Expired Domain Terms

Last updated: 4 June 2026

1. When a domain expires

A domain name expires if it is not renewed by its expiry date. Once a domain expires, the website, email, DNS, SSL certificate and any connected services may stop working.

Domain expiry rules vary depending on the domain extension and the relevant registry or registrar.

2. Customer responsibility

It is your responsibility to ensure that domain names are renewed on time and that your account contact details, email address and payment details are accurate and up to date.

We may send renewal reminders, but we cannot guarantee that you will receive them. Non-receipt of a renewal reminder does not remove your responsibility to renew the domain before expiry.

3. Immediate effects of expiry

After expiry, one or more of the following may happen:

• the domain may stop resolving;
• your website may become unavailable;
• email may stop sending or receiving;
• DNS records may be interrupted or changed;
• the domain may show an expiry notice or holding page;
• the domain may enter a grace, suspension, redemption or deletion period.

4. Grace period

Some domain names have a grace period after expiry. During this period, it may still be possible to renew the domain at the standard renewal price or with additional charges depending on the domain extension.

Grace periods are not guaranteed and may vary. The safest approach is always to renew before expiry.

5. .uk expired domains

For .uk domain names, there is normally a post-expiry period during which the domain can still be renewed. If the domain is not renewed, it may eventually be suspended, cancelled, deleted from the register and made available for registration by someone else.

The availability of recovery, the timing of deletion and any applicable charges are subject to Nominet rules and registry processes.

6. Non-.uk expired domains

For non-.uk domains, such as .com, .net, .org and similar extensions, the domain may enter registrar grace, registry redemption and pending delete stages.

Once a domain enters redemption, recovery may be possible but usually attracts additional redemption, restore and renewal fees. These charges can be significantly higher than a standard renewal fee.

7. Redemption and restore fees

If a domain has passed the normal renewal period, an additional redemption, restore or administration fee may apply. These charges vary by domain extension, registrar and registry.

We will advise you of any known recovery fee before attempting to restore an expired domain. Recovery cannot be attempted until the applicable charges have been paid.

8. Deletion

If an expired domain is not renewed or recovered within the applicable timeframe, it may be deleted by the registry. Once deleted, the domain may become available for registration by a third party.

We cannot guarantee recovery of a deleted domain and are not responsible if a domain is registered by someone else after deletion.

9. No guarantee of recovery

We will make reasonable efforts to assist with domain recovery where possible, but recovery is not guaranteed. Registry rules, timing, third-party systems, disputes, payment delays or previous deletion may prevent recovery.

10. Associated services

Renewing or recovering an expired domain does not always immediately restore all associated services. DNS propagation, nameserver updates, SSL certificate reissue, email authentication and third-party systems may require additional time or configuration.

11. Avoiding expiry

To reduce the risk of losing a domain name, we recommend that you:

• renew important domains well before the expiry date;
• keep your customer account email address up to date;
• keep payment details current where auto-renewal is used;
• check your customer account regularly;
• contact us immediately if you believe a domain has expired.

12. Contact

If a domain name has expired or you are concerned that a domain may be close to expiry, please contact us as soon as possible. The earlier the issue is raised, the better the chance of renewal or recovery.