Understanding Domain Grace Period and Redemption: Complete Timeline Guide (2025)

Quick Answer

Table of Contents

What Is a Domain Grace Period?

The grace period (also called Auto-Renew Grace Period or ARGP) is a post-expiration window where domain renewal remains simple and affordable.

Grace Period Overview

Definition: A registrar-level courtesy period after expiration where you can renew at normal price.

Key characteristics:

• Duration: 30-45 days (varies by registrar)
• Cost: Normal renewal fee ($10-20 typically)
• Availability: Set by registrar policy (not registry requirement)
• Services: May continue functioning (website, email, DNS)
• Renewal: Simple renewal process, no special fees

Purpose of Grace Period

Registrars offer grace periods to:

1. Protect customers from immediate domain loss
2. Allow time for payment method failures to be resolved
3. Provide buffer for renewal reminder delays
4. Reduce support burden from panicked domain owners
5. Retain customers who might otherwise lose domains

Who Controls Grace Period?

Registrar controls:

• Duration (within registry limits)
• Services availability during grace
• Renewal interface and process
• Whether to charge during grace

Registry does not control:

• Grace period existence
• Grace period length (beyond minimums)
• Pricing during grace period

This is why grace periods vary significantly between registrars.

Grace Period vs Auto-Renewal

Important distinction:

Auto-renewal = Automatic payment before expiration

• Domain never expires
• Charged before expiration date
• No grace period needed
• Best practice for all important domains

Grace period = Post-expiration recovery window

• Domain has already expired
• Manual renewal required
• Safety net when auto-renewal fails or isn't enabled
• Should not be relied upon as renewal strategy

What Is a Redemption Period?

The redemption period is a registry-level recovery window after the grace period expires—and it's expensive.

Redemption Period Overview

Definition: A registry-enforced recovery phase requiring significant fees to restore expired domains.

Key characteristics:

• Duration: 30 days (standard for most gTLDs)
• Cost: $150-200+ total ($80-100 registry + $50-100 registrar)
• Availability: Registry requirement for gTLDs
• Services: All services completely offline
• Recovery: Complex process involving registry restoration

Purpose of Redemption Period

Registries implement redemption to:

1. Provide final recovery chance before permanent deletion
2. Generate revenue from recovery fees
3. Incentivize timely renewal (expensive recovery discourages reliance on it)
4. Allow technical cleanup before domain deletion
5. Protect domain owners from permanent loss

Who Controls Redemption Period?

Registry controls:

• Redemption duration (30 days standard)
• Registry portion of redemption fee
• Technical restoration process
• EPP status codes during redemption

Registrar controls:

• Registrar handling fee amount
• Customer-facing redemption process
• Whether to offer self-service redemption
• Communication about redemption costs

Why Is Redemption So Expensive?

Registry fee ($80-100):

• Manual processing required
• Special EPP commands to registry
• Administrative overhead
• Revenue for registry operations

Registrar fee ($50-100):

• Customer support time
• Payment processing
• Technical processing
• Risk management

Total: $150-200+ (plus mandatory 1-year renewal)

The high cost is intentional—it's designed to encourage renewal during the much cheaper grace period.

Grace Period vs Redemption Period

Understanding the differences helps you act appropriately when a domain expires.

Quick Comparison

Cost Comparison Example

Domain: example.com at Namecheap Expiration date: October 1, 2024

Scenario 1: Renew in grace period (October 15)

• Cost: $13.98 (.com renewal)
• Processing: Instant
• Downtime: None (website still working)
• Total: $13.98

Scenario 2: Recover in redemption (November 20)

• Cost: $160 (redemption) + $13.98 (renewal)
• Processing: 24-72 hours
• Downtime: 50+ days (website offline since ~November 11)
• Total: $173.98

Savings by renewing in grace: $160 (92% savings)

Which Is Better?

Always renew during grace period:

• ✅ 90%+ cheaper
• ✅ Instant processing
• ✅ No service disruption (usually)
• ✅ Simple process
• ✅ No waiting period

Avoid redemption if possible:

• ❌ Extremely expensive
• ❌ All services offline
• ❌ 24-72 hour processing
• ❌ Complex procedures
• ❌ Business disruption

Redemption should be last resort—not a planned recovery strategy.

Complete Expiration Timeline

Visualizing the full timeline from active domain to deletion helps you understand when to act.

Standard gTLD Timeline (.com, .net, .org)

Day 0: Expiration Date
    │
    ▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                        │
│  GRACE PERIOD (Days 0-45)                                             │
│  ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                                          │
│                                                                        │
│  ✓ Renew at normal price ($10-20)                                     │
│  ✓ Website may still function                                         │
│  ✓ Email may still work                                               │
│  ✓ DNS continues resolving (usually)                                  │
│  ✗ Cannot transfer domain                                             │
│                                                                        │
│  Best recovery window → Act here if possible                          │
│                                                                        │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    │
    ▼ Grace period ends
    │
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                        │
│  REDEMPTION PERIOD (Days 45-75)                                       │
│  ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                                        │
│                                                                        │
│  ✓ Can still recover domain                                           │
│  ✗ Costs $150-200+ (registry + registrar fees)                        │
│  ✗ Website completely offline (DNS removed)                           │
│  ✗ Email completely offline (MX records removed)                      │
│  ✗ All services non-functional                                        │
│  ⏱ Recovery takes 24-72 hours                                         │
│                                                                        │
│  Last chance recovery → Expensive but possible                        │
│                                                                        │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    │
    ▼ Redemption ends
    │
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                        │
│  PENDING DELETE (Days 75-80)                                          │
│  ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                                             │
│                                                                        │
│  ✗ CANNOT RECOVER                                                     │
│  ✗ No options for previous owner                                      │
│  ⏱ 5-day deletion queue                                               │
│  → Domain will be deleted and become public                           │
│                                                                        │
│  Too late → Must backorder to re-register                             │
│                                                                        │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
    │
    ▼ Domain deleted
    │
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                                        │
│  AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION (Day 80+)                                 │
│  ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━                                        │
│                                                                        │
│  Domain released to public                                            │
│  First-come-first-served registration                                 │
│  Drop-catching services compete                                       │
│  Previous owner has no special rights                                 │
│                                                                        │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Timeline Summary Table

Critical Action Windows

Days 0-30 (Early grace period):

• ✅ Best time to act
• ✅ Cheapest recovery
• ✅ Minimal disruption
• Action: Renew normally

Days 30-45 (Late grace period):

• ⚠️ Act quickly
• ✅ Still cheap
• ⚠️ Services may be disrupted
• Action: Renew immediately

Days 45-60 (Early redemption):

• ⚠️ Expensive recovery
• ❌ All services offline
• ⚠️ ~15 days remaining
• Action: Pay redemption fee now

Days 60-75 (Late redemption):

• 🚨 Last chance
• ❌ Expensive
• 🚨 Less than 15 days left
• Action: Recover immediately or lose domain

Days 75-80 (Pending delete):

• ❌ Too late
• Domain will be deleted
• Cannot recover
• Action: Backorder or accept loss

What Happens in Each Phase

Understanding what works and what breaks in each phase helps you prioritize recovery and assess business impact.

Grace Period (Days 0-45)

What typically continues working:

• ✅ Website (in most cases)
• ✅ Email delivery
• ✅ DNS resolution
• ✅ SSL certificates (if not expired separately)
• ✅ Subdomains
• ✅ API endpoints
• ✅ CDN services

What stops working:

• ❌ Domain transfers (locked)
• ❌ Registrant contact changes (60-day lock)
• ❌ Some registrar management features
• ❌ Auto-renewal notifications (already expired)

What you can do:

• ✅ Renew domain at normal price
• ✅ View domain details
• ✅ Contact registrar support
• ⚠️ Modify DNS (varies by registrar)
• ⚠️ Change nameservers (varies by registrar)

What you cannot do:

• ❌ Transfer domain to another registrar
• ❌ Change registrant information
• ❌ Cancel domain (already expired)
• ❌ Downgrade services

Redemption Period (Days 45-75)

What stops working:

• ❌ Website (DNS removed, NXDOMAIN errors)
• ❌ Email (MX records removed, bounces)
• ❌ DNS resolution (removed from zone files)
• ❌ SSL certificates (domain unreachable)
• ❌ All subdomains
• ❌ All API endpoints
• ❌ CDN services

What you can do:

• ✅ Pay redemption fee to recover
• ✅ View domain status in registrar account
• ✅ Contact registrar about recovery
• ⚠️ Wait and try to backorder (risky)

What you cannot do:

• ❌ Renew at normal price (must use redemption)
• ❌ Transfer domain
• ❌ Modify DNS or nameservers
• ❌ Update any domain settings
• ❌ Use domain for anything

Recovery process:

1. Find redemption option at registrar
2. Pay $150-200+ redemption fees
3. Wait 24-72 hours for registry processing
4. Domain restored to active status
5. Reconfigure DNS and services
6. Wait 24-48 hours for DNS propagation

Pending Delete (Days 75-80)

Status:

• ❌ Completely non-functional
• ❌ Domain doesn't exist in DNS
• ❌ Previous owner has no rights
• ❌ 5-day countdown to deletion

What you can do:

• Nothing as previous owner
• Can place backorders to try to re-register
• Can prepare alternative domains

What you cannot do:

• ❌ Recover domain in any way
• ❌ Contact registry for special consideration
• ❌ Stop the deletion process
• ❌ Extend the timeline

What happens:

• Domain remains in deletion queue
• Registry processes deletion
• On day 5, domain is deleted
• Domain becomes available for registration
• Drop-catching services compete to register

Post-Deletion (Day 80+)

Status:

• Domain deleted from registry
• Available for anyone to register
• Previous owner has no special rights
• First-come-first-served

Options for previous owner:

• Try to register immediately (unlikely to succeed for valuable domains)
• Use backorder services (DropCatch, NameJet, SnapNames)
• Contact whoever registers it (if someone does)
• Register alternative domain
• Accept the loss

Grace Period Details

Deep dive into grace period policies, variations, and strategies.

Grace Period Length by Registrar

Important: These are general policies. Actual grace periods can vary by:

• Domain extension (TLD)
• Domain status (premium vs standard)
• Account type (individual vs corporate)
• Registrar promotion or policy changes

What "Grace Period" Means at Different Registrars

Generous registrars (services continue):

• Website remains accessible
• Email continues delivering
• DNS stays in zone files
• No visible impact to users
• Examples: GoDaddy, Porkbun, Name.com

Standard registrars (mixed):

• DNS usually continues
• Website may or may not stay up
• Email typically continues
• Some management features disabled
• Examples: Namecheap, Cloudflare, Hover

Strict registrars (immediate impact):

• Website redirected to parking page
• Email may be disabled
• DNS may be modified
• Clear indication domain expired
• Example: Dynadot

Grace Period Service Continuity

Why do some services continue?

Technical reasons:

• DNS zone files aren't immediately updated
• Nameservers still respond to queries
• TTL (Time To Live) values cause caching
• Registry doesn't force immediate removal

Business reasons:

• Customer retention (goodwill)
• Reduce support burden
• Allow time for auto-renewal failures to resolve
• Competitive advantage

Why do some services stop?

Technical reasons:

• Registrar modifies nameservers
• Registrar removes DNS records
• Registrar parks domain immediately

Business reasons:

• Encourage quick renewal
• Monetize parking pages
• Clear indication of expiration

Maximizing Grace Period Benefits

If you discover domain is expired:

Immediate actions (within hours):

1. Log into registrar account
2. Verify expiration status
3. Check how many grace days remain
4. Renew immediately (don't wait)
5. Enable auto-renewal
6. Update payment method

Quick assessment (within 1 day):

1. Test website functionality
2. Test email delivery
3. Check DNS resolution
4. Review WHOIS data
5. Document any service disruptions

Post-renewal (within 1 week):

1. Verify new expiration date
2. Confirm services restored (if disrupted)
3. Set calendar reminders
4. Review what caused expiration
5. Implement prevention measures

Grace Period Myths

❌ Myth: "I have 30 days of grace period guaranteed" ✅ Reality: Grace periods vary by registrar (30-44 days typically)

❌ Myth: "My website will definitely stay up during grace" ✅ Reality: Depends on registrar policy—some park domains immediately

❌ Myth: "Grace period starts when I notice expiration" ✅ Reality: Grace period starts on expiration date, regardless of when you notice

❌ Myth: "I can transfer during grace period" ✅ Reality: Transfers are locked during grace period

❌ Myth: "Grace period is free extension" ✅ Reality: You still pay full renewal fee—it's not free

Redemption Period Details

Comprehensive guide to the most expensive recovery phase.

How Redemption Actually Works

Technical process:

Step 1: Grace period expires

• Registrar can no longer renew domain normally
• Domain enters registry redemption state
• Registry applies redemptionPeriod EPP status

Step 2: Domain removed from zone

• Registry removes DNS records
• Domain stops resolving (NXDOMAIN)
• All services go offline

Step 3: Owner initiates redemption

• Contacts registrar or uses self-service
• Agrees to pay redemption fees
• Submits redemption request

Step 4: Registrar processes

• Collects redemption fee from customer
• Submits restoration request to registry via EPP
• Pays registry portion of fee

Step 5: Registry processes

• Validates redemption request
• Charges registry fee ($80-100)
• Restores domain to registrar account
• Removes redemptionPeriod status
• Extends domain 1 year

Step 6: Domain restored

• Returns to active status
• Customer can configure DNS again
• Must wait 24-48 hours for DNS propagation
• Domain fully functional after propagation

Redemption Fee Breakdown

Total cost: $150-200+ (varies by registrar)

Registry fee ($80-100):

• Set by registry (Verisign, Donuts, etc.)
• Non-negotiable
• Same across all registrars
• Required for EPP restore command

Registrar fee ($50-100):

• Set by registrar
• Covers administrative costs
• Customer support time
• Payment processing
• Risk management

1-year renewal (included or separate):

• Some registrars bundle into redemption fee
• Others charge separately
• $10-20 typically
• Mandatory (cannot restore without renewal)

Redemption Cost Examples (2025)

Scenario: Recover expired .com domain

Premium domains: Add $200-1,000+ to these costs

Redemption Timeline

Day 0: Redemption begins (grace expires)

• Domain enters redemption state
• All services go offline
• WHOIS shows redemptionPeriod

Days 1-5: Early redemption

• Best time to recover (30 days remaining)
• Process takes 24-72 hours
• Services restored 2-5 days after payment

Days 10-20: Mid redemption

• ~10-20 days remaining
• Still time to recover safely
• Process same as early redemption

Days 20-29: Late redemption

• Less than 10 days remaining
• Urgent recovery needed
• Risk of entering pending delete

Day 30: Redemption ends

• Domain enters pending delete
• Can no longer recover
• Permanent loss imminent

Self-Service vs Support-Assisted Redemption

Self-service redemption:

Registrars offering it:

• GoDaddy (domain management panel)
• Namecheap (restore domain option)
• Dynadot (account dashboard)
• Name.com (restore button)

Advantages:

• ✅ Faster processing
• ✅ Available 24/7
• ✅ No support ticket delays
• ✅ Clear pricing upfront

Process:

1. Log into account
2. Find expired domain
3. Click "Restore" or "Redeem"
4. Review costs
5. Complete payment
6. Wait for processing

Support-assisted redemption:

Registrars requiring it:

• Hover (contact support)
• Some smaller registrars
• Corporate/enterprise accounts

Process:

1. Contact support via ticket, chat, or phone
2. Request redemption quote
3. Support provides pricing
4. Agree to fees
5. Support processes manually
6. May take longer (24-96 hours)

Advantages:

• ✅ Personal assistance
• ✅ Can ask questions
• ✅ May negotiate fees (rarely)

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Slower (support hours only)
• ❌ Ticket delays
• ❌ More communication needed

Redemption Success Rate

Redemption succeeds when:

• ✅ You're within 30-day window
• ✅ You can pay the fees
• ✅ Domain hasn't entered pending delete
• ✅ Domain isn't under legal hold
• ✅ Account is in good standing

Redemption fails when:

• ❌ Redemption period expired (pending delete)
• ❌ Account suspended or locked
• ❌ Payment method fails
• ❌ Domain under dispute/legal hold
• ❌ Registry rejects restoration (rare)

Success rate: ~99% if attempted within redemption window

Costs During Each Phase

Comprehensive cost analysis across the full expiration lifecycle.

Cost Comparison by Phase

Total Cost of Waiting

Example: .com domain at Namecheap

Scenario A: Renew on time (before expiration)

• Cost: $13.98
• Downtime: None
• Stress: None
• Total: $13.98

Scenario B: Renew in grace (15 days after expiration)

• Cost: $13.98
• Downtime: None (website still up)
• Stress: Low
• Total: $13.98

Scenario C: Recover in redemption (60 days after expiration)

• Cost: $160 (redemption)
• Downtime: 15+ days
• Lost revenue: Variable (could be $0 or $10,000+)
• SEO impact: Moderate to severe
• Customer trust: Damaged
• Stress: High
• Total: $160 + opportunity cost

Scenario D: Backorder after drop (85 days after expiration)

• Cost: $69 (backorder) + auction (possibly $500+)
• Downtime: 80+ days
• Lost revenue: Severe
• SEO impact: Severe to critical
• Customer trust: Destroyed
• Brand damage: Significant
• Success rate: Not guaranteed
• Stress: Extreme
• Total: $69-1,000+ + massive opportunity cost

Hidden Costs of Redemption

Beyond the redemption fee itself:

Direct costs:

• Redemption fee: $150-200
• Staff time to process: 2-4 hours
• DNS reconfiguration: 1-2 hours
• Service restoration testing: 2-3 hours
• Total direct: $150-200 + labor

Indirect costs:

• Lost traffic during downtime
• Lost revenue (e-commerce, ads, leads)
• SEO ranking drops
• Customer complaints and support
• Email deliverability issues
• Damaged brand reputation
• Lost business opportunities
• Total indirect: Potentially thousands to millions

Business impact example:

• E-commerce site down 20 days
• Average revenue: $1,000/day
• Lost revenue: $20,000
• Redemption cost: $160
• True cost: $20,160

ROI of Prevention

Investment: $0-10/year

• Enable auto-renewal: Free
• Update payment method: Free
• Set calendar reminders: Free
• Domain monitoring service: $10/year

Savings: $140-190 per incident

• Avoid redemption fees
• Prevent downtime
• Maintain SEO rankings
• Preserve customer trust

ROI: Infinite (essentially free prevention vs expensive recovery)

Cost by Domain Extension

Redemption costs vary by TLD:

Standard gTLDs:

New gTLDs:

Premium domains:

• Add $200-1,000+ to redemption costs
• Some registries charge based on domain value
• Contact registrar for premium redemption quote

Grace and Redemption by TLD

Different domain extensions have different policies.

Generic TLDs (gTLDs)

Standard gTLDs (.com, .net, .org, .info, .biz):

New gTLDs (.io, .ai, .app, etc.):

• Usually follow standard timeline
• 30-day grace period (registrar-dependent)
• 30-day redemption
• 5-day pending delete
• Check specific registry policy

Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs)

ccTLDs have unique policies—don't assume standard timeline applies.

.uk domains (United Kingdom):

• No grace period (expires immediately)
• No redemption period
• Goes directly to deletion/suspension
• Very short recovery window
• Re-registration may be possible quickly

.de domains (Germany):

• 30-day grace period
• No redemption period
• Deletes immediately after grace
• Must act during grace or lose domain

.ca domains (Canada):

• 30-day grace period
• 30-day redemption
• Similar to .com timeline
• Redemption costs ~$200 CAD

.au domains (Australia):

• 30-day grace period
• 30-day pending delete (not redemption!)
• Cannot recover during pending delete
• Must act during grace period

.eu domains (European Union):

• 40-day grace period
• No redemption period
• "Quarantine" phase instead
• Contact registrar for specifics

.fr domains (France):

• 27-day grace period
• No redemption
• Quick deletion after grace

.jp domains (Japan):

• Varies by registrar
• Usually no grace or redemption
• Strict expiration enforcement
• Plan renewals carefully

TLD Research Tool

To find specific TLD policies:

1. Check registry website:

   • Verisign (.com, .net): verisign.com
   • PIR (.org): pir.org
   • Donuts (many new gTLDs): identity.digital
   • Country registries: Google "[country] domain registry"

2. Check registrar documentation:

   • Most registrars publish TLD-specific policies
   • Search "[registrar name] [TLD] expiration policy"

3. Use DomainDetails:

   • Look up domain
   • Check registry information
   • View historical expiration data

4. Contact registrar support:

   • Ask specifically about grace and redemption
   • Get timeline in writing
   • Confirm costs before expiration

What Works and What Doesn't

Detailed breakdown of functionality during each phase.

Grace Period: Service Availability Matrix

Redemption Period: Nothing Works

Testing Your Domain's Status

Quick tests to determine phase:

Test 1: Visit your website

• ✅ Loads normally → Active or grace period
• ⚠️ Shows parking page → Grace (some registrars) or dropped
• ❌ "This site can't be reached" → Redemption or pending delete

Test 2: Send test email to domain

• ✅ Delivers → Active or grace period
• ❌ Bounces with "domain not found" → Redemption or later

Test 3: Check DNS

nslookup yourdomain.com

• ✅ Returns IP address → Active or grace
• ❌ NXDOMAIN error → Redemption or pending delete

Test 4: Check WHOIS

• Status: ok or clientTransferProhibited → Active or grace
• Status: redemptionPeriod → Redemption
• Status: pendingDelete → Too late
• Not found → Dropped

How to Check Your Domain's Phase

Practical methods to determine where your domain is in the expiration lifecycle.

Method 1: DomainDetails Lookup

Steps:

1. Visit DomainDetails.com
2. Enter your domain name
3. Check "Domain Status" section
4. Look for EPP status codes

Status interpretations:

• ok → Not expired (active)
• clientTransferProhibited → Active (transfer locked)
• autoRenewPeriod → Grace period
• redemptionPeriod → Redemption (expensive recovery)
• pendingDelete → Too late (cannot recover)

Method 2: Registrar Dashboard

Log into your registrar account:

What to look for:

• Red "Expired" badge → Grace period
• "Redemption" or "Restore" option → Redemption
• "Pending Delete" → Cannot recover
• Missing from domain list → Dropped

Registrar-specific interfaces:

GoDaddy:

• Dashboard → Domains → Expired Domains
• Status shows "Expired - Renewable" (grace) or "Expired - Restorable" (redemption)

Namecheap:

• Dashboard → Domain List
• Red "Expired" tag (grace) or "Redemption" status (redemption)

Cloudflare:

• Dashboard → Registrar → Domains
• Yellow warning for grace, red alert for redemption

Method 3: Calculate Days Since Expiration

Manual calculation:

Expiration date: October 1, 2024
Today's date: November 10, 2024
Days since expiration: 40 days

Status: Late grace period (approaching redemption)
Action: Renew immediately

General rules:

• 0-30 days → Likely grace period
• 30-45 days → Late grace or early redemption
• 45-75 days → Redemption period
• 75-80 days → Pending delete
• 80+ days → Dropped

Important: These are estimates—always check WHOIS for exact status.

Method 4: Check Email from Registrar

Search email for:

• "Domain expired" → Grace period notification
• "Final notice" → Late grace period
• "Redemption period" → Redemption notification
• "Domain deleted" → Too late

Email timeline:

• 30 days before expiration → First reminder
• 7 days before → Urgent reminder
• Day of expiration → Expired notice
• 15 days after → Grace period reminder
• 40 days after → Redemption warning
• 70 days after → Final warning (pending delete)

Method 5: Test Services

Quick service tests:

Website test:

# Open browser and visit
https://yourdomain.com

# Still loads → Grace period or active
# Parking page → Grace (some) or dropped
# Can't connect → Redemption or pending delete

Email test:

Send email to: [email protected]

# Delivers → Grace or active
# Bounces → Redemption or later

DNS test:

# Command line
dig yourdomain.com

# Returns A record → Grace or active
# NXDOMAIN → Redemption or pending delete

Registrar-Specific Policies

Detailed breakdown of how major registrars handle grace and redemption.

GoDaddy

Grace period: 42 days (longest in industry)

During grace:

• Website continues working
• Email continues working
• DNS remains active
• Can renew at normal price
• "Expired - Renewable" status in dashboard

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $149.99 redemption + $19.99 renewal = $169.98

Self-service: Yes (domain management panel)

Notes: Very generous grace period makes accidental loss less likely

Namecheap

Grace period: 30 days (standard)

During grace:

• Website usually continues
• Email usually continues
• DNS active
• Can renew normally
• Red "Expired" tag in dashboard

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $160 (includes renewal)

Self-service: Yes (restore option in dashboard)

Notes: Clear pricing, reliable self-service restoration

Cloudflare

Grace period: 30 days

During grace:

• Services continue
• Can modify DNS records
• Can renew at cost price ($9.77)
• Clear grace period indicator

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $160 redemption + $9.77 renewal = $169.77

Self-service: Yes

Notes: Transparent at-cost pricing, good grace period flexibility

Dynadot

Grace period: 30 days

During grace:

• ⚠️ Website immediately redirected to parking page
• DNS may be modified
• Aggressive expiration enforcement
• Can renew normally

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $135 redemption + $9.99 renewal = $144.99 (cheapest!)

Self-service: Yes

Notes: Lowest redemption cost, but immediate parking during grace

Porkbun

Grace period: 44 days (very long)

During grace:

• Services continue
• DNS active
• Can renew at low price ($10.11)
• Long recovery window

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $160 redemption + $10.11 renewal = $170.11

Self-service: Yes

Notes: Great combination of long grace and competitive pricing

Google Domains / Squarespace

Grace period: 30 days

During grace:

• Services continue
• Simple renewal interface
• Email reminders
• Can renew normally

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $195 (includes renewal) - expensive!

Self-service: Limited (contact support)

Notes: Higher redemption costs, transitioning to Squarespace management

Name.com

Grace period: 40 days (above average)

During grace:

• Services typically continue
• DNS remains active
• Can renew normally
• Extended recovery time

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $160 redemption + $12.99 renewal = $172.99

Self-service: Yes

Notes: Good balance of grace period length and pricing

Hover

Grace period: 30 days

During grace:

• Services continue
• Simple dashboard
• Can renew easily
• Clear notifications

Redemption: 30 days Cost: $180 redemption + $15.99 renewal = $195.99 (expensive)

Self-service: Limited (contact support recommended)

Notes: Higher redemption costs, may require support interaction

Technical Details: EPP Status Codes

Understanding EPP (Extensible Provisioning Protocol) status codes helps diagnose domain status.

EPP Status Codes for Expiration

Active domain statuses:

• ok → Domain is active and healthy
• clientTransferProhibited → Active, transfer locked (normal)

Expiration-related statuses:

• autoRenewPeriod → Grace period (registrar-set)
• redemptionPeriod → Registry redemption phase
• pendingDelete → Deletion queue (cannot recover)

Other status codes:

• serverHold → Registry suspended domain
• clientHold → Registrar suspended domain
• serverTransferProhibited → Registry locked transfer
• pendingTransfer → Transfer in progress

Reading EPP Status in WHOIS

Example 1: Grace period

Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: autoRenewPeriod

Interpretation: In grace period, can renew normally

Example 2: Redemption

Domain Status: redemptionPeriod
Domain Status: serverTransferProhibited

Interpretation: In redemption, expensive recovery required

Example 3: Pending delete

Domain Status: pendingDelete
Domain Status: redemptionPeriod

Interpretation: Too late, cannot recover

Multiple Status Codes

Domains often have multiple statuses:

Common combinations:

Active + transfer lock:

ok
clientTransferProhibited

→ Normal, healthy domain with transfer protection

Grace period:

autoRenewPeriod
clientTransferProhibited

→ Expired but recoverable at normal price

Redemption:

redemptionPeriod
serverTransferProhibited
serverUpdateProhibited
serverDeleteProhibited

→ In redemption, locked from all modifications

Pending delete:

pendingDelete
redemptionPeriod

→ Final 5 days, cannot recover

Using EPP Status for Automation

Domain monitoring automation:

# Pseudocode for domain monitoring
def check_domain_status(domain):
    whois_data = query_whois(domain)
    statuses = whois_data.get_status_codes()

    if 'redemptionPeriod' in statuses:
        alert("URGENT: Domain in redemption!")
        notify_owner(domain, priority="high")

    elif 'autoRenewPeriod' in statuses:
        alert("WARNING: Domain in grace period")
        notify_owner(domain, priority="medium")

    elif 'pendingDelete' in statuses:
        alert("CRITICAL: Domain pending delete!")
        notify_owner(domain, priority="critical")

DomainDetails Pro uses EPP status monitoring to alert you about expiration phases.

Best Practices

Before Expiration (Prevention)

Essential preventive measures:

✅ Enable auto-renewal on all domains

• Prevents expiration entirely
• First line of defense
• Free on most registrars

✅ Keep payment methods current

• Update before cards expire
• Maintain sufficient balance
• Add backup payment method

✅ Monitor contact emails

• Registrar sends reminders here
• Don't use domain email (circular dependency)
• Check spam folder

✅ Set calendar reminders

• 90 days before expiration
• 60 days before
• 30 days before
• 7 days before

✅ Prepay for multiple years

• Reduces renewal frequency
• Saves money long-term
• Fewer opportunities to forget

During Grace Period

If you discover domain is expired:

Immediate actions (same day):

1. ✅ Log into registrar account
2. ✅ Verify expiration date
3. ✅ Renew immediately (don't wait)
4. ✅ Enable auto-renewal
5. ✅ Update payment method

Within 24 hours:

1. ✅ Verify new expiration date
2. ✅ Test website and email
3. ✅ Check DNS resolution
4. ✅ Set calendar reminders
5. ✅ Document what went wrong

Within 1 week:

1. ✅ Consider prepaying for multiple years
2. ✅ Audit other domains
3. ✅ Implement monitoring
4. ✅ Update documentation

During Redemption

If domain is in redemption:

Assess immediately:

• How critical is the domain?
• Can you afford $150-200+?
• How long has it been offline?
• What's the business impact?

If recovering:

1. ✅ Act fast (only 30 days)
2. ✅ Gather redemption fees
3. ✅ Use self-service if available
4. ✅ Contact support if needed
5. ✅ Wait 24-72 hours for processing
6. ✅ Reconfigure DNS immediately
7. ✅ Test thoroughly
8. ✅ Enable auto-renewal instantly

If not recovering:

1. ✅ Accept the loss
2. ✅ Register alternative domain
3. ✅ Redirect users if possible
4. ✅ Learn from experience

After Recovery

Critical post-recovery actions:

Immediate (day 1):

• ✅ Enable auto-renewal (if not done)
• ✅ Update payment method
• ✅ Verify services restored
• ✅ Check expiration date

Short-term (week 1):

• ✅ Set multiple calendar reminders
• ✅ Add to monitoring service
• ✅ Document recovery cost
• ✅ Review what caused expiration

Long-term (month 1):

• ✅ Audit entire domain portfolio
• ✅ Consolidate at reliable registrar
• ✅ Implement automated monitoring
• ✅ Create recovery procedures

Portfolio Management

For 1-10 domains:

• Spreadsheet with expiration dates
• All at one registrar
• Auto-renewal enabled
• Monthly reviews

For 11-100 domains:

• Domain management software
• DomainDetails monitoring
• Quarterly audits
• Documented procedures

For 100+ domains:

• Professional management tool
• Dedicated domain manager
• Automated monitoring
• Financial planning for renewals
• Bulk renewal processes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between grace period and redemption period?

Grace period (30-45 days) is registrar-level, costs normal renewal fee (~$15), and services may continue working. Redemption period (30 days) is registry-level, costs $150-200+, and all services are offline. Always renew during grace to save 90% on costs.

How long do I have to renew an expired domain?

You have approximately 65-80 days total: 30-45 days grace period (cheap renewal) + 30 days redemption (expensive recovery) before the domain enters pending delete. After 75-80 days, recovery is impossible—the domain will be deleted and released to the public.

Can I recover a domain after redemption ends?

No. Once redemption ends (~75 days after expiration), the domain enters a 5-day pending delete phase where recovery is impossible. Your only option is to backorder the domain through drop-catching services and hope to re-register it when it becomes available.

Why is redemption so expensive compared to normal renewal?

Redemption requires manual registry processing using special EPP restoration commands. The registry charges $80-100 for technical overhead, and registrars add $50-100 for customer support and risk management. The high cost intentionally encourages renewal during the much cheaper grace period.

Do all domain extensions have grace and redemption periods?

No. While most gTLDs (.com, .net, .org) follow the standard timeline, many ccTLDs have different policies. For example, .uk domains have no grace or redemption period—they expire immediately. .de domains have grace but no redemption. Always verify your specific TLD's policy.

Will my website stay online during grace period?

It depends on your registrar. Most registrars (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare) keep services running during grace. Some registrars (like Dynadot) immediately redirect to parking pages. Your website will definitely go offline during redemption when DNS is removed from zone files.

Can I transfer an expired domain?

No. Domains cannot be transferred during grace period, redemption, or pending delete. You must first recover the domain and return it to active status. Additionally, ICANN mandates a 60-day lock after recovering a domain if registrant information changed.

How do I know if my domain is in grace or redemption?

Check WHOIS/RDAP for EPP status codes: autoRenewPeriod indicates grace period, while redemptionPeriod indicates redemption. Your registrar dashboard will also show status. If your website is offline and DNS returns NXDOMAIN, you're likely in redemption or later.

Can I get a refund if I pay for redemption?

No. Redemption fees are non-refundable because the registry has already processed the restoration. There are no exceptions or refunds for redemption fees. Prevention through auto-renewal is always better than expensive recovery.

What happens to my email during these periods?

Email usually works during grace period. Once redemption begins, email stops completely—MX records are removed from DNS and messages bounce with "domain not found" errors. After recovery from redemption, you must reconfigure email DNS and wait 24-48 hours for propagation.

Key Takeaways

• Grace period (30-45 days) is registrar-level, costs normal renewal fee (~$15), and services often continue working

• Redemption period (30 days) is registry-level, costs $150-200+, and all services are completely offline

• Renew during grace to save 90% compared to redemption—it's the same outcome at a fraction of the cost

• Total recovery time is ~75 days before the domain enters pending delete and becomes unrecoverable

• Enable auto-renewal immediately to avoid ever needing grace or redemption periods

• Different TLDs have different policies—ccTLDs like .uk and .de don't follow standard timelines

• Redemption takes 24-72 hours to process plus DNS propagation time, meaning ~3-5 days total downtime even after paying

• Pending delete (days 75-80) means recovery is impossible—backorder services are your only option

• Grace period renewal saves ~$150-190 per domain and prevents business disruption

• Prevention is always better than recovery—calendar reminders, auto-renewal, and monitoring eliminate the problem entirely

Next Steps

If Your Domain Is Currently Expired

Determine the phase:

1. Check WHOIS status at DomainDetails.com
2. Log into your registrar account
3. Look for EPP status codes
4. Calculate days since expiration

If in grace period:

1. ✅ Renew immediately at normal price
2. ✅ Enable auto-renewal now
3. ✅ Update payment method
4. ✅ Set calendar reminders

If in redemption:

1. ⚠️ Gather $150-200+ for recovery
2. ⚠️ Act quickly (only 30 days)
3. ⚠️ Use self-service or contact support
4. ⚠️ Plan for 3-5 days total recovery time
5. ⚠️ Enable auto-renewal the moment it's restored

If in pending delete:

1. ❌ Accept recovery is impossible
2. ⚠️ Place backorders at multiple services
3. ⚠️ Prepare alternative domains
4. ✅ Enable auto-renewal on all other domains

For Domain Portfolio Management

Set up prevention systems:

1. Enable auto-renewal on all domains
2. Add to DomainDetails monitoring
3. Set calendar reminders for all expirations
4. Update payment methods before they expire
5. Document all registrar accounts

Create recovery procedures:

1. Document grace period lengths by registrar
2. List redemption costs by registrar
3. Create emergency contact list
4. Establish recovery decision criteria
5. Designate domain manager role

Related Guides

• How to Recover an Expired Domain - Step-by-step recovery instructions for all phases
• Domain Expired Yesterday: Can I Still Recover It? - Quick guide for recently expired domains
• Domain Pending Delete: What It Means and What to Do - Options when it's too late to recover
• Domain Lifecycle Stages: From Registration to Deletion - Complete technical timeline of domain phases
• Domain Auto-Renewal: Why You Should Enable It - Prevention guide to avoid expiration entirely

Research Sources

This article was researched using current information from authoritative sources:

• ICANN Expired Registration Recovery Policy - Official registry restoration requirements
• Verisign Domain Lifecycle Documentation - .com/.net registry policies
• ICANN Domain Name Renewal FAQs - Grace and redemption period explanations
• EPP RFC 5731 - Technical EPP status code specifications
• GoDaddy Grace and Redemption Policy - Registrar-specific procedures
• Namecheap Redemption Period Guide - Recovery procedures and costs