Domain insights

What happens when a domain expires? Grace, redemption and pending delete

A missed renewal does not end a domain overnight. Follow grace, redemption and pending delete, learn what each status means and see when recovery is still possible.

Domain renewals and recovery
What happens when a domain expires? Grace, redemption and pending delete

Picture a storage unit you've rented for years. It holds your sign, your records, and the boxes you'd rather not lose. One month the card on file gets declined and the reminder lands in an inbox nobody checks anymore.

The facility doesn't auction your things the next morning. First your access code stops working and a notice goes up on the door. Then your things go into the back room, and getting them out costs extra. Last, there's a short window when the paperwork is done and nobody can touch the unit. After that, the door opens for whoever lines up first.

Domain names work almost the same way. Once you see the stages, an expired domain is much less scary. You'll know how long you have, what it will cost to fix, and when it's too late.

Five visual stages show a domain moving from active registration through expiration, recovery, pending delete and release
Recovery options narrow as the domain advances through the expiration lifecycle.

This guide walks through what happens after a domain expires, using the rules ICANN publishes for generic domains like .com, .net and .org. It also explains how renewals work at SoxDomains. If you'd like background on the organizations behind these rules, see ICANN and IANA: the internet's address book and How domain registration works behind the scenes.

First, you never "own" a domain forever

When you register a domain, you're really renting it for a set term. At SoxDomains that's anywhere from 1 to 10 years at a time, as our FAQ explains. When the term ends, you renew or you let it go.

Three parties are involved, just like with the storage unit:

  • You, the registrant. You rent the unit. In ICANN's policy language, the person who can renew right before expiry is the "Registrant at Expiration." You, the registrant. You rent the unit. In ICANN's policy language, the person who can renew right before expiry is the "Registrant at Expiration."
  • The registrar, like SoxDomains. This is the front desk. It takes your payment, sends reminders and talks to the registry for you. The registrar, like SoxDomains. This is the front desk. It takes your payment, sends reminders and talks to the registry for you.
  • The registry. This is the company that runs the whole building for one extension, such as .com. It keeps the master list of who holds which name. The registry. This is the company that runs the whole building for one extension, such as .com. It keeps the master list of who holds which name.

Every stage below is really a status change in the registry's system. The technical names for those statuses come from an internet standard called RFC 3915. You'll sometimes see them in a WHOIS or RDAP lookup, so we'll point them out along the way.

Stage 0: The reminder letters (before expiry)

A good storage facility reminds you before rent is due. For generic domains this is required. ICANN's Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP) says registrars must warn you at least twice before a gTLD domain expires: about one month before and about one week before.

The policy also says:

  • The notices have to be in the language of your registration agreement. The notices have to be in the language of your registration agreement.
  • They must arrive in a way that doesn't require you to do anything to receive them. Email is the example the policy gives. They must arrive in a way that doesn't require you to do anything to receive them. Email is the example the policy gives.
  • If the domain still isn't renewed (or deleted) within five days after it expires, the registrar has to send at least one more notice with renewal instructions. If the domain still isn't renewed (or deleted) within five days after it expires, the registrar has to send at least one more notice with renewal instructions.

Here's the catch. Those reminders go to the contact details on file. If the address on your domain is an old employee's inbox, or a mailbox on the same domain that's about to expire, the reminders may never reach anyone. That's the declined card sent to a forgotten email address, and it's the most common way good domains get lost.

Tip: Make sure your account email is on a different domain from the one you're renewing, and check it regularly.

Stage 1: Expiry day, when the access code stops working

The term ends. What happens next depends on the extension and on your registrar, but here is the usual pattern for generic domains.

The registry quietly auto-renews

This surprises many people. For .com, the registry doesn't delete an unpaid name on expiry day. The .com registry agreement published by ICANN (Appendix 7) says that if a name isn't renewed by the expiration date, the system automatically renews it the first day after. That opens an Auto-Renew Grace Period, which that document lists as 45 calendar days. In RFC 3915 terms, this status is autoRenewPeriod.

That's a deal between the registry and the registrar. It doesn't mean the renewal is paid for, and it doesn't give you 45 days. Your registrar decides how long it will hold the expired name for you within that window.

Your registrar chooses what to do

ERRP says registrars may delete registrations at any time after they expire. It also sets a floor so expiry can't slip by without you noticing. The registrar must interrupt the domain's normal DNS, the way the facility changes your gate code:

  • If the domain is deleted within eight days of expiry, DNS has to be interrupted from expiry until deletion. If the domain is deleted within eight days of expiry, DNS has to be interrupted from expiry until deletion.
  • If it's deleted eight or more days after expiry, DNS has to be interrupted for at least the last eight consecutive days that you can still renew it. If it's deleted eight or more days after expiry, DNS has to be interrupted for at least the last eight consecutive days that you can still renew it.

(Both rules apply "to the extent the applicable registry permits.")

So how do you find out your registrar's timeline? Another ICANN rule, the Expired Domain Deletion Policy, helps here. Registrars must tell new registrants when a non-renewed name is expected to be deleted, counted from the expiration date (or a date range no longer than ten days). If they run a website, they must display their deletion and auto-renewal policies clearly on it.

If the registrar sends visitors to a web page during this time, that page must clearly say the domain has expired and explain how to renew it. And while you're in this window, the registrar must still let you renew. When you do, it has to put your DNS back "immediately or as soon as is commercially reasonable."

What that feels like in real life

When DNS is interrupted, it isn't only your website that goes dark. Everything that depends on the domain name stops too:

  • Your website stops loading, or shows an "expired" page. Your website stops loading, or shows an "expired" page.
  • Email to addresses at your domain can stop arriving, because the MX records that route mail stop answering. (Our guide to DNS records explains how MX works.) DNS records: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/dns-records-explained-a-cname-mx-txt-ns-guide Email to addresses at your domain can stop arriving, because the MX records that route mail stop answering. (Our guide to DNS records explains how MX works.) DNS records: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/dns-records-explained-a-cname-mx-txt-ns-guide
  • Anything that checks your domain can fail, such as login links, payment callbacks, and SSL renewals that verify you control the domain. Anything that checks your domain can fail, such as login links, payment callbacks, and SSL renewals that verify you control the domain.

This is the gate-code moment. Everything is still in the unit, and one payment usually fixes it. But customers standing at the gate can't get in.

How SoxDomains handles this stage

Our Terms of Service explain how SoxDomains handles domains registered or transferred to us:

  • As a courtesy, SoxDomains tries to automatically renew your domain 15 days before it expires, using the payment method on file. As a courtesy, SoxDomains tries to automatically renew your domain 15 days before it expires, using the payment method on file.
  • If the domain expires anyway, we hold it for up to 30 days as a courtesy. Our FAQ calls this a grace period, when you can usually renew at the standard cost. If the domain expires anyway, we hold it for up to 30 days as a courtesy. Our FAQ calls this a grace period, when you can usually renew at the standard cost.

Please read "courtesy" literally. The Terms are clear that renewing is the registrant's responsibility. Auto-renew can fail if a card has expired or the email on file doesn't work. You can switch auto-renewal on or off in your client area, and you can renew at any time from our renewals page.

Stage 2: Redemption, when your things go to the back room

If the grace period ends without a renewal, the registrar deletes the name at the registry. It isn't gone yet. It moves into the Redemption Grace Period, or RGP.

ERRP says every gTLD registry (except sponsored gTLD registries) must offer an RGP of 30 days right after a deletion. During those 30 days:

  • The registry turns off DNS resolution, so the name doesn't work at all. The registry turns off DNS resolution, so the name doesn't work at all.
  • The name can't be transferred to another registrar (apart from rare ICANN-approved bulk transfers). The name can't be transferred to another registrar (apart from rare ICANN-approved bulk transfers).
  • The registry's lookup results must show clearly that the name is in its Redemption Grace Period. The registry's lookup results must show clearly that the name is in its Redemption Grace Period.
  • The registrar that deleted it must let the former registrant redeem it, if that registry offers RGP. The registrar that deleted it must let the former registrant redeem it, if that registry offers RGP.

The .com Appendix 7 describes the same thing from the registry's side. A name in REDEMPTIONPERIOD status isn't included in the zone file. The only thing a registrar can do with it is ask for it to be restored. Any other change is rejected.

Why redemption costs more

This is the back room. Your things are safe, but getting them out takes extra paperwork. Restoring a deleted name is a special operation between the registrar and the registry. RFC 3915 describes it in two steps: a restore request, then a "restore report" the registrar sends to the registry. While that happens, the name shows the status pendingRestore.

Because it's a special operation, it has its own fee on top of the normal renewal. ICANN's rules make sure you can find that price. ERRP says registrars must clearly display their renewal fees, post-expiration renewal fees (if different), and redemption/restore fees on their website, and link to them from the registration agreement.

At SoxDomains, the redemption rules and fees are in our Terms of Service. Two points from the Terms are worth remembering. Redemption is charged in addition to a renewal fee for the current year. And domain registration vouchers can't be used toward redemption. Our FAQ also notes that this stage involves "additional registry recovery fees."

The lesson is simple: renewing during the grace period is always cheaper than redeeming later.

Stage 3: Pending delete, when the paperwork is sealed

If nobody redeems the name during the 30 days, it moves into pending delete. In the storage-unit story, the auction is scheduled and the unit is sealed. Not even the former renter can get in.

In RFC 3915 the status is pendingDelete. The standard describes it as a name that "has entered the purge processing state." The length of this stage is set by each registry. For .com, Appendix 7 says:

  • A name in PENDING DELETE isn't included in the zone file. A name in PENDING DELETE isn't included in the zone file.
  • All registrar requests to modify it are rejected. All registrar requests to modify it are rejected.
  • It's purged from the registry database after a set number of days. The document lists this Pending Delete Period as five calendar days. It's purged from the registry database after a set number of days. The document lists this Pending Delete Period as five calendar days.

At this point nobody can get the name back, not you and not your registrar. You can only wait.

SoxDomains' Terms put the whole timeline in one sentence: if a domain isn't redeemed within 74 days of expiration, the registry sets it to Pending Delete. During that time it's "inaccessible and unrecoverable."

Stage 4: The drop, when the door opens for anyone

When pending delete ends, the registry purges the name. RFC 3915 ends its diagram simply: the name "is available for re-registration." Anyone can register it now, first come, first served. That includes competitors, people who resell domains, and people who want the leftover traffic from your old website.

If someone else gets it, the only route back is to buy it from them, if they'll sell. The storage unit is gone.

Country domains play by their own rules

Everything above describes the generic domain system. ERRP's redemption rule is written for "all gTLD registries," and RFC 3915 says the length of each grace period is "a matter of registry operational policy."

Country-code domains (ccTLDs) like .gt, .mx or .de are run by their own registries under their own policies. Some may follow a similar pattern. Others may have shorter windows, different fees or no redemption stage at all. If you hold country domains (see What are ccTLDs?), don't assume the .com timeline applies. Treat the expiry date as the real deadline.

A registry lookup feeds a color-coded status indicator connected to renewal, restore, waiting and unavailable actions
The registry status tells you which actions are still possible.

How to read your domain's status

You can check a domain's stage yourself. Look it up with the SoxDomains WHOIS tool or ICANN's lookup service and find the "status" lines. Here's a quick guide:

Status you might seeStorage-unit versionWhat you can do
ok / activeRent is paidNothing. Maybe renew early
autoRenewPeriodRent is late, code may be changedRenew now, usually at the normal price
redemptionPeriodThings are in the back roomRedeem through your registrar (extra fee)
pendingRestorePaperwork to get your things back is in progressWait for the restore to finish
pendingDeleteUnit sealed for auctionNothing. Wait for the drop

(The exact wording depends on the lookup tool and the registry.)

A five-minute checklist so this never happens to you

  1. Turn on auto-renewal for every domain you care about, and keep a valid payment method on file. Turn on auto-renewal for every domain you care about, and keep a valid payment method on file.
  2. Renew for several years for important names. Our FAQ notes that multi-year registration helps prevent accidental expiry. Renew for several years for important names. Our FAQ notes that multi-year registration helps prevent accidental expiry.
  3. Use a reminder email on another domain. If [email protected] is your only contact and yourbrand.com expires, the warnings go dark along with it. Use a reminder email on another domain. If [email protected] is your only contact and yourbrand.com expires, the warnings go dark along with it.
  4. Put the expiry dates on a calendar you actually use, with a reminder a month before. Put the expiry dates on a calendar you actually use, with a reminder a month before.
  5. Keep a list of your domains. Include the forgotten ones: old campaign sites, typo protection, country versions. Our post on how many domain names you should own can help you decide which to keep. how many domain names you should own: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/how-many-domain-names-should-you-own Keep a list of your domains. Include the forgotten ones: old campaign sites, typo protection, country versions. Our post on how many domain names you should own can help you decide which to keep. how many domain names you should own: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/how-many-domain-names-should-you-own
  6. Don't plan a transfer at the last minute. Names in redemption can't be transferred. If you want to move a domain, do it while it's healthy. See our step-by-step transfer guide and the note on registrar lock. step-by-step transfer guide: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/how-to-transfer-a-domain-step-by-step-guide registrar lock: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/understanding-registrar-lock Don't plan a transfer at the last minute. Names in redemption can't be transferred. If you want to move a domain, do it while it's healthy. See our step-by-step transfer guide and the note on registrar lock. step-by-step transfer guide: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/how-to-transfer-a-domain-step-by-step-guide registrar lock: https://www.soxdomains.com/blog/understanding-registrar-lock
  7. If it has already expired, act today. Every stage costs more and gives you fewer choices than the one before. If it has already expired, act today. Every stage costs more and gives you fewer choices than the one before.

The bottom line

An expired domain isn't a sudden cliff. It's a set of doors that close one after another. First the gate code stops working (grace period). Then your things go to the back room (redemption). Then the unit is sealed (pending delete). Last, the door opens for anyone (the drop).

The earlier you act, the cheaper and easier the fix. Log in to your SoxDomains client area, check your expiry dates, and turn on auto-renewal. If something looks wrong, open a support ticket and we'll help you figure out which stage your domain is in.

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