Checking the Expiration Date
Enter the domain in our WHOIS Lookup. The registration data shows:
- Creation date – when the domain was first registered;
- Expiration date (“Registry Expiry Date”) – when the current registration period ends;
- Registrar – the company through which it is registered;
- Status codes – such as
clientTransferProhibitedorredemptionPeriod.
The expiry date shown by the registry is authoritative. Note that registries sometimes extend the date automatically when a domain expires, before the registrar decides whether it is renewed, so the date alone is not always proof that the owner renewed.
What Happens When a Domain Expires
For most generic top-level domains such as .com, the sequence looks like this (exact periods depend on the registry and registrar):
- Expiry: the registrar may stop the domain from resolving or show a parking page. Websites and email stop working.
- Grace period: usually up to about 30–45 days. The owner can still renew at the normal price.
- Redemption period: typically 30 days. The domain can be restored, usually for an extra fee.
- Pending delete: about 5 days. Nothing can be done.
- Release: the domain becomes available to anyone. Valuable names are often taken immediately.
Country-code domains such as .tr or .de follow their own registry rules.
How to Avoid Losing Your Domain
- Enable auto-renew at your registrar and keep the payment card up to date.
- Make sure the registrant email address works; renewal notices go there.
- Register important domains for several years.
- Keep a list of all domains you own with their expiry dates, and check them with WHOIS from time to time.
- Enable the transfer lock (
clientTransferProhibited) to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Signs That a Domain Has Problems
If a site suddenly stops resolving, WHOIS status codes such as clientHold, serverHold or redemptionPeriod explain why. See also DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN for the error visitors will see.
Expired Domains and Security
When a domain is re-registered by someone else, they receive all email sent to it and can host anything on it. Before letting an old domain expire, remove it from accounts, password resets and documentation. Our guide on reverse WHOIS explains what registration data is still public today.