Home / Guides / How to sell a .co.uk domain

How to sell a .co.uk domain

Guide · Updated May 2026 · 6 min read

Selling a .co.uk domain is reasonably straightforward once you understand who can sell, how UK domains move between owners, and how to get paid safely. This guide walks through each step.

1. Confirm that you own the domain

You can only sell a domain if you are its registered owner, known as the registrant. Nominet is the official registry for all .uk domain names, including .co.uk, and the registrant is the person or company recorded against the domain. Being listed as an administrative or technical contact is not the same as owning it.

Check your registrar control panel, or look the domain up using Nominet's WHOIS service, to confirm the registrant details are correct and up to date. If the domain is held in a company name, make sure you have authority to sell on that company's behalf.

2. Decide who to sell to

There are three common routes:

• A marketplace or auction. Your domain is listed publicly. This can work, but listings can take time, usually carry fees or commission, and put your domain in front of a wide audience.
• A broker. A broker tries to find a buyer on your behalf and takes a commission on any sale.
• A direct buyer. You deal with the buyer directly. There is no commission, the conversation stays private, and a serious buyer can move quickly.

Coaley Peak® Ltd, trading as Acquisition.co.uk, is a direct buyer. We deal with legal owners only and do not work with brokers, agents or middlemen.

3. Get a sense of the value

Before you start a conversation it helps to have a rough idea of what your domain might be worth. Value is driven by length, how memorable the name is, whether it contains a real keyword or an exact match for a product or service, and the extension itself. Our guide to domain valuation explains the main factors, and you can email us for a quick indication of whether we may be interested.

4. Understand how a .co.uk transfer works

UK domains do not use the authorisation codes you may have seen with .com names. Instead, Nominet uses a system of IPS tags. Each registrar has its own tag, and the domain is moved by changing the tag to that of the buyer's registrar.

In practice the steps are:

• Both parties agree terms in writing.
• The buyer provides the IPS tag of their registrar.
• The seller changes the tag in their registrar control panel, or asks their registrar to do so.
• The domain moves to the buyer's account, usually quickly, though the exact timing depends on Nominet and the registrars involved.

5. Get paid safely

Always agree the key terms in writing before anything moves. Payment for UK domains is usually by bank transfer, and for larger transactions either party may prefer to use a reputable escrow service so that funds and the transfer are released together. As a rule, do not change the IPS tag until you are confident payment has cleared, or until an escrow arrangement is in place.

When you sell to us, we set out the agreed terms in a clear written agreement before completion, and payment is made securely once terms are agreed and the transfer is ready.

This guide is general information only and is not legal, financial or tax advice. Please take professional advice before acting. Any purchase or sale is subject to our Terms & Conditions, and any valuation or figure is indicative only and never a binding offer.