Domain Lifecycle 

Like most things in life, domains move from one stage to the next until they complete a lifecycle. The domain name life cycle includes every stage it passes through, from purchase to deletion. 

Knowing every stage and what it means will help you keep your domain from getting lost so you won't risk compromising your internet presence. 

This article details all you need to know about the lifecycle of a domain name, from its birth to death. 

Understanding the Domain Life Cycle

The life cycle of a domain is the stages that a domain passes through, from registration until deletion. 

However, renewing your registration before the domain expires will help you increase its lifespan. So, how does the domain life cycle work?

Domain Registration Process: The Beginning of a Domain

The journey of any domain begins with its initial registration. Usually, this process involves choosing a domain name, visiting a registrar, and registering the name for your company or brand. 

The domain name immediately becomes yours for the duration it was registered. It's like renting the domain name; after your term expires, it will no longer be yours, and you will have to renew the rent. 

Still, before you are able to register the domain, you need to find out whether it is available. How can one find whether domains are open for registration? 

Available Status: How Domains Become Accessible

An available domain name is one that no one owns. It has not been registered. This can be a new domain or an expired one put up for auction. Here's how to find and register available domain names:

Checking Domain Availability

Before registering, you must check if the domain is available using tools like WHOIS. If the domain is already taken, you may need to consider alternatives or variations, such as finding other top-level domains (TLDs).

Registrar Selection

Domain registrars can register a domain. Visit registrars accredited by the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), such as Enom, GoDaddy, or Namecheap, and compare pricing before making payments. 

Domain Registration

The final step is to renew your domain name. Following ICANN regulations, you can only register the domain for up to 10 years.  You can, however, renew your registration once the term concludes. 

Also, ensure you provide your accurate email address so your registrar can contact you to confirm your Whois contact information. Failing to do this, based on ICANN's instructions, can lead to account suspension or deletion. 

Active Phase: Managing an Active Domain

Once you register your domain name, it becomes an active domain, and its term starts counting. You can now use it to host websites and email services. You can also take the following actions when a domain is active:

• Renew the Domain Registration: Should you choose to keep the domain, you are only able to renew it when the domain name is approaching its expiry date.
• Transfer Your Domain: You can either transfer ownership to another domain registrant or a different registrar.
• Update the WHOIS Information: If your domain is active but your WHOIS data is not current, update it.
• Lock the Domain: Domain registrars typically lock your domain once it becomes active. This stops unwanted people from trying to transfer it without your authorization. 
• Enable Domain Privacy: To keep your personal data secret from the public, set domain privacy to guard your data and safeguard your domain name. 
• Change the DNS: You could also change your domain name server during this period. 

Domain Expiration Timeline: What Happens Next

Domains typically expire if you fail to renew them before the expiration date, which is when your registration period ends. The domain expiration cycle usually lasts 60 to 75 days. Thirty days before your domain expires, your registrar will send you a reminder and will send another a week before the expiration period. 

Also, if you set up auto-renewal, your registrar will perform an automatic domain renewal. However, your domain becomes inactive if you neither activated auto-renewal nor responded to the reminders by manually renewing it. As a result, the domain’s website and email will stop working. If you forgot to renew your domain, please contact us for assistance. 

For most domains, registrars offer extra time, called the redemption grace period, allowing you to redeem your domain name before it gets deleted. This buffer time falls into two broad categories:

• The grace period and,
• The redemption period. 

Grace Period and Expired Domains

The grace period begins immediately after your domain expires. It is a critical window for recovering your expired domain. 

Immediately after expiration, a domain enters the grace period. During this phase, which lasts about 30 days, the domain can be renewed at the standard renewal fee. 

Redemption and Pending Deletion: The Final Stages

If a domain remains unrenewed following the grace period, it will enter the redemption period, which runs thirty days longer. The domain owner can renew their domain during this period, but they also have to pay a redemption fee in addition to the normal renewal fee. The price will vary depending on the registrar, but it's an average of $100. 

Most times, within the redemption term, precisely 45 days following expiration, the domain is put up for auction. Although you can still renew it at the auction phase, if there's an active bid, you won't be able to recover your domain just yet. 

However, if you don't redeem it during the redemption period and it doesn't sell on auction, it moves into pending omission status for five days. 

You cannot reactivate or register it during this time. It is sent back to the registry, which deletes it after five days and releases it to the public for new registration. Once it's available for registration, you may be able to register it, but on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Domain Transfers: Moving Domains Across Registrars

For some reason, you can decide to transfer your domain from your current registrar to another one. It could be due to poor services or rising costs. Check with both your present registrar and the new one to be sure a domain is eligible before you move it. 

ICANN further states that you cannot move a domain registered or transferred within the past sixty days. This implies that if your domain matches this description, you will have to wait sometime. 

Conclusion

Being aware of a domain name's lifecycle helps you protect its digital assets and guarantee a continuous online presence. Thus, monitor your domain at different stages to prevent additional fees or loss of your crucial domain name.