How to Transfer a Book From One Account To Another Account

Title Transfers

If you need to transfer the files and information for a book from one Lightning Source or IngramSpark account to another or from a publisher account to your IngramSpark account, please review the information below. 

Title transfers within Lightning Source/IngramSpark accounts

• The Title Transfer Addendum needs to be completed by the author or publisher receiving the book/title ISBN and files into their IngramSpark account.
• We require written permission, by email, from the publisher who currently has possession of the title and files stating the title, files, and ISBN can be released and transferred to the author or publishers account.
• The account receiving the transfer must be fully active, i.e., all account set up tasks listed on the Dashboard must be completed.
• All the sales and returns history for the ISBN will also transfer over to the new author or publishers IngramSpark account if the same ISBN is used. Please review the paragraph further below, marked as IMPORTANT for more information.

CreateSpace and KDP Transfers     

• The Title Transfer Addendum needs to be completed by the author or publisher receiving the title, ISBN, and files into their IngramSpark account.
• If CreateSpace or KDP owns the ISBN or if it is CreateSpace or KDP exclusive, it cannot be transferred.
• If the author or publisher owns the ISBN, the files and ISBN can be transferred to the author or publisher's account once Expanded Distribution is removed and CreateSpace or KDP confirms with IngramSpark support the transfer can be completed.
• If the title has never been in Expanded Distribution, it can be set up as a new title on the IngramSpark account without having to go through the title transfer process.
• The account receiving the transfer of the title, ISBN and files must be fully active, i.e., all account set up tasks listed on the Dashboard must be completed.

Transfer Information

Transfer requests and the completed Title Transfer Addendum can be sent to ingramsparksupport@ingramcontent.com. You can find the Addendum attached to this article.

Title transfers can take up to 30 days to complete. 

Once a title is transferred to the author or publishers IngramSpark account, that author/publisher will be responsible for the title moving forward. This includes invoices, returns, and compensation payments for sales through Ingram's global distribution network of retailers.

The author/publisher of the transferred title will have the ability to update metadata, submit new files, and make revisions to the files for the title.

IMPORTANT: If the same ISBN will be used and transferred, all of the title's history moves with it, including returns, if the book was returnable with the previous publisher. If the book was listed as returnable when transferred and the same ISBN is used, the new owner/publisher will receive returns, if there are any. If the return status is changed from returnable to non-returnable, returns will be allowed and accepted for 180 days. To avoid returns for a book that was listed as returnable with a prior publisher, it is best to obtain a new ISBN.

You can have your book in your own IngramSpark account and available for sale through Ingram's global distribution network AND have it in your Amazon CreateSpace or Kindle Publishing (KDP) account, as long as you do not use their Expanded Distribution option.

IngramSpark now offers free ISBNs to authors and publishers located in the United States.

• The imprint will be listed as Indy Pub
• Any title with a free ISBN must be placed in our wholesale distribution program
• ISBN cannot be transferred to another account in the future
• ISBN cannot be used on any other publishing platforms (KDP, Blurb, Bookbaby, etc.)
• Pricing for at least one market is required and the book will be available for sale through each market pricing is provided for
• If you use a free ISBN and later decide you want to own the ISBN, you will have to set up the book as a new or revised title and purchase a different ISBN for the book
• Promo codes cannot be used in conjunction with a free ISBN (Example: promo codes for free title setup)