You've worked hard on your website, designing every aspect and filling it with useful content.

Unfortunately, something as simple as letting the domain name expire can put an end to everything, rendering your site useless.

Fortunately, ICANN regulations require registrars to provide plenty of warning to registrants before selling or deleting domain names.

It's important to note that each registrar handles things a little differently, although most follow the process we explain below, to varying degrees.

See your registration agreement terms for the exact timeline your registrar uses.

This guide will give you all the information you need to renew an expired domain name so you can go back to enjoying website ownership.

If Your Domain Expired, How to Get it Back During the Initial Grace Period?

Most registrars provide an automatic grace period after expiration that gives you the chance of keeping your domain after it expires.

This period varies between registrars but can last anywhere up to 45 days after the expiration date.

Fortunately, getting a domain name back during the domain name expiration grace period is usually as simple as paying your renewal fee.

You usually won't have to pay additional fees if you renew during the initial grace period, although it's a good idea to double-check your agreement terms.

Generally, your site will continue to function during this time, and site visitors won't notice a difference.

My Domain Name Expired. How Do I Get It Back During the Redemption Grace Period?

If you don't renew your domain by the end of the grace period, most registrars will offer a second grace period called the redemption period. Typically, this period will last for about 30 days.

During the redemption period, visitors will not be able to access your website.

To get your domain back during the redemption period, you'll need to pay the renewal fee plus an additional redemption fee.  Even if you buy expired domains you still need to remember to renew your domain registration.

My Domain Expired, and I Want It Back During the Deletion Period

Unfortunately, deleted domains are lost causes. You won't be able to reinstate the domain name once the registry deletes it from the registry list.

If you see that your domain name has a status of "pending deletion," it's too late to redeem it.

Luckily, domains don't usually reach this point until several weeks after expiration, so you should have plenty of warning beforehand.

Expired Domain Auctions

It's not uncommon for registrars to put expired domains up for auction rather than deleting them. You can't renew the domain name once it sells at auction.

Once your domain reaches the auction house, the only chance you have of winning it back is by placing the highest offer, just like any other person bidding for it.

Popular or valuable domain names are more likely to rack up higher bids, though, so don't count on this tactic to get your domain name back.

If you have purchase a lot of expired domains over time, a little trick to avoid some high renewal fees is to tranfer an expired domain to another registrar with lower fees.

How to Prevent Issues an Expired Domain Causes

Before you get to the point of wondering, "How can I get my expired domain name back?" it's worth taking a few steps to prevent the issue in the first place.

Always pay renewal fees before the expiration date so that you don't have to worry about losing your domain.

Note that setting your domains to auto-renew is the best way to guard against reactivation fees later.

Are You Interested in Someone Else's Expired Domain Name?

Thousands of domains expire every single day, and repurposing them is big business. However, searching for the right domains can be a chore, especially if you want to verify a page or site's domain authority.

Expired domain checkers like SpamZilla are valuable tools that can make the process easier, sorting through and assessing thousands of domains in minutes.

Take a look at our company's SpamZilla FAQ page for more information about our services.