Ever try to transfer a domain off of Network Solutions before it expires? Don’t do it until you read this and avoid my mistake. Here’s the process.

1) Immediately on login you are required to update your contact info
2) Request the domain auth information
3) Be informed that they’ll be holding the domain and rejecting transfers for 60 days because you updated your contact information. Naturally this usually means paying Network Solutions for another year’s worth of registration because we don’t generally transfer until its near expiration time.

Easy to see why they do it, and the real reason is obviously not security at $35/yr for registration.

There is no way to get to 2 without going through 1. The key it seems is not to update your phone number or any information at all. However you are required to enter a security question on that same form. I don’t know if you can submit it without altering your domain’s registration status and triggering the 60 day hold.

I guess the best strategy is to submit the form completely unchanged and go right through to the transfer page.