Domain Registration: The Life Cycle of a Domain

Understanding the domain lifecycle is essential for our customers. Below are the different stages a domain goes through, from availability to expiration and eventual release. Please review the image and scroll down for detailed procedures. 

1. Domain Registration and Renewal Period 
   Domain registration is the process of acquiring a name that will represent your website throughout the internet, and you can use it for your Web Hosting. 
   At the same time, Domain renewal is a process of re-establishing and maintaining your domain name active. The domain name can be registered or renewed for a minimum of 1 year to a maximum of 10 years. 
    
2. Auto-Renewal Grace Period 
   If the domain name was not renewed before it expires, it enters the Renewal Grace Period (RGP). In this period, a domain owner can renew an expired domain at the regular renewal price. Most domain TLDs offer a renewal grace period that varies from 0 to 45 days. If the domain is not recovered or renewed from the Renewal Grace Period, it enters the Redemption Grace period. This event will stop all the processes on your account, including website and email functionality. 
    
3. Redemption Grace Period 
   The registrar will assign the domain to redemption on day 45. During this period, it is not possible to renew the domain name. 
    
   1. The redemption grace period lasts for 30 days. 
   2. There is a fee to restore a domain from redemption status. This fee cannot be waived or refunded. 
   3. A domain will be considered abandoned if it is not redeemed. The registrar may exercise its right to auction, sell, delete, or dispose of the name at any time. 
   4. eNom can put a domain into a 90-day extended redemption grace period (ERGP) for up to a year while trying to auction it off. If it doesn't sell, they'll let it go.
      
      
      Note: The standard Redemption Fee is $99.95 + Domain Renewal Fee per domain; however, this may vary with different TLDs.
      
      
4. Pending Delete Period 
   On day 75, If the domain is not redeemed and renewed within the redemption period, it will enter the last phase of the domain cycle, called the "Pending delete Period." A domain in Pending Delete status cannot be renewed or redeemed through the account. In this case, you will need to wait 5 days until the registry deletes the existing record and makes it available for public registration like a fresh new one. 

For more information about domain lifecycle and grace period concerns, you may visit these websites to stay informed: 

• Life Cycle of a Typical gTLD Domain Name 
• Grace Period - ICANN