.pk domain transfer, step by step

Two different changes, often confused

A .pk domain has two things attached to it at PKNIC: the registrant (the person or company recorded as the owner) and the account it sits in (the PKNIC login, or a reseller's account, that pays for it and edits its settings). A sale usually needs both to change. PKNIC handles them as two separate procedures, each on its own page.

The first is a change of registrant details. PKNIC's "Change/Update Domain Registrant Information" page says the registrant record "remains locked to prevent unauthorized domain ownership transfer", and it is unlocked only when PKNIC receives the signed paperwork described below. PKNIC's page describes this as updating registrant information rather than selling, but it is the only procedure it publishes for changing the name on the record, so it is the step a buyer needs to see completed (see What PKNIC's pages do not say below).

The second is a change of registrar or account ID. PKNIC's "Change Domain Registrar" page describes it as moving a domain from one registrar's account, or one PKNIC account, to another. This gives the buyer day-to-day control: renewals, nameservers and contact edits. Its paperwork is almost identical to the registrant change, so in a sale you will usually need to do both.

Before you start

Check the expiry date first. Both PKNIC pages say a domain can only be transferred or unlocked if it is not expired. If renewal is due within the next few weeks, agree in writing who renews and when, and ideally renew before the paperwork goes in. PKNIC's price list puts renewal at ₨2,100 per year for Pakistan-based registrants, charged in two-year blocks, which is ₨4,200 for the minimum term.

Agree on exactly what the buyer will own. Confirm the spelling of the domain, whether it is a bare .pk name or a .com.pk name, and that the seller's name in PKNIC's record matches the name on the documents they will sign. If the registrant is a company but the letterhead or seal shows a slightly different name, PKNIC asks for an extra affidavit explaining the mismatch, so find that out early.

The buyer needs a PKNIC account (or a reseller account) to receive the domain. Create it before the seller posts anything, because the authority letter must name both the current account and the receiving account.

The steps

1. Buyer opens a receiving account. Note the account ID; PKNIC accepts either the account number or the account username in the letter.
2. Seller prepares the authority letter or affidavit. For a company-owned domain, the CEO, director or head signs a letter on letterhead under the official seal, naming the domain, the purpose of the change, the current account ID and the new account ID. For an individually owned domain, the seller signs an affidavit on ₨100 stamp paper, attested by an oath commissioner or notary public, with the same details. PKNIC links sample formats on both of its pages.
3. Attach a clear CNIC copy. PKNIC asks for the CNIC of the signing authority (for companies) or the domain owner (for individuals).
4. Post the originals to PKNIC in Lahore. The address on PKNIC's pages is PKNIC Collection, 435 Tariq Block, Garden Town, Lahore. PKNIC states that scanned images of authority letters are not accepted, so a courier with tracking is sensible.
5. Both sides respond to PKNIC's email verification. PKNIC's account-transfer help page says the current owner or agent is emailed to agree to the transfer, and the receiving account holder is emailed to accept it. Watch the inbox on the addresses PKNIC has on file.
6. Answer the phone. Both PKNIC pages say documents are verified by phone after they are received, and that the change takes about 3 to 4 business days after that verification.
7. Buyer checks the record, then confirms on SastiDomains. See the checklist further down. Only after this confirmation do we release payment to the seller.

Documents PKNIC lists

Every document should state what is being changed and to whom. PKNIC's pages describe the letter as coming from the current registrant, so it is the seller who signs, not the buyer. The buyer's part is the receiving account and the email acceptance.

Time and cost

PKNIC does not list a fee for a registrant change or an account transfer on the pages we read. The costs that do appear are the ones you pay elsewhere: the ₨100 stamp paper, the notary or oath commissioner's charge, and the courier. Any renewal due is charged at PKNIC's normal rate.

Our own rough estimate is around two weeks end to end; PKNIC does not give a total. Post within Pakistan takes a few days, PKNIC then processes and phones to verify, and its stated 3 to 4 business days only start after that verification. PKNIC's contact page gives office hours of Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 1:30pm and 2:00pm to 4:30pm, so calls outside those times will not move things along.

What the buyer should check afterwards

Do not confirm the deal because the seller says it is done. Check three things yourself.

• The registrant record. Look the domain up through the WHOIS search on the pknic.net.pk home page and make sure the registrant name shown is yours or your company's, not the seller's.
• Account control. Log in to your PKNIC or reseller account and confirm the domain appears there, and that you can edit nameservers and contact details without asking anyone.
• The expiry date. Confirm it matches what you agreed. If the seller promised to renew first, the new date should already show.

Once all three check out, confirm on SastiDomains. We pay the seller within 24 hours of that confirmation. If the transfer cannot be completed, you are refunded.

What PKNIC's pages do not say

We read PKNIC's registrant-change, registrar-change, account-transfer, policy, FAQ, pricing and contact pages on 19 October 2026. A few things are not spelled out there, and we would rather tell you than guess.

• PKNIC's registrant-change page talks about updating registrant information and preventing unauthorised ownership transfer. It does not use the words "sell" or "new owner", and it does not say whether the buyer's own documents are needed alongside the seller's.
• Neither page states a fee for the change, or whether any renewal already paid carries over.
• The policy page says the maintenance fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, but does not explain how that applies when the registrant changes mid-term.
• The registrar-change page mentions that transfers using an authorisation code may be available for registrars outside Pakistan, at PKNIC's discretion. It gives no detail.

For anything above, ask PKNIC directly before you rely on it. Its contact page lists staff@pknic.net.pk and the phone numbers +92-332-477-1656 and +92-332-477-2669. We are not PKNIC and cannot speak for them.

How this fits an escrow sale

This paperwork is where a .pk deal done over WhatsApp is most at risk. The seller must sign and post originals before anything changes, and the buyer must trust that they will. With SastiDomains in the middle, the buyer pays us first, the seller completes the PKNIC steps knowing the money is already held, and the seller is paid only after the buyer confirms the record is in their name. The seller pays a 10% commission when the sale completes; listing is free and the buyer pays nothing on top of the agreed price.

Buying a .com instead? The registrar process is different and faster; see how to buy a domain safely. Selling and not sure what to ask? Start with what is my domain worth.