What Happens When a Domain Expires: The Complete Timeline

Domain expiration is one of the most common — and most preventable — disasters in online business. Understanding the lifecycle helps you protect your domains and, potentially, acquire expired ones.

The Domain Expiration Timeline

Day 0: Expiration Date

Your domain reaches its expiration date. What happens next depends on your registrar and settings:

• With auto-renewal: The registrar charges your card and renews. Crisis averted.
• Without auto-renewal (or failed payment): The expiration process begins.

Days 1-30: Grace Period

Most registrars offer a grace period (typically 0-45 days, varies by registrar) where you can renew at the normal price. During this period:

• Your website may go down or show a registrar parking page
• Email may stop working
• The domain is still yours — you just need to renew

Days 30-60: Redemption Period

If you don't renew during the grace period, the domain enters redemption. You can still recover it, but:

• Redemption fees are steep: $80-200+ on top of the renewal price
• The domain is locked from transfer
• It may take longer to restore full functionality

Days 60-65: Pending Delete

After redemption expires, the domain enters a 5-day pending delete phase. During this period:

• You can no longer recover the domain
• The domain is queued for release back to the public
• Backorder services prepare to catch it

Day ~65: Domain Drops

The domain is deleted from the registry and becomes available for anyone to register. Backorder services and manual registrations compete to grab it.

What Happens to Your Website and Email

Website

Your site goes offline the moment DNS stops resolving. This can happen:

• On the expiration date (some registrars)
• After a few days grace (other registrars)
• The registrar may display ads on your domain during grace/redemption periods

Email

Email to your domain bounces. This means:

• Customer communications are lost
• Password reset emails for linked accounts fail
• Business operations are disrupted

SEO Impact

• Search engines notice your site is down within days
• Extended downtime causes ranking drops
• Backlinks to your domain lose value
• Recovery can take weeks to months after re-registration

How to Prevent Domain Expiration

1. Enable auto-renewal on every domain you own
2. Keep payment methods current — update credit cards before they expire
3. Use a reliable email for your registrar account — one you actually check
4. Register important domains for multiple years (5-10 years)
5. Set calendar reminders 60 and 30 days before expiration
6. Monitor domain status through your registrar dashboard
7. Use a domain management spreadsheet tracking all your domains

Recovering an Expired Domain

If your domain has expired:

1. Act immediately — Contact your registrar
2. Grace period: Renew normally through your registrar dashboard
3. Redemption period: Pay the redemption fee (contact registrar support)
4. After deletion: Try to re-register, but others may be faster

Protect Your Brand's Foundation

Your domain is the foundation of your online presence. Losing it is preventable with basic precautions.

Check and secure your brand's digital presence with BrandScout. Verify your domains and social handles are in order, and never let a lapse catch you off guard.