What happens when a domain name expires
A domain is rented, not owned. If the rental is not renewed, the website and every email address on that domain stop working, often with no warning on the site itself.
The usual timeline
The details depend on your registrar and on the ending of the domain, so treat this as a general picture and check your registrar's own rules.
- Expiry day. Soon after, the registrar usually points the domain at a parking page or switches it off. Visitors and email no longer reach you.
- Grace period. For a few weeks you can usually still renew at the normal price.
- Redemption period. After that, getting the domain back typically costs a much higher recovery fee.
- Release. Finally the name is released or auctioned, and anyone can register it.
Why it catches people out
- Renewal reminders go to an email address nobody reads any more.
- The card on file has expired, so automatic renewal fails.
- The domain was registered years ago by someone who has since left.
- The business has several domains at different registrars and one is forgotten.
How to prevent it
- Switch on automatic renewal and keep a working card on the account.
- Make sure the contact email on the registration is one you read.
- Renew important domains for several years at a time.
- Keep all your domains at one registrar if you can.
How you find out quickly
From the outside, an expired domain looks like a name that can no longer be looked up, or a site that suddenly shows someone else's page. KeenCrow looks up your domain name on every check and emails you when the lookup fails three times in a row, naming DNS as the likely area.