An expired domain means an old domain name that is not renewed by its previous owner.
Many SEOers try to catch it for building their SEO strategy, specifically old domains with high PA.
In this article, I will tell you various aspects of expired domains.
Let’s check the menu content to jump directly to any part you want to notice.
How to check an expired domain
You own a domain name but do not know when it is expired.
Checking to know the correct expiry date of the domain is very important to avoid your domain being lost. Because many domain-hunters are looking at yours if it has good backlinks.
Here are 2 methods that you can see the expired duration of the domain.
Method 1: Different domain company has a little various dashboard to control domains, but in general, you can find the expired date of a domain as the following:
- Log in to your domain dashboard,
- Click on the domain that you want to check,
- Navigate to the expired date, and you will see its information.
Method 2: This method is very useful, you do not need to log in to the domain dashboard. You will use a third-party website to check most international domains, such as .com, .net, .org,…
- Step 1: Access the following link: https://whois.domaintools.com/
- Step 2: Enter the domain name you want to check in the search box, for example, thomwebsite.com. The web may ask you to confirm you are a human to avoid scamming.
- Step 3: See the results displayed on the screen to check the expiration of the domain name in the below picture.
What to do when the domain name expires?
After the domain name expires, if you do not carry out the procedures to renew the domain name, the domain name will expire and fall into an unregistered state.
Anyone can register using this domain name. Therefore, if you want to continue using it, you need to proceed with the domain name renewal procedure.
Rules to keep in mind when renewing domain names:
- A domain name is a service that has to pay for using it.
- The annual or multi-year maintenance fee is due to the agreement of the domain name owner, and pay when buying it.
- The domain name owner can renew at any time before the domain name expires, or after it expires but not later than 29 days for international domain names (in general).
- Renew a domain as soon as possible to avoid losing it, and get a really high fee, typically after 29 days.
Instructions for renewing domain names
Domain name renewal is usually not difficult for most domain name registrars today.
With each provider, there will be a different way to renew with a deposit in the domain name management account, or you can automatically pay or do it manually by PayPal or Visa/Master card.
Here, I will guide you to renew your domain name on NameCheap.
- Login to the namecheap dashboard
- Click on the domain list
- Navigate to the domain that you want to renew
- Click on the renew
- Choose the year (how long) that you want to renew
- Payment method
- Pay it, and namecheap will automatically renew your domain
Done!
When can you buy an expired domain name?
International domain names after 65 days of expiration can be re-purchased. However, this duration can be various from different domain suppliers.
Every time an international domain name expires, it will go through the following 3 stages before being released for free registration.
Auto-Renew:
The domain supplier can often renew automatically with 29 of expire if your budget in domain account of supplier has enough money to renew a domain.
I recommend you keep your money as little as enough for at least one domain in case you forget to renew it manually on time.
The auto-renew ability also depends on the domain supplier and the domain extension, but most of them can do it within 29 days without a high fee.
You only need to pay the renewal fee to be able to use the domain name again.
Redemption
At the end of the first renewal period from 0 – 29 days above, your domain will continue to be 30 days of the last chance to renew it again, calling Redemption.
To regain the right to use the domain name in this Redemption state, you need to pay quite a bit more money.
In addition to the domain name renewal fee, there is also a penalty or ransom for the domain name.
Usually, the total fee is about 10 times higher than the normal renewal fee.
Formula to calculate total fee at this stage:
- Total Fee = Redemption Fee + Domain Renewal Fee (minimum one year)
- Redemption fee: depending on the provider, they usually cost from 120USD, 140USD, 175USD
Note that: during Redemption stage, you can lose your domain, because some domain providers can allow someone to bid your domain with high price.
Pending Delete
When your domain goes over the second stage of Redemption, the domain name will go to the stage of WAITING FOR DELETION mode, or Pending Delete.
If the domain name is at this stage, you cannot get your domain back.
All information about the owner, the right to use will be completely erased.
This Pending Delete process of a domain takes another 5 days.
After 5 days, the domain name will return to the free state, anyone can register and own that domain name.
In short, how long after the domain name expires can it be re-purcharged?
International domain names will be after 65 days in general.
How to find and buy expired domain names
Method 1: Find and buy as usual, when any domain name expires after 65 days.
Method 2: Using website https://www.expireddomains.net, then you can find and buy an expired domain with high authority for your seo purpose.
