A website needs to be up and running all the time so you do not lose those potential clients that may be looking for your site. Aside from the physical elements of your website (design, functionality and speed), making sure that you have an active domain name is also important. Once a domain name expires, all the services associated with it will also stop functioning. This means that you cannot make any updates to the domain. Depending on your web host provider, the domain will remain available for reactivation.
Does a domain name enter a grace period after it expires?
Once your domain name expires, it will be disabled, but you will still be able to renew it (so if your domain has expired do not worry just yet). Some providers allow renewal at no extra cost. While the domain name has not been renewed, it will enter a grace period. Normally, the grace period is only for 30 days, but it will again be dependent on your web host provider. It is also important to note that there is no guaranteed grace period. Renewal is always given at the end of the current registration period. For instance, if you renew two months early, the expiration date is the same, so you will never have to worry about paying too early.
Domain going into redemption status
Aside from passing through expiration grace period, your domain will also go into redemption status. The redemption period refers to the period provided after the registrar issues a delete request to the registry. Note that the domain can only be recovered by the previous registrant.
Deleting the domain
After the redemption period, the domain will be placed into a ‘pending delete’ status. During this time, your domain will be given a 5-day time frame after the redemption period. The registry will hold the domain and you can no longer recover it. As soon as the domain name is deleted, it will be available for anyone who wishes to purchase a new domain. It will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. As you can see in a previous case study of when google had to buy their domain back from another person.
