A domain name is leased, not owned, and a missed renewal can end with someone else registering it. ICANN, the body that oversees domain registration, explains what happens when a name expires.

This guide is based on the public sources listed at the end. We have not tested the products or services mentioned.

This is a short reference page. The full guide is Web Hosting and Domains: The Complete Guide.

Reminders and auto-renew

ICANN's page for registrants says registrars must send renewal reminders about a month and a week before expiry, and a notice within five days afterwards. Reminders only help if your contact details are current. Many registrars offer auto-renew, which needs up-to-date payment details.

What happens after expiry

  • The registrar may delete the domain, which can then be released for anyone to register.
  • For about 30 days after deletion a redemption grace period lets the registrar restore the name, often for an extra fee.
  • If it is not restored, it sits about five days in "pending delete" before release.
  • An expired domain can be transferred, but one in redemption must be restored by the current registrar first.

If something goes wrong

Contact your registrar first (you can find it with ICANN's WHOIS lookup). If reminders were missing, renewal failed or redemption was blocked, a Domain Renewal Complaint can be filed with ICANN Contractual Compliance. The page says responses typically take 3 to 5 business days. The page is dated 2018, so check ICANN for the current policy.

A short checklist

  1. Keep your registrar contact email current and read what arrives.
  2. Turn on auto-renew with a card that will not expire.
  3. Put the renewal date in your calendar anyway.
  4. Keep the domain in your own account: see domain name vs hosting.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. Sources: ICANN, domain name renewal and expiration FAQs; UK NCSC, managing public domain names.