Domain Transfers API

API reference for transferring a verified domain to another Taifa Mail account or workspace.

Base URL: https://govconnect.ke/v1

All endpoints require authentication via API Key or JWT cookie. API keys are passed as Authorization: Bearer tfm_k_....

A transfer is a two-sided handshake: the source owner initiates, the recipient accepts, then a 24-hour safety window runs before ownership moves. See the Transfer a Domain guide for the full flow.

Domain transfer may be gated during rollout. When the feature is disabled, these endpoints return 404.

The transfer object

{
  "id": "b2c3d4e5-6789-01ab-cdef-234567890abc",
  "domain_id": "a1b2c3d4-5678-90ab-cdef-1234567890ab",
  "domain_name": "notifications.yourapp.com",
  "source_user_id": "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111",
  "source_org_id": "22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222",
  "source_label": "owner@agency.com",
  "target_email": "client@company.com",
  "target_user_id": null,
  "target_org_id": null,
  "status": "pending",
  "note": "Handing this back to you.",
  "cooloff_until": null,
  "initiated_at": "2026-05-30T10:00:00Z",
  "accepted_at": null,
  "completed_at": null,
  "expires_at": "2026-06-06T10:00:00Z"
}

Transfer statuses

Status	Meaning
`pending`	Initiated, waiting for the recipient to accept. Expires 7 days after `initiated_at`.
`accepted`	Recipient accepted. The 24-hour safety window is running (`cooloff_until`).
`completed`	Safety window ended. Ownership has moved.
`declined`	Recipient declined the request.
`cancelled`	Source cancelled the request while it was pending.
`reversed`	Source stopped the transfer during the safety window. Ownership never moved.
`expired`	The 7-day request window passed without acceptance.

Initiate a transfer

POST /v1/domains/{domain_id}/transfer

Starts a transfer of a domain you own. Runs the preconditions and emails the recipient an accept link. Rate limited to 5 requests per minute.

Request body:

{
  "target_email": "client@company.com",
  "note": "Handing this back to you."
}

Field	Type	Required	Description
`target_email`	string	Yes	Email of the recipient. Must match an existing Taifa Mail account.
`note`	string	No	Optional message shown to the recipient. Max 1000 characters.

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "pending".

curl -X POST https://govconnect.ke/v1/domains/a1b2c3d4-.../transfer \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer tfm_k_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"target_email": "client@company.com", "note": "Handing this back to you."}'

Preconditions. The request is rejected with 409 Conflict and a code when:

`code`	Meaning
`transfer_active`	A pending or accepted transfer already exists for this domain.
`broadcasts_in_flight`	A broadcast on this domain's senders is sending or scheduled. The offending items are listed under `blockers`.
`scheduled_emails`	This domain has scheduled transactional emails.
`self_transfer`	The target email is your own account.

target_not_found returns 404 when no Taifa Mail account uses the target email.

List incoming transfers

GET /v1/domain-transfers/incoming

Returns active (pending or accepted) transfers addressed to the authenticated user's email.

curl https://govconnect.ke/v1/domain-transfers/incoming \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer tfm_k_YOUR_API_KEY"

Response: an array of transfer objects.

List outgoing transfers

GET /v1/domain-transfers/outgoing

Returns transfers the authenticated user has initiated (most recent first).

Response: an array of transfer objects.

Check accept eligibility

GET /v1/domain-transfers/accept-eligibility

Reports whether the authenticated user can accept an incoming transfer right now. The dashboard calls this before showing the Accept button. There are no domain caps, so accounts are normally eligible.

curl https://govconnect.ke/v1/domain-transfers/accept-eligibility \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer tfm_k_YOUR_API_KEY"

Response (200):

{
  "can_accept": true,
  "code": null,
  "message": null,
  "current_domains": 1,
  "domain_limit": -1
}

Field	Type	Description
`can_accept`	boolean	`true` if the user can accept an incoming transfer now.
`code`	string \| null	Reason the user is blocked, or `null` when `can_accept` is `true`.
`message`	string \| null	Human-readable explanation to show the user, or `null` when unblocked.
`current_domains`	integer	Domains the user currently owns.
`domain_limit`	integer	Always `-1` (unlimited). Kept for backwards compatibility.

Accept a transfer by token

POST /v1/domain-transfers/{token}/accept

Accepts using the one-shot token from the invitation email. Moves the transfer to accepted and starts the 24-hour safety window.

Request body:

{
  "target_org_id": "33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333",
  "rotate_dkim": false
}

Field	Type	Required	Description
`target_org_id`	string	No	Workspace to receive the domain. Defaults to your oldest workspace.
`rotate_dkim`	boolean	No	Mint a fresh DKIM key on transfer. Defaults to `false` (keep the current key).

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "accepted" and a cooloff_until timestamp.

Errors:

Status	`code`	Meaning
404	`not_found`	The token is invalid or already used.
409	`not_pending`	The transfer can no longer be accepted.
410	`expired`	The 7-day request window has passed.
403	`wrong_recipient`	The transfer was sent to a different account.
403	`org_access_lost`	You no longer belong to the chosen workspace. Pick another and retry.

Accept a transfer by id

POST /v1/domain-transfers/by-id/{transfer_id}/accept

Accepts from the authenticated dashboard without the email token. The caller is matched to the transfer by their account email. Body and responses match accept by token.

Decline a transfer

POST /v1/domain-transfers/{transfer_id}/decline

Declines a pending transfer addressed to you. The sender is notified.

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "declined".

Cancel a transfer

DELETE /v1/domain-transfers/{transfer_id}

Withdraws a transfer you initiated while it is still pending. To reverse after acceptance, use stop instead.

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "cancelled".

Once a transfer is accepted, DELETE returns 409 with code: "not_pending". Use the stop link during the safety window.

Stop a transfer during the safety window

POST /v1/domain-transfers/stop/{stop_token}

Reverses an accepted transfer during the 24-hour safety window using the stop token from the "stop this transfer" email. Ownership never moves.

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "reversed".

Errors:

Status	`code`	Meaning
404	`not_found`	The stop link is invalid or already used.
409	`not_stoppable`	The transfer is no longer in the safety window.

Admin force transfer

POST /v1/admin/domain-transfers/{domain_id}

Platform-admin override for stuck cases. Skips the email handshake and the safety window: ownership moves immediately. Requires admin re-authentication.

Request body:

{
  "target_email": "client@company.com",
  "rotate_dkim": true
}

Field	Type	Required	Description
`target_email`	string	Yes	Email of the recipient account.
`rotate_dkim`	boolean	No	Mint a fresh DKIM key on transfer. Defaults to `true`.

Response (200): the transfer object with status: "completed".

Admin force transfer is immediate and irreversible. It revokes the previous owner's SMTP credentials for the domain and writes an audit entry on both sides.

Domain Transfers API

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