How Long After a Domain Expires Can I Buy It?
Domain names are available between one-year to ten-year subscription plans. However, humans err, and we can easily forget the status of our domain registrations and, inadvertently, cause these domains to expire. You are not alone if you want to know how to prevent this from happening.
How long after a domain expires can you buy it? You have 30 days after your domain name’s expiration, where you can still renew the domain with your registrar’s regular hosting rates. Then, you have another 30 days where the domain name no longer sits in the zone (i.e., the website and email associated with no longer works), and you will need to pay an additional redemption fee.
In this article, we detail all the things that you need to know to prevent losing domain names and make sure that you are on top of all your domain name registration before they expire.
If you want to find available domains, use our free tool here.
How to Prevent Losing Your Domain Name
Knowing you only have 30 days to renew a domain after it expires is not enough. You need to plan ahead to ensure that you do not miss this deadline or renew your domain just a few days before the allowable period. Below, we have curated a few tips on making sure that you do not forget about your domain’s registration renewals.
1. Update Your Calendars
Stay on top of your domain name registration and renewal processes by making sure to add a high-priority calendar reminder on all your devices. Make this a priority even if your domain will only expire after three or ten years. By syncing this task on all your calendars, you are one step ahead of losing your domain names.
2. Whitelist Emails From Your Registrar or Hosting Provider
All hosting providers and registrars send out email notices to their customers a few months or weeks before a domain expires. Make sure that you receive these emails by whitelisting your registrar’s email address.
Also, make sure to read each email that they send out since these would most likely concern your hosted domains and websites. As per ICANN policy, registrars are required to send out renewal emails at least one month and one week before the domain’s expiration. Other domain hosts and providers are also more assertive when it comes to renewal notices, and they send out regular email notifications throughout the month of the domain’s expiration.
3. Sign Up for Automatic Domain Renewal
If your hosting provider offers an automatic domain name renewal service, go for it. This way, you can forget about the domain renewals since they will be charged automatically to a registered card on your account.
Another thing to remember when signing up for automatic domain renewal is to pre-set your hosting plan’s duration. You do not want to be automatically charged for a ten-year domain hosting when you only want the renewal to occur every two years.
4. Update Your Card Details Regularly
For the tip on automatic domain renewal to work, you need to be vigilant in updating your card details on your domain hosting provider’s Billing Settings. Do this every time your credit card changes or when you start to use a different card. Doing so ensures that when the domain renewal date comes around, your card will be automatically charged, and you do not have to deal with the stress of having expired domains beyond their redemption periods.
How Much Does Domain Name Renewal Cost?
Domain name renewal cost varies depending on your domain name registrar, the type of features included in your domain hosting plan, and the length of time you want the domain hosting service for.
Typically, by the time you need to renew a domain name hosting, the regular monthly or yearly rate for that service will apply. You can opt for a monthly or yearly plan. You can also opt to pay for the two-year, three-year, five-year, or ten-year durations depending on your website needs.
Can I Cancel a Domain Name Registration?
Yes, you can cancel your domain name registration at any given time. Contact your registrar on how to start the process of the domain cancellation since each company may have different rules. Also, note that domain names are automatically canceled and deleted if they are not renewed after its initial registration lapses.
Can I Buy a Domain As Soon As It Expires?
If you own a domain name and it has just expired, you can still renew it and retain all the content of the website associated with that domain. On the other hand, if you do not own that expired domain, you need to wait about 60 to 70 days before you can redeem or purchase it again.
An expired domain that no longer sits in the zone file will be deleted and purged from the records of the DNS registrant. Once the domain name is deleted, it is released and will be available for re-registration.
What is the Difference Between the Auto-Renew Grace Period and the Redemption Grace Period?
The Auto-Renew Grace Period is a 45-day duration after the domain name’s expiration where the domain name holder or registrant may still renew the domain. During this period, the domain may still be in the zone file and may still work. The domain renewal fee will correspond to the host’s pricing plans.
The Redemption Grace Period is another 30-day duration where the domain name is no longer in the zone file, and the website and email associated with it will no longer work. During this period, the domain holder or registrant can redeem the domain and will also need to pay a redemption fee on top of your domain hosting plan fees. This fee will vary depending on your registrar.
Can I Transfer My Domain Name Before It Expires?
Yes, it is perfectly fine to transfer your domain name to another host before it expires. Just remember, the transfer request may be denied if you have made changes to the domain owner or registrant within the last sixty (60) days or if the domain is on a locked status. For a step by step guide on how to transfer domains from host to another, check out the linked article.
What If It Has Been More Than 75 Days Since My Domain Name Expired?
If it has been more than seventy-five (75) days since your domain name expired, you will no longer be able to renew or redeem the domain name. The domain and the website information associated with your original creation date has been deleted. Nevertheless, the domain name is placed back on the registry, and anyone can register it for their own sites. You can check with your hosting provider or registrant for its availability and register under your name again.
Related Questions
Can I Put Up an Expiring Domain for Auction?
Yes, if you are the owner of an expiring domain, you can place your site for auction on domain auction sites like Domain Sherpa or GoDaddy Auctions. By putting your domain name on auction, prospective buyers can look at your website and evaluate it based on their business or personal needs. Follow the domain auction company’s instructions on how to process the transfer if a buyer decides to purchase your domain.
When Is a Deleted Domain?
A Deleted Domain refers to any domain that has not been renewed by its previous domain name owner or registrant. Domain deletion occurs about seventy (70) days after its expiry. Once all information regarding that domain name is deleted, it is made available for anyone to purchase again.
Are Hosts Required to Send Domain Renewal Emails?
Yes, domain registrars or hosts are required to send domain expiration, and renewal notices one (1) month and one (1) week before the domain expiration. If you did not receive a domain renewal reminder, your registrar might be in violation of ICANN’s domain renewal policy. Report this behavior of your registrar by submitting a domain renewal complaint form at the ICANN website.
What Is the Process for Renewing ccTLDs?
Country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) may have different rules for domain transfer and renewal after their expiration. Contact your domain registrar to get accurate information on how to renew an expired country-code top-level domain name.
Source:
https://archive.icann.org/en/registrars/gtld-lifecycle.jpg