LearnPart 8 of 8
The life of a domain: register, renew, expire, transfer
A domain is registered for one to ten years and renewed for as long as you want it. If a renewal is missed it goes through a grace period, a redemption period and deletion, about 80 days for .com, before anyone else can register it. You can move it to another registrar with an auth code at almost any time.
In 30 seconds
- You register a domain for one to ten years and renew it to keep it. Turn on auto-renew.
- If a .com expires, you get a grace period, then 30 days to restore it for a fee, then it is deleted.
- About 80 days after expiry anyone can register it again.
- To move registrar, unlock the domain, get the auth code and start the transfer at the new registrar.
Words with a dotted underline explain themselves: tap or hover them.
The whole life of a domain
The timings below are for generic extensions like .com, which follow ICANN's rules. Country code extensions set their own timelines, and some are much shorter, so check before you let one lapse.
Day 0
Registered
Yours for the one to ten years you paid for. Transfers are blocked for the first 60 days.
Any time
Renewed
Add more years whenever you like, up to ten years ahead. Auto-renew does it for you.
Expiry date
Expired
If not renewed, the registrar may switch off the website and email, often showing a parking page.
Up to 45 days
Grace period
You can still renew as normal. How long depends on the registrar; some auction the name now.
Next 30 days
Redemption
Removed from DNS. Only the last holder can restore it, through the registrar, with an extra fee.
Next 5 days
Pending delete
Nobody can restore it. The registry deletes it at the end.
About day 80
Available
Anyone can register it again, and drop-catching services race to grab good names.
Turn on auto-renew for every domain you want to keep, and keep the payment card and contact email at your registrar current. Most lost domains are lost to an expired card or an inbox nobody reads.
Registering
You choose a name, a registrar checks with the registry that it is free, and the registry adds it to the extension's list with you as the registrant. It can take effect within seconds. Some names are kept back or cost more because the registry classes them as premium, and some extensions have rules about who can register.
For the first 60 days most registrars won't let the domain move to another registrar. Check what is available across extensions with the bulk domain search.
Renewing
You can renew at any time, adding years up to a total of ten ahead. With auto-renew on, the registrar charges you shortly before the expiry date. Registrars must send reminders before expiry, to the contact email on file.
With domains at several registrars, expiry dates scatter across the year. The domain renewal tracker puts every one in one calendar and emails you before each.
After the expiry date
| Stage | How long | Can you get it back? |
|---|---|---|
| Grace period | 0 to 45 days, set by the registrar | Yes, by renewing as normal. |
| Redemption | 30 days | Yes, through your registrar, with a restore fee. |
| Pending delete | 5 days | No. |
| Released | Only by registering it again, if nobody else does first. |
During the grace period, many registrars put expired names up for auction. If someone buys it and you don't renew in time, the domain goes to them. If you see an expiry warning for a domain you care about, renew it that day.
Moving a domain to another registrar
- Check it can move: registered or transferred more than 60 days ago, not expired, and your contact email works. The transfer checker tests this for any domain.
- Keep DNS working: if your DNS is hosted by the current registrar, copy your records to the new DNS host first, or check that the new registrar will copy them.
- Unlock it at the current registrar, which removes clientTransferProhibited.
- Get the (EPP code) from the current registrar.
- Start the transfer at the new registrar with the code, and approve any confirmation email.
- Wait: up to five days for generic extensions. Most include a one-year renewal, added to the remaining time.
Some country codes work differently. A .uk domain, for example, moves when the current registrar changes its tag to the new registrar's, with no auth code. Steps for specific registrars are on each page of the registrar list.
Changing the owner
Moving a domain to another registrar and handing it to another person are separate things. A change of registrant happens inside the registrar: you update the registrant contact, both sides confirm, and the domain stays put. Afterwards, transfers to a new registrar are usually blocked for 60 days unless the old holder opted out.
Locks
| Lock | Set by | Stops |
|---|---|---|
| Registrar lock | You, in your registrar account | Transfers to another registrar. Leave it on unless you are moving the domain. |
| Update and delete locks | Your registrar | Changes to nameservers and contacts, and deletion. |
| Registry lock | The registry, on request through your registrar | Any change until it is lifted through a manual, verified process. Worth it for domains a business depends on. |
Domain status codes
A domain's public record lists one or more status codes. Codes starting with client are set by the registrar, and codes starting with server by the registry. See any domain's codes in a free domain report.
| Status | Means |
|---|---|
| ok (active) | Nothing special: the domain works and can be changed. |
| clientTransferProhibited | Registrar lock is on. Turn it off at your registrar to transfer. |
| clientUpdateProhibited | Changes to contacts and nameservers are blocked by the registrar. |
| clientDeleteProhibited | The domain can't be deleted by mistake. |
| clientHold | Taken out of DNS by the registrar, often for an unpaid renewal or a dispute. |
| serverTransferProhibited | Blocked by the registry: a registry lock, a recent registration or a dispute. |
| serverHold | Taken out of DNS by the registry. |
| addPeriod | Registered in the last few days. |
| autoRenewPeriod | Recently renewed automatically at the registry. |
| pendingTransfer | A transfer is in progress. |
| redemptionPeriod | Expired and deleted, still restorable for a fee. |
| pendingDelete | About to be released. Can't be restored. |
| inactive | Registered, but has no nameservers, so it doesn't resolve. |
Questions people ask
What happens when a domain expires?
Nothing is lost straight away. The registrar usually keeps the domain for a grace period in which you can renew normally, though the website and email may stop working. After that comes a 30-day redemption period with an extra fee for generic extensions, then deletion.
How long until an expired .com domain becomes available to others?
Usually around 75 to 80 days after the expiry date: a grace period of up to 45 days, 30 days of redemption, then 5 days pending deletion. The registrar may also auction it during the grace period.
What is an auth code?
A password for transferring a domain, also called an EPP code, transfer code or authorisation code. Your current registrar gives it to you; you give it to the new registrar to prove the transfer is yours to request.
How long does a domain transfer take?
Up to five days for generic extensions, often less. Many country code extensions move faster. The domain keeps working throughout as long as its DNS records stay where they are.
Why can't I transfer my domain?
The usual reasons: it was registered or transferred in the last 60 days, the registrar lock is on, the owner details changed recently, it has expired, or the auth code is wrong. A transfer check shows which one applies.
Does transferring add time to my domain?
For most generic extensions, yes: a transfer includes a one-year renewal, added to the time already left. Country code extensions vary.