When does a domain expire?

[JMac]

There is a domain name I want to grab that says it expires today. I have tried to grab it but it keeps saying it is still registered. Does this mean it actually expires tomorrow?

[Dan C. Rinnert]

If it expires today, it expires today.

But, that doesn't mean that it will be available for registration.

With most registrars, there will be a grace period during which the current domain name holder can renew the name.

After that, it may fall into a redemption period, where the current domain name holder can still get the domain, but likely at a higher price.

After that, the registrar may let it drop, may put it up for auction, may offer it for sale or they may let the name drop back into the pool of available domain names.

Even though it expires today, it could be months before it drops back into the available domain name pool.

You can try to backorder the domain using assorted backordering services. They'll try to grab it for you the moment it becomes available, if it becomes available.

[Gene Pimentel]

J-Mac, Here is the complete timeline:

ICANN | Life Cycle of a Typical gTLD Domain Name

[seasoned]

EVEN what Pimentel showed was not entirely correct. GRANTED, it is from ICANN, and they should know, but they DID indicate some unmarked span of time, etc... I once tried to register a domain YEARS after it expired, and it was STILL not available. I knew the former owners, knew they were out of business, whois showed it expired, but it was NOT available!

I just checked it RIGHT NOW 11/17/2009 2PM!!!!!!! It says it is taken, goes noplace, and WHAT does the whois record say?

Record expires on 24-Jul-1999.
Record created on 25-Jul-1996.

YEP, YOU READ RIGHT! Over TEN years, and it is STILL not available. The company is GONE! The OFFICE is GONE! The technical contact got a new job over a DECADE ago! BOTH nameservers are GONE, at least as websites:

ACEX.ACEX.COM 204.80.98.4
NS1.METAWIRE.COM 204.80.100.18

This can't even be a trademark deal, as other domains are available with a different TLD!

Steve

[Gene Pimentel]

Steve, that is a truly rare exception to the normal process. Once in a great while there is an irrevocable problem with a particular domain, making it unreleasable to the public.

[broker12]

Pointing out one exception does not invalidate the rule. Most domains can be picked up after they drop.

[seasoned]

Originally Posted by broker12

Pointing out one exception does not invalidate the rule. Most domains can be picked up after they drop.

ALL DOMAINS can be picked up after they drop! The question was WHEN do they drop! I mean by drop you obviously don't mean expire, etc... So it is a yogi bera type thing. But a rule is never exact and perfect if it has an exception that isn't clearly provided for.

Steve

[dsmpublishing]

hi guys

ive bought a domain at auction a few times and even though it will say expires today there will be a cooling off period of about ten days before you can purchase it and transfer it into your name.

kind regards


sam
X

[davezan]

Originally Posted by seasoned

EVEN what Pimentel showed was not entirely correct. GRANTED, it is from ICANN, and they should know, but they DID indicate some unmarked span of time, etc... I once tried to register a domain YEARS after it expired, and it was STILL not available. I knew the former owners, knew they were out of business, whois showed it expired, but it was NOT available!

I just checked it RIGHT NOW 11/17/2009 2PM!!!!!!! It says it is taken, goes noplace, and WHAT does the whois record say?

Record expires on 24-Jul-1999.
Record created on 25-Jul-1996.

YEP, YOU READ RIGHT! Over TEN years, and it is STILL not available. The company is GONE! The OFFICE is GONE! The technical contact got a new job over a DECADE ago! BOTH nameservers are GONE, at least as websites:

ACEX.ACEX.COM 204.80.98.4
NS1.METAWIRE.COM 204.80.100.18

This can't even be a trademark deal, as other domains are available with a different TLD!

Steve

There are limited scenarios where registrars can hold an expired domain name
for a long time, such as legal disputes and bankruptcy. But assuming it's really
10 years as you said, that's the longest ever.

J-Mac, someone else asked that question:

About Backordering Domains

Posting the thread rather than rehashing my standard answer to that.

Good luck with the domain name or so.

[Vic Shake]

simple just check with the registrars where its hosted.

[seasoned]

Originally Posted by davezan

There are limited scenarios where registrars can hold an expired domain name
for a long time, such as legal disputes and bankruptcy. But assuming it's really
10 years as you said, that's the longest ever.

J-Mac, someone else asked that question:

About Backordering Domains

Posting the thread rather than rehashing my standard answer to that.

Good luck with the domain name or so.

YEP, TEN years and GROWING! GRANTED, they went bankrupt LONG AGO, but the name really doesn't have any value. I wanted it ONLY because I switched my email to them, and wanted to see what email I was getting. NOW, of course, that is out of the question. And the company was basically STOLEN(creditors were NOT properly notified, and major assets were given to the other company and the companies president got an executive position in the other company!) and given to a large internet company that is, surprisingly, still around.

STILL, a domain name DEFUNCT for TEN YEARS because of bankruptcy?

Steve

[davezan]

Originally Posted by seasoned

STILL, a domain name DEFUNCT for TEN YEARS because of bankruptcy?

If the domain name's with Network Solutions, they keep them for as long as
"needed" until served with a court order or so. I've seen them do the same
for other domains that were in similar situations.

One problem is ICANN hasn't set a deadline how long a registrar can keep it
for those scenarios. And that ain't exactly in their list of priorities now.

[arnoldsmithh]

Domain expires on expiry date. And it totally depends on the date not on the hours.