Domain Name Expiration: Important Facts to Know
A common issue that most startup businesses face is finding out that their website is inaccessible or their domain name no longer works unexpectedly. But why does this happen? In this article, we’ll be going through everything you need to know about domain name expirations, why domains expire, how to avoid losing yours, and what you can do if your domain expires.
Domain.com has the tools you need to continue building your business into a success.
What is an expired domain?
Domain names are the primary address of a business’s website to establish and distinguish themselves on the World Wide Web. So, an expired domain name is pretty much what it sounds like—a web address that’s no longer associated with a business and a website.
A business owner can register a domain name for a set period. It’s like renting a storefront for your online business; you must pay the rent. If you’re unable to, you might lose your website.
Understanding and keeping track of your domain is important. It’s a simple detail that often gets overlooked, but it’s a step that can prevent you and your website from unnecessary stress and expenses in the future.
Reasons domain names might expire
It’s easy to think that domain registration is temporary. The domain name is yours now. It could be yours for years. But you might still lose the right to it. There are a variety of ways this might occur.
- Missed renewal reminder notices. Auto emails and notifications may clutter your inbox, but they can be lifesaving. So, if you have switched off renewal reminder notices, you might be setting yourself up for disaster. Thirty days before the domain expires, your registrar will begin sending you reminders through your listed email address. So, pay attention to your inbox to ensure you don’t miss these important reminders.
- Disabled auto-renewal. Go through your account information and switch the auto-renewal setting. It automatically renews your domain name before the expiration date to prevent disruptions to your website.
- Outdated billing information. When you lose a credit card or it expires, you may forget the sites and services that auto-bill it. In such cases, the last thing on your mind will be to update the billing information on a domain you rented years ago. This can lead to a failed domain name renewal even if you have set it to auto-renew.
- Multiple domain providers. The more you spread out your domains, the easier it is to mix them up, especially if you own a plethora of domain names. Also, if you scatter your domain names across different registrars, a domain may expire.
- Domain-linked email address issues. If your expired domain is linked to a professional email, and you used it as your contact email for your domain services, you may have problems renewing your account. It’s best to set an email address that’s not connected to your domain.
- An expired org email address. If you register a domain using your school or work email, be aware that you’ll lose access to that email when you graduate or leave the job. While you can still renew your domain without logging into that specific email, it’s more challenging, and you’re more likely to miss reminders about your domain expiring.
- Waiting too long. Some people wait too long to renew their domain. After a certain point, you cannot fix it. This is after they have received ample renewal reminders or alerts.
What happens when a domain expires?
A few steps occur during the expiration of a domain name. To better understand the domain’s expiration, let’s look at the life cycle of a domain name.
Active
Your domain name will be active once your registration is complete. Depending on your registrar, you can register your domain for 1-10 years. During this phase, you can customize your domain with the help of these articles:
To better understand how to register your domain and keep it registered, here are other articles you can check out:
Expired
Your domain expires the day after its expiration date. That means your email stops working and your website switches to a ‘parked’ page, which lets visitors know the domain has expired. During this phase, your registrar can put the domain up for auction. However, you still have a chance to renew it within the 30-day grace period, even if a third party has already placed a bid on it.
Redemption
If there’s no renewal or bids, the domain enters a 30-day redemption period. Then, it goes to Pending Deletion status. You can still redeem your domain name for its original renewal price, plus a redemption fee, during this phase.
Pending Deletion
Once the domain name is in a Pending Deletion status, you cannot redeem it anymore. The registrar holds the domain for five days and releases it to the public for registration.
How to protect your domain from expiring
There are a few simple ways to keep your domain from expiring unexpectedly and make sure it stays in your hands.
- Get Domain Expiration Protection. This domain add-on feature guarantees another full-year domain ownership, automatically renewing your domain even if your card fails.
- Enable auto-renewal. Make sure your domain gets renewed automatically before your domain’s expiration date by turning on auto-renewal.
- Check your emails regularly. This ensures you don’t miss any domain renewal reminders. You’ll have enough time to prepare yourself and think about your domain renewal.
- Update your billing information. Outdated payment information and expired credit cards are common causes of missed renewals. Updating it ensures a smooth payment process.
- Domain expiry checker. Consider using tools like domain expiry checker. It tracks a domain’s status, mainly its expiration date. This ensures a continuous online presence.
- Consolidate your domains. Consider moving domains to one provider if you have multiple providers. It makes domain management easier.
Secure your ideal domain with Domain.com
That’s it! We’ve covered all the things you need to know about domain name expiration. A domain could fall out of your control for many reasons, but with the reminders above, you can avoid the stress of losing your domain name.
As one of the best in the game, Domain.com offers everything you need to ensure excellent domain management. With features like Domain Expiration Protection and auto-renewal options, you can sleep well at night knowing your domain is in good hands.
Frequently asked questions about domain name expirations
Yes, you can renew an expired domain name, usually within the 30-day grace period. Once that period is complete, the domain enters a redemption phase, which can cost more because you’ll be paying the registry to reinstate it, plus it also includes a 1-year renewal.
Yes. Registrars usually don’t drop domain names immediately once they expire; instead, they put them up for auction. You still can renew your domain during this stage (if it’s within 30 days of expiration) even if purchases or bids have been placed toward it.
It’s good if the domain name has valuable backlinks and strong SEO records. However, it’s still an important step to research its past use to avoid any issues down the line.
Generally, domain names expire a year after their registration. However, in some cases, depending on your domain name and registrar, it can be registered for a maximum of 10 years before it expires.
Domain auctions and marketplaces offer expired domains for purchase through bidding.
Domain.com has the tools you need to continue building your business into a success.
