How to Transfer Shopify Store Ownership? [2026 Updated Tutorial]

Log in as the current store owner. If you are assigning ownership to an existing user, go to Settings > Users, open the current owner's details, choose the store, and click Change ownership. If you are transferring the store to someone outside your business, go to Settings > General > Manage under the transfer section, enter the new owner’s email, and send the transfer. The new owner must accept the email invitation before the transfer is complete.

If you are wondering how to transfer Shopify store ownership, the process is straightforward, but only the current store owner can start it. 

Depending on your setup, you can either change ownership inside your existing Shopify setup or transfer the store to a new owner outside your business. 

From my experience, the real issues start when store owners rush the transfer without checking billing, staff permissions, domain access, and payment details first. 

I have seen transfers go through in minutes when the prep was done properly, and I have also seen handovers get delayed because someone forgot to review who still had access.

In this guide, I will talk about how to transfer Shopify store ownership. I will also touch upon things to keep in mind during pre- and post-transfer for owners. 

Key considerations before you transfer Shopify store ownership

Make sure you are the current store owner

• Only the current store owner can start the ownership change. If you are an admin or staff member, you cannot do it.

Confirm whether you are changing ownership or transferring 

• Shopify has two different flows. One is for changing ownership to an existing user. The other is for transferring the store to a new owner outside your business. Confirm before going through the process.

Check unpaid bills and billing responsibility

• Review any unpaid charges before the transfer. If you have any unpaid bills, the new owner becomes responsible for those outstanding bills after the transfer.

Review Shopify Payments, bank details, and tax info

• Check your Shopify Payments setup, bank details, and tax-related information before and after the transfer. These details may need to be updated once the new owner takes control.

Export the records you want to keep

• I never recommend skipping this. Before you transfer Shopify store ownership, export any records you may need later, such as:
  
  • Billing history
  • Payout history
  • Transactions
  • Any documents needed for accounting or sales records

Once the store moves to a new owner, getting the old financial records is hard. 

Decide what is included in the handover

• The transfer is only one part of the handover. You should also decide what happens to the domain, brand assets, email accounts, social media accounts, ad accounts, vendor access, and SOPs or training notes. 

Know the transfer limits

• Check whether the store has Shopify Capital or Credit attached to it. These can block or affect the ability to transfer ownership.

How to transfer Shopify store ownership? (To an existing user)

Step 1: Log in as a store owner

Log in to your Shopify dashboard. Make sure you are the current owner. 

Step 2: Go to Settings > Users

Navigate to Settings > Users, click the current store owner's name on the right-hand side.

Step 3: Go to the Roles section 

In the roles section, click the menu next to "Store owner" and select View stores. 

Step 4: Click on Change ownership 

Select the store you need to transfer, then click Change ownership, enter the new owner's email, and confirm. You will need to re-authenticate with the steps on screen.

How to transfer Shopify store ownership? (To someone outside your store)

Step 1: Go to Settings > General

Navigate to Settings > General and find the "Organizations and store transfers" section

Step 2: Click on Manage

Go to Manage and select "Transfer store to a new owner outside your business."

Step 3: Authenticate the user

The next step is authentication. Enter the new owner's email, and click Transfer. They'll receive an email to accept the transfer.

Common mistakes I see when merchants transfer store ownership

Starting the transfer before billing is cleaned up

• I see this a lot. The owner transfers first and checks billing later. That is risky because outstanding charges can become the new owner’s responsibility.

Forgetting to move the domain

• Many new store owners assume the domain moves with the store automatically. It does not. There’s a separate process for transferring a Shopify-managed domain to another Shopify store or another provider. 

Leaving the old payment account connected

• In plain words, the store may be transferred, but the money can still be tied to the old setup. I always tell owners to review payouts, bank details, and tax-related info right after the handover. 

Not checking who still has staff access

• A lot of owners focus on the new owner and forget everyone else who still has access. Shopify’s user and permissions system gives staff different levels of access across the store, so this should always be reviewed during a handover. 

Transferring ownership is easy, but…

The actual steps to transfer Shopify store ownership take only a few minutes. The part that matters more is everything around it, checking billing, reviewing access, confirming payment details, and making sure the right assets are included in the handover.

I always say that if you want the transfer to go smoothly, treat it like a business handover, not just an admin task. A little prep before the transfer can save you unnecessary confusion later.

FAQs

1. How to transfer Shopify store ownership

Log in as the current store owner. If you are assigning ownership to an existing user, go to Settings > Users, open the current owner's details, choose the store, and click Change ownership. If you are transferring the store to someone outside your business, go to Settings > General > Manage under the transfer section, enter the new owner’s email, and send the transfer. The new owner must accept the email invitation before the transfer is complete.

2. Can a Shopify store have two owners?

No. A Shopify store can have only one store owner at a time. You can still add staff or admin users with high-level permissions.

3. Can I transfer my products from one Shopify store to another?

Yes. You can move products from one Shopify store to another by exporting products to a CSV file from the first store and importing that CSV into the second store. This works for product data, but you should still review variants, inventory, images, and metafields after import because some fields may need cleanup. 

4. Can I transfer my domain to Shopify?

Yes. If your domain is registered with a third-party provider, you can either connect it to Shopify or fully transfer it to Shopify so Shopify manages renewal and DNS.

5. How long does it take to transfer store ownership in Shopify?

The ownership change takes only a few minutes once the current owner starts it and the new owner accepts any required emails. The real delay comes from prep work like billing, payment settings, staff access, or domain-related cleanup. 

About the author

Vineet Nair

Vineet is an experienced content strategist with expertise in the ecommerce domain and a keen interest in Shopify. He aims to help Shopify merchants thrive in this competitive environment with technical solutions and thoughtfully structured content.