Usually, yes. If you can access the site’s files, database, domain settings and any paid licences, a WordPress site can often move to a new host or be handed to a new web designer. A proprietary builder may need a rebuild instead. Collect access first, test the copy before changing live settings, and plan the switch so enquiries and email keep working.
This article covers moving the website itself. Moving only your domain registration is a separate process, and the commercial terms in your agreement should be checked separately before you give notice.
Check what can actually move
Start by identifying the platform. A self-hosted WordPress site normally has site files, a database and a domain pointing to a server. Those components can often be copied to another host. A website built inside a hosted builder may let you move the domain but not export the complete working design in the same way.
Next, list the add-ons. Premium themes, plugins, fonts, stock images, booking systems and forms may sit under someone else’s account or licence. Ask which licences can be transferred, which you need to buy yourself and which simply stop working after a supplier change. Do this early, because a working copy can still lose an important feature after launch.
Also check where email runs. Some businesses keep email with the website host; others use a separate service. If the domain’s DNS records change without accounting for email, messages can stop arriving. Treat email records as part of the move, not an afterthought.
Collect access before anyone changes the site
Ask for administrator access to the website and current access to the hosting account, or a complete backup provided in a format the new host can use. You also need access to the domain registrar or DNS manager. Request login details through a secure method, not a spreadsheet emailed around the team.
Create an inventory as you go:
- website administrator access and the current platform version
- a recent full backup, including files and database
- domain and DNS access, plus current email records
- licence details for themes, plugins, fonts and images
- forms, analytics, tracking and any connected booking or payment tools
Read the current agreement for ownership, assistance, notice and handover arrangements before ending a service. A contract question should not stop you collecting your own records, but it can affect timing and costs. If anything is disputed, get a clear written answer before cancelling the old hosting.
Move a copy and test it privately
Copy the site to the new host before changing where the public domain points. Check that links work, images appear and forms send messages to the right place. Confirm the security certificate, redirects and any custom server settings. A homepage that loads is only the start.
Use a short test plan. Open the main service pages on a phone and desktop. Submit every important form. Check that enquiry emails arrive and that automated replies still make sense. If you sell online, test the checkout in the provider’s safe mode or with an agreed test transaction. Write down issues and resolve them before the switch.
Agree on a time to update DNS or nameservers. Avoid making unrelated design changes during the same window, because it becomes hard to tell what caused a fault. Keep the old hosting active until the new site has run reliably and you have a backup you can restore.
Changing web designer is a handover, not a disappearing act
Changing designers can happen without moving hosts. The new designer may only need appropriate access to the existing site and a clear brief. Ask the outgoing provider for documentation where it exists: plugin settings, custom code notes, tracking setup and open issues. Otherwise, the new team may have to reverse-engineer a form or find out where an enquiry goes while it is already failing.
Before granting access, decide what the new designer is allowed to change. Should they fix forms, update content, add pages or rebuild the theme? Removing a former provider’s access is part of the job once the handover is complete. Then document who now holds each login and who receives backups.
If you want one provider to own both the technical home and the routine care, compare what is included in website hosting and maintenance. Hosting keeps the site available; maintenance covers the work needed to keep it updated and recoverable. They are related, but they are not interchangeable.
Frequently asked questions
Will my website go offline during a migration?
It should not need a long outage when the copy is tested before the switch. A small delay can occur while DNS changes take effect, so choose a quiet time and keep the old hosting available until the new version is confirmed.
Can I keep my existing design?
Often, if the site is self-hosted and you have the files, database and licences. If the design depends on a proprietary builder, expect to recreate it on the new platform rather than copying it across directly.
What should I do with the old hosting account?
Do not cancel it immediately. Keep it until the new site, forms, email records and backups have been checked, then close it according to the agreement and remove access that is no longer required.
Plan the move before you cancel anything
The safest first step is a complete access and licence inventory. If you need help reviewing what can move, and who should look after the site afterwards, see hosting and maintenance options before giving notice to your current provider.
