Squarespace protects your domain from unauthorized activity by locking your domain.

This guide reviews the types of domain locks that we apply to Squarespace-managed domains, and what you can do with your domain while you wait for the lock to end.

Tip: If you registered your domain with a non-Squarespace domain provider (such as GoDaddy or Namecheap), contact your domain provider to ask about the situations where a lock may be applied to your domain. 

What's a domain lock?

Domain locks are temporary holds that are automatically or manually applied to domains to prevent them from being transferred to another provider. If your domain is locked, you can’t transfer it away until you disable the lock, or the lock period ends. However, it's still possible to move your Squarespace domain between Squarespace sites while it's locked.

Domain locks protect your domain from unauthorized transfers, and as a domain registrar, Squarespace is required to follow the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Transfer Policy for when a generic top-level domain (gTLD) needs to be locked.

Tip: To determine when your domain lock ends, find the date you registered, transferred, or changed the contact information on your domain, then use the section below to identify how many days your domain lock lasts. 

Reasons a domain may be locked

There are four locks that may apply to your domain. How and when these domain locks apply will depend on your domain's registrar of record, and the ccTLD of your domain.

Tip: If your domain is registered with Squarespace, your registrar of record is Squarespace Domains LLC, Squarespace Domains II LLC, Tucows, or Key-Systems. If you're not sure who your registrar or record is, visit Who's my registrar of record?

Locks after editing domain contact information

​​When your domain contact information changes, registrars are required to lock your domain for 60 days. Some registrars allow you to remove this lock.

• Squarespace Domains LLC, Squarespace Domains II LLC, or Key-Systems - You can enable a 60-day contact update lock when you change the domain owner’s contact information. The lock can’t be disabled. You must wait 60 days before you can transfer the domain to another provider.
• Tucows - If you update the domain contact email address, the domain will automatically be locked for 10 days. You must wait 10 days before you can transfer the domain.

Locks after registering a domain

When you first register a domain, some registrars apply a 60-day registration domain lock.

• Squarespace Domains LLC or Squarespace Domains II LLC - We don't impose a lock upon registration, but depending on the TLD, the central registrar may impose a lock.
• Tucows or Key-Systems - Except for some ccTLDs, these domains are locked for 60 days after registration. You must wait 60 days before you can transfer the domain to another provider.

Locks after transferring a domain

When you transfer a domain into Squarespace, depending on your domain's registrar, a 60-day domain lock may be applied to your domain.

• Squarespace Domains LLC or Squarespace Domains II LLC - These domains aren't locked when they're transferred in to Squarespace, so they can transfer away from Squarespace at any time. You don't need to wait 60 days.
• Tucows or Key-Systems - Except for some ccTLDs, these domains are locked for 60 days after being transferred into Squarespace. You must wait for the lock period to end before you can transfer the domain to another provider.

Locks by default

All domains have an additional lock you can remove at any time. This lock is enabled by default for your security.

If you remove this lock, it doesn't remove any other active, unremovable locks that may be on your domain for one of the reasons above (like for contact information changes, new registrations, or transfers).

Disable a domain lock

To disable the default domain lock:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the domain you're editing.
3. Switch the Domain lock toggle off.

Keep in mind, disabling the default lock doesn't remove any other active, unremovable locks that may be on your domain for one of the reasons above.

To protect your domain from accidental transfers, we recommend keeping the Domain lock toggle switched on unless you're in the process of transferring your domain away from Squarespace.

Directing your domain to a different website while it's locked

While you can’t transfer your domain to a new provider while your domain is locked, if you want your domain to take visitors to a new or different site during this period, you can connect or point the domain to your site instead.

When you connect or point your domain to a new site, it will take visitors to your new site while remaining with its current host. How you connect the locked domain depends on the domain’s host.

Directing your locked Squarespace domain to a different Squarespace site

To use your locked Squarespace domain with a different Squarespace site, you can move or connect the domain at any time. Domain locks don't affect your ability to use your locked Squarespace domain with another Squarespace site. To learn about moving vs. connecting your domain, visit Choosing the right option for moving your Squarespace domain.

Directing your locked third-party domain to a Squarespace site

If your locked domain is hosted by a third party (such GoDaddy or Namecheap) and you want to use it with a Squarespace site, you can connect it to your site. After the 60-day lock has ended, you can follow your current provider’s instructions to unlock your domain and make it available for transfer, then transfer your domain to Squarespace.

Directing your locked Squarespace site to a non-Squarespace site

If your Squarespace domain is locked and you want to use it with a non-Squarespace website, you can point the domain to your new site. After the 60-day lock has ended, if you want your new web host to manage your domain, you can transfer your domain away from Squarespace.

ccTLDs without 60 day locks

If you have a domain with one of these ccTLDs, you can transfer it at any time. You don't need to wait 60 days:

• .co.uk, .org.uk, and .uk
• .au and .com.au
• .de
• .eu
• .fr
• .it
• .jp
• .nl
• .nz and .co.nz
• .pl
• .pw