GoDaddy Domain Expiration Grace Period

Do you rent a domain name from the registrar GoDaddy?

If so, you should be aware of the company's expiration processes and renewal grace periods.

Like many registrars, GoDaddy implements strict renewal and expiration policies. Neglecting to renew your domain on time could leave you with a hefty redemption fee or complete loss of ownership of your site name.

GoDaddy always has some of the top expired domains on the market, so read ahead to learn the answers to some frequently asked questions about the GoDaddy expired domain policy.

What Is the GoDaddy Domain Name Expiration Timeline?

What Is the GoDaddy Domain Name Expiration Timeline?

When you register a domain name with GoDaddy, you do not actually "own" that domain—you rent it for a specified period ranging from one year to ten years.

At the end of your registration period, GoDaddy will follow a specific renewal process that gives you ample time to renew the domain or surrender your ownership of it.

Your GoDaddy expired domain process will follow this timeline:

  • Expiry date: GoDaddy offers an auto-renew process that allows registrants to renew their domain names automatically.

    If the company has your credit card information on file, it will charge your card on your expiry date to renew your term for you.
  • If you have not set up auto-renew with GoDaddy, the company will send you several emails to remind you that your domain is going to expire—one on the expiry date, one five days after this date, and one twelve days after the expiry date.
  • Day 1-4: In the first four days following your expiry date, your domain will remain active, even if you do not take action to renew it.
  • Day 5 - 19: On the fifth day after your expiry date, your domain will enter a "parked state." You can still renew the domain until nineteen days after it expires for no additional charge as part of the company's redemption grace period.
  • Day 20 - 25: After nineteen days, GoDaddy will allow you to renew your domain for an $80 domain redemption fee. You can redeem your domain by paying this renewal fee until the 25th day after your expiry date.
  • Day 26 - 35: After 25 days, the registrar will add your domain to a ten-day auction. However, you can still redeem your domain until day 30. After day 30, you can attempt to reclaim your domain by bidding against other bidders.
  • If the domain sells in the ten-day auction, the registrar will transfer ownership to the highest bidder.

    At this stage, you can attempt to buy it from the new domain owner by contacting them directly. However, you should expect to pay more than the new owner paid to secure it.
  • Day 36 - 40: If the domain name does not sell in the ten-day auction, it will enter a closeout auction for an additional five days. You can attempt to buy it at this stage by bidding on it.
  • Day 41 - 43: If no one bids on the domain name by the 43rd day following its expiry date, it will enter the general registry. You can purchase it at this time as any other registrant would.

As you can see from this timeline, GoDaddy gives its customers sufficient opportunity to renew their domains and offers a generous redemption period if they miss their expiry date.

However, if you wait longer than thirty days after your domain expires, you may lose access to it forever.

To ensure that you can maintain control of your domain, we recommend enrolling in GoDaddy's auto-renew process and setting several reminders about your expiry date.

If you're unsure of your expiry date, you can contact your registrar directly with your question.

How Long Does GoDaddy Hold Expired Domains?

GoDaddy holds domains for 30 days after their expiry date.

How Long Does GoDaddy Hold Expired Domains?

However, on the 26th day following your expiry date, the business will release your web address into an auction, making it available to its public network.

When Does GoDaddy Release Expired Domains?

GoDaddy releases expired domain names into a public auction 26 days after they expire. The GoDaddy expired domain auction allows other domain owners or web developer companies can bid against each other to purchase them.

When Does GoDaddy Release Expired Domains?

However, if expired domains do not sell in the company's auctions by day 43, they will re-enter the general registry.

Every registrar implements different policies for domain renewals, and overlooking your expiry date is easier than you think.

If you have lost access to your domain name, our team at SpamZilla can help you with buying expired domains with domain authority for SEO that optimizes your site on search engines better than your previous domain.