Looking up…
What the expiry date means.
A domain is registered for a set number of years. The expiry date is when that paid period ends at the registry. Most registrars renew automatically if a payment card is on file; check yours rather than relying on this date alone.
What happens when nobody renews.
For .com and the other generic extensions, the steps are set by ICANN:
- The domain stops working at or soon after the expiry date, and the registrar usually parks it. The owner can still renew at the normal price for a while.
- If it is deleted, it enters the redemption period for 30 days. The owner can restore it, usually for an extra fee.
- Then it goes to pending delete for five days, and is released. Anyone can register it after that, and good names are often caught within seconds.
Country extensions such as .si, .uk or .de follow their own registry's rules, with different timings.
Protecting your own domains.
- Turn on automatic renewal and keep the card and the account email current: expiry notices go to that email.
- Renew for several years at once if the domain matters.
- Be wary of renewal "invoices" from companies you never used. Pay only your own registrar.
Questions people ask.
How do I check when a domain expires?
Type the domain. The expiry date comes live from its registry, with the days left.
What happens when a domain expires?
For .com and other generic extensions it stops working, the owner can still renew for a while, then it spends 30 days in redemption and five days pending delete before anyone can register it. Country extensions have their own rules.
Can I buy a domain that is about to expire?
Only after the registry deletes it, unless the owner sells it first. Some registrars sell backorders that try to register a name the moment it is released.
Will my domain renew automatically?
Only if auto-renew is on at your registrar and the payment card works. This page shows the registry's date, not your billing settings.
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Sources
- ICANN: EPP status codes, what they mean and why
- RFC 9083: JSON responses for the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP), events
By Hivex. Updated 10 October 2026. Records come live from each domain's own registry (RDAP) and are kept for up to an hour.