When a domain expires it goes through a few stages before it gets released for re-registration. It will enter the grace period after expiration, followed by a tentative 30-day redemption period. At the end of the redemption period, it will be moved to pending delete and cannot be renewed. After the domain is fully deleted from the registry it will be available for registration again.
Recovery chart overview
| Grace period | Redemption | Pending delete | Re-register domain | |
Recoverable | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ not guaranteed |
Grace period
The grace period takes place after your domain expires. You can renew the domain through your account without incurring a fee. Grace periods typically last 30 days for the domains that support them like .COM, .ORG, or .NET. If you do not see the ability to renew, your domain may not support the grace period. Please speak with your registrar for more information or contact support.
Note: Renewal of a domain is only possible before the grace period ends. After the grace period is over, the domain can be subject to auctions and removed from your account.
Redemption
During the redemption phase, the domain is returned to the domain registry. We can attempt to redeem the domain by paying the redemption fee of $175 plus your renewal cost. The redemption phase typically lasts 30 days; however, that timeframe is not guaranteed so it is important to take action on any renewals during the grace period. To attempt to get your domain back from the redemption state, please reach out to support.
Pending delete
The domain is in the process of being deleted from the registry and made available again for public registration. It can take between one to five days for the domain to the released for re-registration. Once a domain has reached this point, it cannot be redeemed, and you will need to wait until it's released and attempt to register it again.
Re-registering a domain
If you do not want to pay the redemption fee, you can wait until your domain is released back to the market for an attempt to re-register it. Use a Whois lookup to determine the specific status of the domain and to see whether it's available for re-registration.
Note: After the domain is released from pending delete the registration goes to whoever can register it first. There is a substantial risk that it may be lost if you choose to wait.
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