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Domain Status (EPP) Code Decoder

What your domain's EPP status codes mean — and whether it is locked against transfer.

The domain to look up

Queries go straight from your browser to public resolvers and registry services. Nothing about the domain you look up passes through this site.

How this check works

The status codes are read from the registry and explained one by one, then judged as a set. The judgement asks two questions rather than translating strings: is anything wrong right now, and is the domain protected against being taken. A domain sitting at "ok" passes most checkers and is in fact unprotected — "ok" means no locks are set, so transferring or altering it needs nothing but access to the registrar account. Setting the transfer lock is free at every registrar and is the single cheapest security improvement a domain can have.

What the results mean

clientTransferProhibited
Your registrar will refuse a transfer request. The lock worth having, and normally free.
ok
No restrictions — including no protections. Not the pass it looks like.
clientHold or serverHold
The domain has been removed from DNS and resolves nowhere. Usually billing or contact verification for a client hold; a dispute or policy problem for a server hold.
redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete
The domain expired. Redemption is recoverable for a fee; pendingDelete is the last stage before the name is released to anyone.
pendingTransfer
A transfer is in progress. If you did not start it, act immediately — silence approves it after five days.

Common problems and fixes

Our domain stopped resolving and shows clientHold
The registrar removed it from DNS, almost always for an unpaid invoice or an unverified registrant email. Resolving that lifts the hold; DNS changes will not.
We cannot transfer our domain out
Check for a transfer prohibition. A client lock you can remove yourself; a server lock in the first 60 days after registration or a previous transfer is registry policy and simply has to expire.
The domain expired last week
It is likely in redemption, where recovery costs substantially more than renewal but is still possible. That window is finite — act now rather than after pendingDelete.

Frequently asked questions

What does clientTransferProhibited mean?

Your registrar will refuse any request to transfer the domain to another registrar. It sounds restrictive and it is protection: a hijacker who gets into an account transfers the domain away first, because that puts it beyond the original registrar's reach. The lock is free, takes a moment to set, and you remove it yourself when you genuinely want to move.

Is "ok" status good?

It means nothing is wrong and nothing is protecting the domain either. Most checkers show it as a pass; it is more accurately "unlocked". A well-configured domain usually shows clientTransferProhibited and clientUpdateProhibited rather than ok.

Can I get a domain back after it expires?

During the redemption period, usually — for a fee considerably higher than renewal, typically for about 30 days. After that it moves to pendingDelete and is then released for anyone to register. The status code tells you which stage you are at, and the stages are short.

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