How Domain Transfer works

Google Workspace Domain Transfer allows you to merge two separate Google Workspace environments. All eligible domains and entities from the source environment are moved into the destination environment.

Eligible domains, also known as transfer domains, are any secondary domains (and their associated aliases) that exist within the source environment. After the transfer, all transfer (secondary) domains become secondary domains in the destination environment. Alias domains associated with the source secondary domains are transferred as aliases and preserve the alias association. The primary domain (and its associated aliases) is ineligible for transfer, as a Google Workspace environment cannot be left without one.

Supported entities associated with transfer domains, known as transfer entities, are moved as a part of the transfer process. These entities include users, groups, mail, shared drives, calendar resources, etc.

Since you’re likely to transfer the source environment’s existing primary domain, it must be converted to a secondary domain. A placeholder domain is added to the source environment and promoted as the new primary domain, replacing the existing primary domain. Once swapped, the previous primary domain becomes a secondary domain eligible for transfer.

The destination environment needs to establish an organizational unit, known as the transfer root organizational unit, to provide a target for the transfer users. After the transfer, all transfer users reside under the transfer root organizational unit.

Once the transfer is complete, the source environment contains only the placeholder domain and a single user, the placeholder administrator, a super administrator created during the transfer process to maintain access to the source environment.