As of Dec 1, 2016 ICANN has updated the “rules” for updating Owner (Registrant) contact details and now requires an email approval from the current owner before the owner contact details can be changed.     This can be from updating the name, address, phone or email address of the owner.    ICANN considers any change of the owner contact name, organization or email address to be a trade, or transfer of the ownership of the domain between the two parties. That means that it is a “trade” in ICANN’s eyes even if the change doesn’t actually cause the domain to change hands.
This update adds an additional layer of security to your domain name registration and although may seem like more work, it’s to help protect your domain assets.
Here are the basic changes that are now implemented on generic top level TLD’s such as .COM, .NET, .ORG, and others
1. The current owner must accept the changes before actual information is updated and reflected in the WHOIS data.
2. When the Registrant information is changed the domain name has a 60 hold on it meaning that it cannot be transferred for the length of the hold period.