Register.com's $200 transfer of registrant fee

$200 fee to keep domain at Register.com while changing registrant

[tmoney]

I recently had another company purchase approx. 21 domains from us. We are trying to transfer the domains to the new owner from our register.com account. Register.com is making us print a form online and attach a drivers license...then fax it the the new owners, blah, blah, blah. They also want $200 per domain ($4,200)! I have purchased domains before, and by the end of the day, the owner has transferred the domain to me (at no charge!).

Register.com says we have no choice, and that this is how it is done.

Has anyone run into this before? Is Register.com allowed to hold our domains hostage for a $200 bounty? Sounds illegal.

[rfontaine]

Simply transfer the domains to <another registrar> and turn over the username and password to the other company. They make whatever changes they want.

I do this all the time, works swell.

[edited by: Webwork at 9:08 pm (utc) on July 31, 2005]
[edit reason] <Per Charter please avoid specific registrar recommendations [/edit]

[davezan]

Is Register.com allowed to hold our domains hostage for a $200 bounty? Sounds illegal.

While it appears "illegal", it's not as long as it's part of their legal fine prints.

Just do what rfontaine suggested, it's much easier that way. ;)

[Webwork]

I prefer to avoid discussion of specific registrar practices, policies and procedures but Register.com's $200. fee is suffciently bizarre as to merit mention.

Basically, their fee penalizes someone for not transferring a domain away. In other words, it's a significant incentive to transfer a domain away from Register.com when there's a change of registrant. Yet, I've been advised by a reliable source that quite a few people pay the fee.

I suspect it's mostly because they are confused, uncertain or uninformed.