The Life Cycle Of A Domain Name
It’s a common misunderstanding that once you purchase a domain name, you own it outright. In reality, when you buy a domain, you’re essentially leasing it for a specific duration, which can range from 1 to 10 years. You have the option to renew this lease indefinitely, but true ownership is never conferred.
The domain name goes through various stages in its life cycle, including “available,” “active,” “expired,” “redemption” (or “grace” period), and “pending deletion.” These stages apply to domain names like .org, .net, .info, .co, and .com, as well as other gTLDs overseen by ICANN.
Available Domain Names:
When a domain is available, it means it hasn’t been registered by anyone else yet. To secure an available domain, it’s essential to register it promptly because until you do, anyone else can claim it.
The 'Active' Period:
Once you’ve successfully registered a domain, it becomes active. During this phase, you can use it as your web address and have the freedom to modify its settings and contact information.
You essentially have control over it for the duration you’ve registered it for, which can be anywhere from 1 to 10 years. However, it’s crucial to remember to renew it before it expires if you intend to keep it.
Your Domain is About to Expire:
We strongly recommend renewing your domain well in advance of its expiry date. When a domain expires, your website becomes inaccessible, and any associated email addresses stop working. At Nakroteck, we take proactive steps to ensure you’re well-informed about your domain’s status.
We’ll reach out to you well in advance of your domain’s expiration date through both email and phone calls. Our aim is to provide you with ample notice so that you have the opportunity to renew your domain and avoid any disruptions to your online presence.
Your domain’s security and continuity are important to us, and we’re here to assist you throughout the renewal process. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that your domain’s contact information is always accurate and up to date. Setting up auto-renewal for your domain is also advisable, especially if you plan to keep it active in the long term.
The 'Expiration' Period:
If you happen to forget to renew your domain before its expiration date, the domain name will go into a deletion state, and any associated services will cease to function. Your website will be replaced by a ‘parked‘ page, indicating that the domain has expired.
Additionally, it’s important to note that an expired domain cannot be transferred to another registrar unless it’s renewed. The good news is that renewing your domain will restore it, along with your email services, to their normal state.
Typically, you have up to 30 days to do this before your domain enters the redemption period. If you choose not to renew, the domain becomes available for anyone to purchase after the ‘pending deletion’ period.
The 'Redemption' Period:
Once the domain has expired, it enters the redemption period, which typically lasts for (30-90 days), depending on the chosen extension. During this phase, your website, email, and domain-related services will not be functional, and information about your domain is scheduled for deletion.
Note: If your domain is in the redemption phase and you’d like to restore it, it is still possible! However, there will be a redemption fee in addition to the regular renewal rate. Contact the company you registered the domain with, and they will guide you through the restoration process.
The 'Pending Delete' Period:
If your domain remains unrenewed by the end of the redemption period, it enters the pending delete phase. At this point, there is no possibility of redemption or making changes to the domain.
This period lasts for only 5 days, after which the domain is deleted and released to the public for registration. When a domain becomes available for registration again, it can be challenging to reacquire.
It might end up on a backorder list for auction or be purchased by a third party, which might require a substantial buyback payment.
In Conclusion:
We hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of the entire domain lifecycle process.
The key takeaway is always to remember to renew your domain early. Doing so will not only save you money but will also significantly reduce the risk of losing your domain name.