How to Solve Domain is Locked at the Current Registrar Error: Godaddy to Hostinger Domain Transfer

In hPanel, open Domains in the left sidebar and expand it to reveal Domain portfolio, Get a New Domain, and Transfers. Click Transfers — this is the page that both starts a new incoming transfer and shows you exactly what's blocking one, before you even enter a domain.

The Transfers page lays out exactly what Hostinger checks before it will accept an incoming domain: that at least 60 days have passed since the domain's initial registration or last transfer, that the domain is unlocked at its current registrar, and that you have a valid authorization code. The lock error means specifically the middle one — "Domain is unlocked" — hasn't been satisfied yet, and Hostinger links directly to instructions for unlocking it from your current registrar.

Log in to GoDaddy and open the specific domain's management page. You'll see details like its expiry date, auto-renew status, and renewal cost, along with a Secure section showing the domain's current protection level.

The lock toggle itself sits among this domain's settings — look for a security or lock option near where you'd forward the domain or manage its DNS, and switch it off. GoDaddy locks domains by default specifically to prevent unauthorized transfers, so this step is expected, not a sign anything is wrong with the domain.

With the domain unlocked, request the EPP code — also called an authorization code — from GoDaddy's domain settings. GoDaddy typically emails this code to the account's registered address rather than displaying it directly on screen, so check your inbox (and spam folder) if it doesn't show up within a few minutes. This code is what proves to Hostinger that you're authorized to pull the domain away from GoDaddy, and it's required regardless of how long you've owned the domain.

If the domain is unlocked and you have a valid EPP code but the transfer still won't go through, WHOIS privacy protection is worth checking next. It occasionally interferes with the automated ownership checks a transfer relies on, so temporarily disabling it in GoDaddy's domain settings can clear a stubborn transfer that otherwise looks like it should be working.

Back on Hostinger's Transfers page, enter the domain in the field provided and click Transfer. With the lock off and the EPP code in hand, the three requirements should now all show as met, and Hostinger will guide you through entering the authorization code and confirming the move. The transfer itself isn't instant — expect it to take several days to fully complete on the registry side — but the lock error specifically should no longer block you from starting it.