The Domain Has Expired

You can register a domain for 1 to 10 years but expires after the registration timeline ends. Usually, the domain registrar marks the domain as expired a day before expiration. You should not allow your domain to expire, as it could majorly affect the registrant or company. 

This article covers what happens when your domain name expires, the processes for renewing a domain, and best practices for preventing future expiration.

What to Do When My Domain Name Has Expired

When your domain name has expired, contact your domain list registrar to help you reactivate it. 

If it is still within 60 to 75 days, your domain most likely hasn't been deleted yet. You can then verify your domain name’s status to determine whether renewal is possible.

What Happens to a Domain After Expiration?

You may be asking, “What happens when my domain has expired?” Here's what to expect after a standard gTLD expire:

Grace Period

Immediately after your domain name expires, the registrar may also park it. However, the files you store on your web host won't be affected. At this stage, you can still renew it at the standard renewal fee. Your domain registrar will also attempt to auto-renew it for you several times. The registry period typically lasts within 30 days.

Redemption Grace Period

Next, it will enter the redemption grace period, during which you can still manually renew it, but at an additional cost called the redemption fee. Your domain name will also become inactive but will remain in your account. 

The name server will change to the registrar's, and your website and email will cease to work. This phase takes about 30 days.

Pending Delete Stage

If you fail to reclaim your domain, it will be removed after a five-day pending delete stage. After five days, the registrar will remove the domain and your details from the public WhoIs database.

The domain then becomes available for registration. Anyone may be able to re-register it on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Note: Your domain extension may dictate the expiration period. To find your domain expiration status, contact the customer support team. 

Please see the ICANN pages on the Expired Registration Recovery Policy and Expired Domain Deletion Policy for further information.

How to Renew an Expired Domain: Step-by-Step Guide

1. Visit Your Account: Visit your account on display on the registrar's website. 
2. Locate Your Domain: Find your domain name on your dashboard or domain portfolio.
3. Select Renewal Option: Choose the option to renew your domain and follow your registrar's instructions. 
4. Pay Renewal Fees: Provide the fees in full. If you are in redemption status, prepare to pay the redemption charge as well. 
5. Confirm Renewal: After payment, make sure your domain status has reverted to active and your services are working. Verify that your DNS has been restored as well. DNS propagation will cause this to take 24 to 48 hours. 
6. Set Up Auto-Renewal: Create an autorenewal to prevent expiration next time.

Understanding the Privacy Implications of Expired Domains

Disruption of Services: Should you neglect to renew your domain, other linked services, including your email, website, e-commerce systems, etc., will be disabled and cause significant downtime. 

Identity Theft or Cybersquatting:  Cyber fraudsters might pass for you and steal your brand identity. Especially if your domain is a trademark, they register it and use it for illegal activities such as phishing and other damaging activity, therefore endangering your reputation.

Preventing Future Domain Expiration: Best Practices

It's usually better to avoid letting your domain expire since the effects could be negative. These are some different practices meant to keep you avoiding future domain expiration:

• Track the expiration date of the domain name by employing calendars and other instruments to set reminders.
• Make sure your domain will be automatically renewed before it expires using autorenewal.
• To reduce the frequency of renewal of your domain, register and renew it for longer terms.
• Register your domains under one registrar to manage them easily and reduce the risk of unintentional expiration.
• Regularly check the two emails associated with your domain name so you don't miss expiration notifications.