I should probably have a boring but important section on this blog for this kind of material. Listen up though, this is relevant information for any of us in the domain business.

ICANN has released an advisory on domain transfers between Registrars to clarify their rules on this matter. Some Registrars have been refusing transfers for 60 days after WHOIS changes were made or refusing transfers once a domain had entered the Auto-Renew Grace Period. Here are the rules in question:

1. Registrars are prohibited from denying a domain name transfer request based on non-payment of fees for pending or future registration periods during the Auto-Renew Grace Period

2. A registrant change to Whois information is not a valid basis for denying a transfer request.

Hopefully some of the Registrars abusing these rules will now take note, but if not, you know where to point them.

Update: Ross Radar has written some notes on Tucows’ response to this advisory over at their blog.