How to migrate a domain from GoDaddy (or any US registrar) to Njalla (2026)

TL;DR

Domain transfer from GoDaddy (or similar US-based registrar) to Njalla:

Unlock the domain at GoDaddy. Disable WHOIS privacy at the source registrar (transfers fail when privacy proxies hold the contact email).
Retrieve the EPP / auth code from GoDaddy.
Initiate transfer at Njalla; pay in Monero / Bitcoin / cash.
Confirm via email at the WHOIS contact address.
Wait 5-7 days for the registry to process.
Once complete, your domain is registered in Njalla’s name on your behalf — your identity is no longer in WHOIS.

Critical: ICANN rules require 60 days between registration / last transfer before another transfer is allowed. Plan accordingly.

Why transfer

GoDaddy and other US-based registrars are subject to US legal process, including UDRP, court orders for domain seizure, and government subpoenas for registrant identity. They also typically charge for WHOIS privacy.

Njalla’s owns-on-behalf model is structurally different: Njalla becomes the registrant of record on your behalf, with you as the contractual user. WHOIS shows Njalla, not you. Compelling Njalla to disclose or transfer requires convincing Njalla — not your home jurisdiction’s registrar.

Pre-transfer checklist

Before starting:

60-day rule check: if the domain was registered or last transferred less than 60 days ago, ICANN locks it. Wait the difference.
Registry lock: some registrars set “registrar lock” by default. Unlock it in GoDaddy’s domain control panel.
WHOIS privacy off: GoDaddy’s “Domains by Proxy” privacy service obscures the registrant email — transfer confirmation goes there. Disable privacy 24-48h before initiating transfer.
Email reachable: ensure the WHOIS contact email is yours and you can read it.
DNS continuity: note your current DNS records. After transfer, you’ll repoint nameservers (or keep using GoDaddy’s DNS if you only transfer the registration).

Step-by-step

1. Prepare at GoDaddy

Log into GoDaddy → Domains → your domain → “Transfer”.
Click “Get authorization code”. Copy the code (looks like ABC123-DEF456).
Verify the code is sent to your WHOIS email.
Disable WHOIS privacy if you haven’t already.
Ensure the domain is unlocked.

2. Initiate at Njalla

Open njal.la in Tor Browser.
Sign up with a throwaway email (or log in if you already have an account).
Top up balance in Monero or Bitcoin (or cash by mail; see /guides/anonymous-vps-monero).
Domains → Transfer in. Enter your domain name.
Paste the EPP / auth code.
Confirm and pay (1 year of registration is added to the existing expiry).

3. Transfer authorization

Within 24h, you’ll receive a transfer confirmation email at your WHOIS contact address.
Click the confirmation link.
The losing registrar (GoDaddy) has 5 days to either approve or NACK the transfer. If they take no action, ICANN auto-approves.

4. Post-transfer

Once the transfer completes:

WHOIS now shows Njalla as registrant, admin and tech contact.
Your identity is removed from the public WHOIS record entirely.
Nameservers are unchanged unless you explicitly switched them. To use Njalla’s DNS, change the NS records in your Njalla dashboard.
DNSSEC may need to be re-applied if you had it set up.

5. Decommission GoDaddy

After 7 days of stable operation under Njalla:

Verify all DNS records are working.
Verify SSL certificates renew (Let’s Encrypt should be unaffected; commercial CAs may need re-validation).
Cancel any GoDaddy-side services tied to the domain (privacy, monitoring, etc.).
Keep the GoDaddy account open for at least 30 days in case of rollback need.

Common issues

“Transfer rejected — auth code mismatch”: GoDaddy regenerated the code; get the latest.
“Transfer requires manual approval”: GoDaddy delaying for human review. Their support can expedite.
WHOIS privacy was on at transfer initiation: the confirmation email goes nowhere. Disable privacy, restart the transfer.
Registrar lock still on: explicitly unlock in GoDaddy’s domain panel.
Domain was registered <60 days ago: ICANN refuses. Wait, then retry.

What about other registrars?

The process is identical for any ICANN-accredited registrar — only the UI for retrieving the auth code differs. Notable variations:

Namecheap: “Domain List → Manage → Sharing & Transfer → Auth Code”. WHOIS Privacy is “WhoisGuard” — disable 48h before.
Google Domains (now Squarespace): in the migration UI; auth code is in the domain settings.
Porkbun: “Domain Management → Transfer Lock → Get Auth Code”. Already privacy-friendly so the transfer mainly upgrades to owns-on-behalf.

Cost

Njalla .com: €15/year (includes the +1 year added to your existing expiry).
GoDaddy refund: most US registrars don’t refund unused time when you transfer out. The +1 year at Njalla compensates partially.