Expired domain names

Consequences of an expired domain name

If your domain name registration period expires before you renew it by paying for a new period, your domain name goes on hold. Domain names on hold are unusable, and any associated websites or e-mail addresses cease to function. Eventually, the domain name registry deletes the name, and it becomes available for anyone to register.

The time between the domain name going on hold then being deleted varies, depending on the kind of domain name you have.

Names ending in .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO, and .BIZ

VeriSign is the authoritative registry for domain names ending in .COM and .NET. Public Interest Registry is the authoritative registry for domain names ending in .ORG. Afilias is the authoritative registry for domain names ending in .INFO. NeuLevel is the authoritative registry for domain names ending in .BIZ.

What to do if your domain name expires

Domain names expire at the end of their registration period, and go on hold for a period of forty days, making them unusable. You can always regain use of your domain name simply by paying the usual renewal fee within the forty day hold time.

If you wait longer than forty days, your domain's registry will charge you a high "redemption" fee to regain use of the name. Always pay your domain name renewal fee before it expires in order to avoid this fee.

This is not a policy set by Korax, but by the domain registries that control domain name distribution.

Domain registries

Domain registries are the organizations that control the distribution of the different domain name types, such as those ending in .com, .net, and .info. Companies like Korax that sell domain registrations are called "Registration Service Providers".

A domain name expires, and goes on hold, if the owner neglects to renew it by paying the annual registration fee. Domains ending in .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz go on hold for forty days, within which the owner can pay the usual fee to activate the domain name again.

Domain registries charge redemption fees

The registries that control these types of domain names have implemented "domain name redemption" for domains on hold longer than forty days. A domain name in the redemption period can be activated again by paying a premium to the registry, by way of the registration service provider from which the domain was originally purchased. Currently, the cost to activate a domain name in redemption is $115.00 CAD, plus one year of registration. This is not a policy set by Korax, but by the domain registries that control domain name distribution. You can avoid this fee by paying for your renewal before your domain name expires. Multiple e-mails are sent to the e-mail address listed in the domain name's registration information long in advance of the domain name expiring.

Regaining a domain name in redemption

If your domain name was registered through Korax and has been on hold longer than 40 days, please use our domain renewal order form to pay the redemption fee and reactivate your domain. There is no redemption period for .CA domain names.

After the thirty day redemption period, the domain name can no longer be renewed, and is pending deletion for about five to seven days. After this time, it is deleted, and it becomes available for registration by anyone.