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A registrar API and a DNS interface control different parts of a domain. A registrar API handles registration and registrar administration; DNS controls which authoritative nameservers receive queries and what records those nameservers publish. A tenant migration may require a registrar transfer, a DNS change, both, or neither. Plan each as a separate work item and identify its owner before scheduling a cutover.

What is the difference between a registrar and DNS hosting?

A registrar is involved in registering and administering a domain name. Its interface supports provisioning actions, while its backend communicates with the registry through the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP). Some providers also expose REST APIs, but ICANN does not require those additional interfaces. The operations, permissions, authentication, and error behavior therefore depend on the provider; “registrar API” is not a uniform contract. ICANN’s 2023 roadmap for registry and registrar systems describes these interfaces.

DNS hosting is where a domain’s authoritative DNS configuration is managed. Two separate changes can happen there:

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  • Delegation or authority change: update the registry/TLD information that identifies the domain’s authoritative nameservers.
  • Zone change: update records and values such as TTLs within the DNS zone at the provider that operates it.

ICANN’s Guidance for Domain Name Orders distinguishes authority—the party responsible for managing DNS—from a change to the DNS configuration of a zone file. The registrar, DNS host, and tenant administrator may be different organizations or teams.

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Do I need to transfer my domain registrar to change DNS?

No. A domain can remain at its current registrar while using a different DNS host. You can change the domain’s nameserver delegation without changing its registrar, and you can edit records at the DNS host without changing either registrar or delegation. ICANN’s registrant transfer FAQ treats changing web-hosting providers and updating nameservers or hosting IP addresses as options distinct from transferring registrars.

For a migration, identify the specific change required: registrar of record, nameserver delegation, zone contents, or some combination. A tenant move alone does not establish that any of these domain changes is necessary.

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Does changing registrars move my DNS records?

Do not assume it does. An inter-registrar transfer changes the registrar of record through a policy-governed process; it is not itself a DNS-hosting migration or a complete zone copy. ICANN’s Transfer Policy addresses the transfer between registrars, while its DNS guidance separately describes delegation and zone configuration.

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ICANN’s Registration Data Policy includes nameserver and nameserver IP information, as well as DNSSEC elements, among registration-related data handled in specified circumstances. That does not establish that a full authoritative zone, DNS-provider account, signing keys, or tenant services will move with the registrar transfer. Export and verify those items separately when they are in scope.

Can I move my website or email without transferring the domain?

Yes, if the required changes can be made through the existing registrar and DNS host. Website and email services depend on the relevant DNS records and destination services; changing registrar is not a prerequisite for changing those services. Before changing records, determine whether the migration requires edits to the existing zone, a new DNS host and delegation, or both. Keep the registrar transfer as a separate decision.

What does a registrar API control?

It depends on the registrar’s API contract. Registrar interfaces generally support registration provisioning and administrative actions, and an inter-registrar transfer follows the applicable transfer procedure. A provider may expose additional API operations, but ICANN’s 2023 roadmap says REST APIs are used by some parties and are not required by ICANN contracted parties. Check the actual provider’s documentation for supported operations, authentication, permissions, error responses, and manual alternatives.

Do not treat a registrar API as an interface to every DNS function. It may allow nameserver changes or DNS record management if the provider offers those capabilities, but that is provider-specific. Confirm whether the zone is hosted by the registrar or by another DNS provider and which system is authoritative for the change you intend to make.

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What should I check before changing nameservers during a tenant migration?

Use three distinct work items in the migration plan: registrar transfer, delegation change, and zone-record migration. Record an owner and authorization path for each; mark items that are out of scope rather than assuming they happen automatically.

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  1. Establish ownership and scope. Identify the registrar of record, the DNS host, the tenant administrator, and who can approve or execute each change. Confirm whether the migration actually requires a registrar transfer, a nameserver change, record edits, or more than one of these.
  2. Check transfer eligibility if a registrar change is planned. For applicable gTLD transfers, an Auth-Code is required. The holder may be able to generate one in the registrar control panel; otherwise, ICANN’s Auth-Code guidance says the registrar must provide it within five calendar days of the request. Confirm the authorized contact, current domain status, and registrar-specific procedure.
  3. Review locks and timing before setting a date. ICANN describes possible 60-day restrictions after initial registration, certain registrant contact-data changes, or a prior transfer; applicability and any opt-out depend on policy and registrar. The Transfer Policy also specifies limited denial grounds and procedures. Check the domain’s current status and applicable TLD/provider rules instead of assuming a transfer date.
  4. Inventory the DNS zone and DNSSEC dependencies. Capture the current authoritative nameservers, all relevant records and TTLs, DNSSEC status, and any required key or DS coordination. Identify where the complete zone can be exported and imported; ICANN’s registration-data provisions do not establish provider-specific zone export or import behavior.
  5. Plan and validate the DNS change. If authority is changing, confirm the intended authoritative nameservers and that the necessary zone is ready at the destination. If only records are changing, make those edits at the provider that operates the zone. Schedule the work according to your operational dependencies and record TTLs; do not infer a universal propagation or downtime duration from the policy sources.
  6. Verify provider-specific controls and fallback. Confirm API permissions, supported operations, authentication, expected responses, and a manual route for each change. Keep separate confirmation that the registrar transfer completed, delegation points to the intended nameservers, and the destination zone contains the records required by the tenant.

ICANN’s cited transfer rules address gTLD policy contexts. Country-code TLD rules, registry procedures, and provider implementations can differ, so verify the current requirements for the specific domain and systems involved.

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