NameRobo

1 Available (Unregistered)

A domain in the "available" state has not been registered by anyone. It can be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis through any ICANN-accredited registrar. Registration periods range from 1 to 10 years depending on the registrar and the TLD.

You can check whether a domain is available using NameRobo's AI-powered domain search or instant availability checker.

2 Registration & Add Grace Period

Once someone registers a domain, it immediately becomes active. At the same time, a 5-day Add Grace Period (AGP) begins. During this window, the registrar can delete the registration and receive a full credit from the registry — no questions asked.

The AGP exists to correct genuine mistakes: typos in domain names, accidental duplicate purchases, or fraudulent registrations. Most legitimate registrations simply pass through this period without incident.

During the AGP, the domain's WHOIS/RDAP status will include addPeriod. Once the 5 days pass, this status is removed and the domain enters its normal active period.

3 Active (Registered) Period

The active period is the standard operational phase — this is when a domain is fully functional. The registrant can build a website on it, configure email, transfer it to another registrar, or simply hold it. Registration terms range from 1 to 10 years.

During this phase, the registrant can renew the domain at any time, extending it up to a maximum of 10 years from the current date. Most registrars offer auto-renewal settings so the domain doesn't accidentally lapse.

ICANN requires registrars to send at least two expiration reminder notices — typically at 30 days and 7 days before the expiration date. Some registrars send additional reminders at 60 and 90 days out.

4 Expiration & Auto-Renew Grace Period

When a domain's registration term ends and it hasn't been renewed, it enters the Auto-Renew Grace Period. This period varies significantly between registrars — anywhere from 0 to 45 days — and is the first real window where a domain becomes "at risk."

During this phase:

• The domain may still resolve (website and email might keep working), but the registrar can park or disable it at any time
• The registrant can renew at the standard price — no penalty fees
• The registrar may auto-renew the domain if the registrant's payment method is on file
• The domain cannot be transferred to another registrar during this period

This is the stage where our Expiring Domains tracker is most useful — it monitors domains approaching or just past their expiration date, giving you early notice of potential opportunities.

5 Redemption Grace Period (RGP)

If the domain isn't renewed during the auto-renew grace period, the registrar deletes it from the registry and it enters the Redemption Grace Period (RGP) — a mandatory 30-day window defined by ICANN.

This is a critical phase with significant consequences:

• The domain is removed from the DNS zone files — the website goes offline and email stops working entirely
• The WHOIS/RDAP status changes to redemptionPeriod
• Only the original registrant can restore the domain, and only through their original registrar
• Restoration requires paying a redemption fee (typically $80–$200 or more) on top of the standard renewal cost
• The domain cannot be transferred or registered by anyone else

The RGP is essentially a safety net — one last chance for a domain owner to recover their domain before it's permanently lost. The high restoration fee is intentional, designed to cover the administrative costs of the process.

6 Pending Delete

After the Redemption Grace Period expires without restoration, the domain enters Pending Delete status — the final 5-day countdown before the domain is permanently erased from the registry.

During Pending Delete:

• The WHOIS/RDAP status shows pendingDelete
• The domain cannot be renewed, restored, transferred, or modified in any way
• It is queued for deletion by the registry
• No one — including the original owner — can stop the deletion process

This is the stage where domain investors and backorder services pay the closest attention, because once the 5 days are up, the domain drops.

7 Released — Available Again

At the end of the Pending Delete period, the domain is deleted from the registry and returns to the general pool. It's now available for anyone to register on a first-come, first-served basis — just like a brand-new domain.

In practice, popular or valuable domains rarely sit unclaimed for long. Drop-catching services (also called backorder services) use automated systems to attempt registration the instant a domain drops, often within milliseconds. For highly sought-after domains, multiple services may compete simultaneously.

You can monitor upcoming drops using our Expiring Domains tracker, which shows domains approaching expiration and those that have recently expired.

How to Catch Expiring Domains

Knowing the lifecycle is one thing — acting on it is another. Here are practical strategies for acquiring domains as they expire:

1. Monitor early. Use our Expiring Domains page to find domains approaching their expiration date. The earlier you identify a target, the more options you have.
2. Use the AI Domain Finder. Describe your business or project and let our AI tool surface relevant expiring domains you might not have found manually.
3. Place a backorder. For high-value domains, use a backorder service to automatically attempt registration the moment the domain drops. Multiple services increase your chances.
4. Check availability after the drop. Not every expiring domain gets backordered. Less competitive names may simply become available — use our instant search to check.
5. Be patient. From expiration to the actual drop can take 35–75 days depending on the registrar and registry. Don't assume a domain is gone just because it recently expired.

Important Things to Know

• Timelines vary by registrar. While the Redemption Grace Period (30 days) and Pending Delete (5 days) are standardised by ICANN, the Auto-Renew Grace Period is set by each registrar individually. Some offer 0 days, others offer 45.
• ccTLDs have different rules. Country-code domains like .uk, .de, and .ca each follow their own country-specific policies, which can differ significantly from the gTLD lifecycle described here.
• Some registrars auction expiring domains. Rather than letting a domain drop to the general pool, some registrars run their own expiry auctions. This is common with large registrars like GoDaddy and NameJet.
• Premium and reserved domains. Some registries reserve certain domain names or sell them at premium prices. These may follow a different process even when they appear to be "available."
• ICANN's Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP). This policy requires registrars to make reasonable efforts to notify registrants before a domain is deleted, including sending notices after expiration. Learn more in ICANN's ERRP documentation.

Total Timeline: Expiration to Drop

From the moment a domain expires to when it becomes available again, the typical timeline looks like this: