Transfer a domain from StratoRequest the AuthInfo code, cancel the package, switch without downtime

Published on October 20, 2026

How domains are organized at Strato

At Strato, a domain almost always belongs to a package - a domain, hosting or mail package with a fixed term. That has two consequences for the transfer: the AuthInfo code is tied to the domain cancellation, and content such as website, mailboxes and DNS settings stays behind at Strato when you switch.

At MainHoster.de, the domain is not part of a package, but a separate service with its own annual price. Billing is prepaid from your balance, and there is no cancellation - more on that in Domain without a contract.

Preparation: back up what does not move along

Strato points this out itself: when switching providers, only the domain moves, not the content. Before the switch, back up:

• The website - files and databases, if it is hosted at Strato. How to bring it to our web hosting is described in Migrate your website.
• The mailboxes. Export the mails or set up the new mail provider in advance. The matching MX, SPF and DKIM records are explained in Use a domain for email.
• The DNS records. Note down all records from the Strato management and create them with us before the transfer. Then nobody notices the switch. All record types are in DNS records explained.
• The owner email address. Strato sends the AuthInfo code to it. If it is outdated, update it first in the Strato customer login.

Step 1: get the AuthInfo code from Strato

Strato offers two routes to the code:

• Via cancellation with a provider change. If you cancel the domain in the customer login and state a provider change, Strato sends the AuthInfo code automatically - at the earliest 30 days before the cancellation date.
• Manually and earlier. If you need the code earlier, request it in the Strato customer login for the domain. After confirmation, it is sent by email to the domain owner, usually within one day.

Without this code, the registry rejects every transfer. It is the password for the transfer and only belongs in the order process of your new provider.

Lock periods for generic extensions

For .com, .net, .org, .biz and .info, ICANN rules apply that neither Strato nor we can influence. A transfer is not possible if the domain

• was first registered less than 60 days ago,
• has already been transferred once in the last 60 days, or
• according to Strato, is in the last 14 days before the end of the registration period.

For .de, these periods do not exist - a KK request is possible at any time. So with generic extensions, do not plan the switch at the last minute.

Step 2: start the transfer at MainHoster.de

1. Enter the domain in the search field on the domains page. It is shown as taken - for a transfer, that is correct.
2. Via "Next", enter the AuthInfo code in the following step and confirm the owner details.
3. The annual price is paid from your prepaid balance; the registry then carries out the switch.
4. After the transfer, check the DNS records in the web interface and keep the old website reachable for a few more days.

A .de domain is usually transferred within one day. With generic extensions, it can take up to five days, because the registry waits for the owner's confirmation.

Special case: change of owner during the transfer

If the domain is to get a new owner during the transfer - for example because it was previously registered privately and will belong to the company in future - Strato additionally requires a domain owner form and a contract termination form, signed by the previous and the future owner. The forms are in the Strato customer login.

The simpler order is usually: transfer with the previous owner first, then change the owner with us. What distinguishes owner and Admin-C is explained in Domain owner & Admin-C. Note that a change of owner triggers another 60-day transfer lock for generic extensions. The general process for all providers is in Transfer a domain.

Frequently asked questions