What happens when a domain expires? Grace and redemption explained
Domains are registered for a fixed period, usually one to ten years, and must be renewed to stay yours. Missing a renewal doesn't mean you lose the domain immediately, but it does start a countdown. Knowing how that countdown works can save a domain you care about.
Before expiry: renewal reminders
Registrars normally send renewal reminders by email in the weeks before a domain expires. That's one reason your account email and the domain's contact details need to be current. If auto-renew is on and your payment method works, the domain renews automatically.
Expiry day
When the expiry date passes without a renewal, what happens next depends on the extension and the registrar. For .com and many other generic extensions, the process usually looks something like the stages below. The exact lengths vary, so check your registrar's policy.
Stage 1: The grace period
For a period after expiry, often a few weeks, the domain still belongs to you and you can usually renew it at the normal price, sometimes with a late fee.
During this time, the registrar may stop your website and email from working, or point the domain to a page saying it has expired. That's often what alerts people that something is wrong.
Stage 2: The redemption period
If the grace period passes without a renewal, many domains enter a redemption period, commonly around 30 days. The domain is on its way to being deleted, but the original owner can still restore it.
Restoring a domain in redemption usually costs considerably more than a normal renewal, because of an extra restore fee. It's frustrating to pay, but it's often well worth it for a domain you rely on.
Stage 3: Pending delete
After redemption, the domain may enter a short "pending delete" stage, typically a few days, when it can no longer be restored. Once that ends, the domain is released and anyone can register it, often within seconds, because valuable expiring names are watched closely.
The registrar may act first
Some registrars put expired domains up for auction during the grace period. If someone bids, the domain may go to them once the original owner's chance to renew has passed. This is one reason not to rely on the full timeline as a safety net.
Country-code extensions can differ
Country-code extensions, such as .ca or .uk, set their own rules. Some have shorter or longer windows, some have no redemption period, and some suspend the domain differently. If you own an important country-code domain, look up its specific rules.
How to avoid all of this
- Turn on auto-renew and keep a valid payment method on file.
- Renew important domains for several years at a time.
- Keep the registrar account's email address working, and not only on the domain that might expire. If your only contact email is on the expired domain, you won't receive the warnings.
- Add your own calendar reminder a month before expiry.
If your domain has already expired
- Log in to your registrar and check the domain's status.
- If it's in the grace period, renew it right away.
- If it's in redemption, ask the registrar to restore it, and expect a restore fee.
- If it's already been deleted and registered by someone else, your options are limited. You can contact the new owner to ask whether they'd sell it back, but there's no guarantee.
Selling instead of renewing
If you're paying renewals on domains you no longer need, you don't have to let them lapse. Listing them gives them a chance to find a buyer, and you can list them for free. Just keep them renewed while they're for sale, because a domain that expires mid-sale can't be transferred.