Knowledge Base

Domain Status Codes: What clientTransferProhibited and Others Mean

In short: Domain status codes (EPP status codes) are short labels that show which actions are allowed on your domain name. They appear in the "Domain Status" lines of a Whois or RDAP lookup. For example, clientTransferProhibited means the transfer lock is on, while clientHold means the domain is not active in the DNS.

This guide explains where to find the status codes, what the most common ones mean and when you need to act. The definitions are based on ICANN's EPP status codes page.

Where do domain status codes appear?

The easiest way to see them is the ICANN Lookup tool. Enter your domain and it lists the registrar, the expiry date and the status codes. The tool uses RDAP, the structured lookup protocol that replaces the older Whois. If you prefer the command line, an RDAP query for a .com domain looks like this:

curl https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/example.com

RDAP writes the codes with spaces, so you see client transfer prohibited instead of clientTransferProhibited. The meaning is the same.

Client codes vs. server codes

The first word of a code tells you who set it:

• Codes starting with client are set by your registrar, the company you registered the domain with. To remove them, you contact your registrar.
• Codes starting with server are set by the registry that runs the extension, and according to ICANN they take precedence over client codes.

Common status codes and what they mean

You may also see temporary codes such as addPeriod after a new registration or autoRenewPeriod after an automatic renewal. On their own they do not signal a problem.

Which codes should worry you?

1. pendingTransfer: If you did not start a transfer, ICANN advises you to contact your registrar immediately and ask them to deny the request.
2. clientHold or serverHold: If your website and email are down, check these codes first. The reason can be payment, verification or a legal matter.
3. redemptionPeriod: The domain has expired and entered the deletion cycle. According to ICANN this lasts 30 days; then pendingDelete starts and the domain is purged five calendar days later. Our article on what happens when a domain expires covers this in detail.
4. No transfer lock: If clientTransferProhibited is missing and you are not planning a transfer, ask for the lock to be turned on.

Checking status codes before a transfer

Before you move a domain, make sure the transfer lock has been removed and that no blocking code such as clientUpdateProhibited remains. Then get the transfer code and start the process; the steps are in our domain transfer guide. If the status shows inactive, check your name server settings. To control how your contact details are shown, see our guide to Whois privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions