The redemption period is a paid recovery window that starts after a domain's grace period ends and before it's deleted.
The redemption period is the last chance to get an expired domain back before it's deleted and released for anyone to register. During this time the domain is held by the registry, it stops working, and only the previous owner can recover it, usually by paying a restore fee on top of the normal renewal.
For most generic extensions such as .com, .net and .org, the redemption period lasts 30 days. Country-code extensions set their own rules, and some don't have one at all.
The domain expiry timeline
When a domain isn't renewed, it typically moves through these stages:
- Expiration date: the registration ends.
- Grace period: the registrar holds the domain, and you can usually renew at the normal price. The length varies by registrar and extension, often up to about 30 to 45 days.
- Redemption period: the domain is in a "redemption" status at the registry. Websites and email stop. Recovery is still possible, but costs more.
- Pending delete: about 5 days in which the domain can't be recovered by anyone.
- Released: the name becomes available again, often snapped up within seconds through drop-catching or backorders.
How to recover a domain in the redemption period
Contact the registrar the domain was registered with as soon as you notice. They'll ask the registry to restore it, charge the restore fee plus a year's renewal, and the domain comes back to its previous state, including its nameservers and records. It can take a day or so for everything to resolve again.
Only the registrant on record, through their registrar, can redeem a domain. You can't transfer a domain to a new registrar while it's in redemption.
Why the redemption period matters for your website
When a domain enters redemption, your website goes offline and email to your domain stops arriving. Customers can't reach you, and search engines may start dropping your pages. If the domain is deleted, someone else can register it and you may never get it back.
How to avoid the redemption period
- Turn on auto-renew where your registrar offers it.
- Keep the payment card on your account up to date.
- Use an email address for your domain account that isn't on the domain itself, so renewal reminders still reach you if it lapses.
- Renew for several years at once on important domains.
- Keep your registrant contact details current.