, but only before the change of registrant request. Ask the seller's registrar before the deal closes. Do not assume a push between accounts avoids the lock, because registrars treat it differently. ## Sources 1. [ICANN: Approved Resolutions, Regular Meeting of the ICANN Board, 7 June 2026 (resolution 2026.06.07.04)](https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-resolutions-regular-meeting-of-the-icann-board-07-06-2026-en) 2. [ICANN: Transfer Policy](https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/accredited-registrars/resources/domain-name-transfers/policy) 3. [Domain Incite: ICANN to kill off 60-day domain transfer lock (March 13, 2025)](https://domainincite.com/30891-icann-to-kill-off-60-day-domain-transfer-lock) 4. [Enom: ICANN86 Policy Recap (June 23, 2026)](https://www.enom.com/blog/icann86-policy-recap/) ## Terms in this post - [60-day transfer lock](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/60-day-transfer-lock) - [Change of registrant](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/change-of-registrant) - [Domain Name System](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/dns) - [DNS abuse](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/dns-abuse) - [Registrar](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/registrar) - [Escrow](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/escrow) - [ICANN](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/icann) - [GNSO](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/gnso) ## Keep reading - [How Domain Transfers Work: Auth Codes, Transfer Locks, and Push vs TransferA domain transfer moves a name to a new registrar, or to a new owner, using an auth code and a domain with the registrar lock off. A registrar transfer usually finishes in 5 to 7 days. A push between accounts at one registrar is usually faster. A 60-day lock can block registrar transfers after some changes.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-transfer-process) - [How Domain Escrow Works (and Why Every Deal Should Use It)Domain escrow means a neutral third party holds the buyer's money until the domain is transferred to the buyer. The buyer pays the escrow agent, the seller moves the domain, the buyer confirms, and then the agent pays the seller. Neither side has to trust the other with money or the name.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-escrow) - [How to Sell a Domain Name: A Broker's Step-by-Step GuideTo sell a domain name, set a realistic price from comparable sales, then reach buyers through a marketplace, a broker, or direct outreach. Agree on a price, close through a third-party escrow service, transfer the name to the buyer's registrar account, and collect payment once the transfer is verified.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-to-sell-a-domain-name) - [Domain Marketplaces vs Domain Brokers: Which One Should You Use?A marketplace lists your domain and waits for buyers to find it. A broker finds likely buyers, contacts them and negotiates for you. Marketplaces suit lower-priced and brandable names at low cost. Brokers fit premium names where the right buyer will not search for you. You can often use both.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/domain-marketplaces-vs-brokers) - [When Should a Startup Upgrade to a Better Domain Name?Upgrade when the weak domain costs you more than the better one would: customers mistype it, investors or partners question it, or you are about to spend on brand and marketing. Most startups do it right after a funding round or before a major launch, using a broker so the owner does not see a funded buyer.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/startup-domain-upgrade) - [.com vs .ai vs .io vs .co: How to Choose a Domain Extension.com is still the safest default because buyers, investors and email systems expect it. Choose .ai if your product is AI and you accept higher renewals. Choose .io for developer tools with some registry risk. Choose .co mainly as a cheaper fallback. Whatever you pick, try to own the .com too.](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/guides/com-vs-ai-vs-io-vs-co) ## Buying or selling a domain? Call, text or email. Responsiveness is our trademark, and a broker answers, not a form robot. [Talk to a broker](https://gritbrokerage.preview.multisites.ai/contact) [Call (442) 500-GRIT](tel:+1-442-500-4748)