When do expired domains drop? The .com, .net and .org timeline
By GNR Tech Yazılım ve Dijital Hizmetleri 5 min read
A domain doesn't become available the moment its expiration date passes. For .com, .net, .org and the other generic extensions governed by ICANN, an expired domain first goes through several stages. Together, they usually take 35 to 80 days. Knowing the timeline helps you rescue your own domain in time or catch one you want at the right moment.
Why isn't it deleted right away?
The domain system builds in a few safety margins in case owners forget to renew. ICANN rules give the owner of an expired domain a certain amount of time and let them recover it before it's deleted. That makes it harder to lose a domain just because a payment card expired or a reminder email was missed.
Stage 1: The domain expires (day 0)
If the domain isn't renewed by its expiration date, the registry usually renews it automatically for one year and bills the registrar. In WHOIS, the expiration date may appear to jump a year ahead. That doesn't mean the domain was actually renewed. You'll see the status code autoRenewPeriod. If the registrar can't collect payment from the owner, it cancels this automatic renewal.
During this period, most registrars stop the website and email and point the domain to an "expired" or parking page. Visitors can't reach your site, and incoming email bounces.
Stage 2: Grace period (0–45 days)
The registrar gives the owner a grace period to renew at the normal price. Its length varies by registrar: a few days at some, 30–45 days at others. Because the registry's auto-renew grace period is at most 45 days, registrars can't offer anything longer. If the owner renews during this window, nothing is lost and the site and email come back.
Some registrars put the domain up in their own auction during this period. A domain sold at auction goes straight to its new owner without ever dropping. So a valuable domain expiring doesn't mean you'll be able to register it in the open.
Stage 3: Redemption period (30 days)
When the grace period ends, the registrar tells the registry to delete the domain, and it enters a 30-day redemption period. The status code becomes redemptionPeriod. Now only the previous owner can recover the domain, by paying a restore fee on top of the normal renewal price. The restore fee depends on the registrar and is often several times the renewal price.
Because the domain is removed from DNS during redemption, the website and email will definitely not work.
Stage 4: Pending delete (5 days)
After redemption, the domain enters a 5-day deletion queue. The status code becomes pendingDelete. At this point no one can save the domain, not even the previous owner. The drop date is now fixed.
Stage 5: The domain becomes available
At the end of pending delete, the domain is removed from the registry and anyone can register it. Many people and companies go after valuable domains at once, so if you want one that's about to drop, watch the last few days closely.
Timeline at a glance
| Stage | Length | Who can renew? |
|---|---|---|
| Expired / grace period | 0–45 days (depends on registrar) | The owner, at the normal price |
| Redemption | 30 days | The owner, for an extra fee |
| Pending delete | 5 days | No one |
| Available | – | Anyone |
In the shortest case (the registrar offers no grace period at all), the domain becomes available about 35 days after expiration. In the longest case, it takes about 80 days.
What to do if your own domain has expired
- Log in to your registrar right away. If you're still in the grace period, you can renew at the normal price.
- Check the status code in WHOIS. If you see
redemptionPeriod, act immediately and be ready to pay the restore fee. Every day counts. - Update your payment method and turn on auto-renew. That way the same thing won't happen again.
- Give the site and email time to come back. After renewal, DNS can take a few hours to propagate again.
Differences by extension
The timeline above applies to ICANN's generic extensions (.com, .net, .org, .info and similar). Country-code extensions set their own rules, which vary from country to country. For example, .com.tr and the other .tr extensions follow a process of a 60-day renewal period and a 30-day deletion period; see what happens when a .com.tr domain expires for the details. For country extensions like .io, .ai and .co, the timing also depends on each registry's own policy.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out how long the grace period is? It depends on the policy of the registrar the domain is registered with, and it isn't shown in the WHOIS record. Check the renewal policy on the registrar's website or ask their support team. For your own domain, your registrar can tell you.
Why is the restore fee so high? Restoring requires the registry to bring back a record already marked for deletion, and registries charge a separate fee for that. Registrars then add their own service charge on top. That's why renewing before the grace period ends is always cheaper.
If I register a dropped domain, does its history come with it? No. When a domain drops and is registered again, its registration date resets, and the previous owner's name servers, DNS records and email services don't carry over. However, links to the old site and traces in search engines can stick around for a while. That's why it's a good habit to check a domain's history before you buy it.
Stop calculating dates by hand
NicFollow reads the status codes in the WHOIS and RDAP records of the domains you track, works out which stage each one is in, calculates the earliest and latest drop dates, and notifies you when the stage changes. If you're waiting for a domain to drop, track it in "I want it" mode and get notified the day it becomes available.