To move a domain from Bluehost to Flashcloud: unlock it and get the EPP code from your Bluehost account first, then start the transfer from our side at Marketplace > Domains > Transfer one in. Enter the domain, click Check eligibility, and follow the steps. A free year is added to your remaining registration and WHOIS privacy is included at no cost.
The transfer only works if the domain is unlocked and you have the EPP code in hand before you start. Get both from Bluehost first.
Step 1: Unlock the domain in Bluehost
Log in to your Bluehost account and go to Domains. Select the domain you're moving, then look for Domain Lock or Registrar Lock in the domain settings and switch it off. Bluehost domains are usually managed either directly through the Bluehost dashboard or through their underlying registrar partner, so the exact menu label can vary. If you don't see a lock toggle where you expect it, check under a "Manage Domain" or "Advanced" section, or search Bluehost's help docs for "unlock domain transfer."
This part is the same regardless of which registrar you're leaving, and the mechanics are covered in more detail in Unlocking a domain for transfer.
Step 2: Get the EPP code (also called auth code) from Bluehost
Still in the domain's settings in Bluehost, look for an option like Get EPP Code, Get Auth Code, or Transfer Domain Away. Bluehost may email the code to the address on file rather than displaying it, so check your inbox (and spam folder) as well. Save that code somewhere you can paste it from, you'll need it soon.
If your domain has WHOIS privacy turned on with Bluehost, the confirmation email for the transfer request will go to the WHOIS contact address, not necessarily your regular Bluehost login email. Make sure that address is one you can actually check.
Step 3: Confirm the domain is eligible
- If the domain is close to its expiration date, renew it at Bluehost first. A transfer that starts too close to expiry can fail to complete in time and the domain can lapse.
Step 4: Start the transfer in Flashcloud
Sign in to portal.flashcloud.com and go to Marketplace > Domains. Click Transfer one in (also reachable from Domains > Transfer). Type the full domain name and click Check eligibility, then follow the transfer steps, which include providing the EPP code from Step 2.
Bluehost, as the losing registrar, is then notified of the transfer request. Most registrars either approve it automatically after a waiting period or email you an approval link, so watch your inbox.
For the parts of this process that are the same no matter which registrar you're leaving, see Transferring a domain away from Flashcloud, which walks through the same flow from the other direction.
Before you pull the trigger: set up DNS first
If your site or email is currently pointed at Bluehost's servers and you're also planning to host with Flashcloud, set up your DNS records, or point nameservers, at the destination before the domain transfer completes. See Pointing your domain to your hosting account for the nameserver and A record options once you're ready to connect the domain to Flashcloud hosting.
If you used WHOIS privacy on Bluehost, note that the transfer confirmation email might not reach you directly since it goes through the privacy proxy. Turning off privacy a day or two before starting the transfer, right after you've unlocked the domain, is worth doing so you actually see the confirmation message. Flashcloud's own default privacy behavior is covered in WHOIS privacy if you want the details on how it works once the domain lands here.
If Bluehost won't unlock the domain or give you the code
If Bluehost stalls on unlocking the domain or releasing the EPP code, and the domain itself is not past due or in dispute, ask them directly why it's being withheld and escalate through their support if needed.
When to contact support
If the transfer gets stuck (rejected by Bluehost with no explanation, the EPP code doesn't validate, or there's been no movement for several days), open a ticket from Support in the portal. It goes to a real person, not a bot, and they can check the transfer status on our end and help sort out what Bluehost is doing on theirs.