When can you register an expired domain?
Compare .com, .net, .org, and .ai expiry rules using registry documents, a real 79-day .net drop, and the .ai auction and DropZone process.
A .com, .net, or .org domain can return to public registration about 80 days after expiry if its registrar submits the deletion at the end of a 45-day window. An earlier deletion can bring the release forward. In one verified .net case, a drop-catching service registered the name 79 calendar days after expiry. For .ai, check whether the name has entered an expired-domain auction or DropZone.
Domain lifecycle by extension
| TLD | Recovery after expiry | What happens without recovery |
|---|---|---|
.com | 45-day auto-renew window, then 30 days of redemption from deletion | Five days in pending delete, then release |
.net | 45-day auto-renew window, then 30 days of redemption from deletion | Five days in pending delete, then release |
.org | 0–45 days of auto-renew grace, then 30 days of redemption from deletion | Five days in PIR's Redemption Hold Period |
.ai | Check renewal and recovery deadlines with the current registrar | Expiry auction, then a 14-day DropZone for eligible unsold names |
The registry window and the renewal deadline in your account serve different purposes. Check your registrar's terms for the last day you can renew at the ordinary rate. Some registrars also put expired names up for auction before requesting deletion. If a registrar keeps the existing registration and transfers it to a buyer, that name can change hands without a public drop. ICANN's expiry guidance · Namecheap's registration agreement
ICANN's generic top-level domain lifecycle, which shows the stages used by .com, .net, and .org. Original diagram and notes
When .com and .net start the drop countdown
A registrar creates the domain's record when a name is available. The standard .com and .net registration term runs from one to ten years, with a five-day add grace period inside the term. The registrant can renew before expiry. After expiry, Verisign's registry system automatically adds a year and gives the registrar 45 days to handle the renewal, transfer, or deletion. That is why a public expiry date can move forward a year while the registrar's account still shows an expired name. Verisign .com agreement, Appendix 7 · Verisign .net agreement, Appendix 7
Verisign's .com agreement, Appendix 7, section 3.1.3. Read the provision
The registrar's deletion request starts the 30-day redemptionPeriod. During that time, the original registrant can ask the same registrar to restore the name and pay any applicable fee. If nobody restores it, the registry sets pendingDelete for five days and then purges the record. A prospective buyer can put in a backorder before the drop if a service accepts the name. The service then attempts a new registration when the registry releases it.
Verisign's .net agreement, Appendix 7, section 3.3.2. Read the provision
What day 75 and day 80 mean
If deletion starts on day 45, redemption ends around day 75. Five days of pending delete bring the release to around day 80. If deletion starts on day 40 instead, a release around day 75 is possible. Once you have the actual deletion date, count about 35 days forward and check the drop batch for the specific name. ICANN's renewal and expiry FAQ
How PIR describes the final five days for .org
The .org registry, Public Interest Registry (PIR), calls its final five-day stage the Redemption Hold Period (RHP). It follows 30 days of redemption, when the original registrant can still ask the sponsoring registrar to restore the name. PIR says a name can return to registration 35 days after the registrar requested deletion if the registry received no restoration request. PIR's redemption FAQ
PIR's FAQ identifies .ORG as an existing extension that uses this lifecycle. Read the lifecycle entry
Read all the statuses in the same record. A .org result can show both pendingDelete and redemptionPeriod. Treat that combination as redemption. A pendingRestore status means the registrar has requested recovery. For an estimated public release, look for final pending delete with neither of those accompanying statuses. ICANN's EPP status reference
Where expired .ai names go
.ai is Anguilla's country-code top-level domain. For example, Namecheap lists registration terms of two to ten years and allows ordinary renewal during the first 30 days after expiry. If you own the name, check the renewal and recovery options with your registrar before assuming the same timing applies to your account. IANA's .ai delegation record · Namecheap's .ai terms and FAQ
The Government of Anguilla and Identity Digital operate an expired-name auction process, with a public .ai auction page on Namecheap. Unsold names can move into DropZone, where participating registrars can bid at prices that fall over a 14-day window. Check the auction or a participating registrar for the name's current allocation stage. For ordinary registration, check whether a registrar can actually accept a new registration for that exact name. Identity Digital's .ai auction announcement · Namecheap's .ai auction page
Identity Digital's explanation of DropZone for .ai expiry inventory. Read the announcement
A .net domain that returned after 79 days
The prior registration for portclintonmarina.net expired on August 27, 2026. An archive recorded it entering redemption on October 10, 44 calendar days later. That puts the estimated start of pending delete around November 9. A pending-delete report published November 11 already listed the name. The precise status transition remains unverified. Redemption archive · Pending-delete archive
Verisign records a new registration through DropCatch on November 14 at 12:32:18 UTC. The archived November 14 drop list includes the name. The old expiry record gives a date only, so the 79-day result measures calendar dates. Verisign RDAP · November 14 drop list
How to check a specific expired domain
If you own the name, check the registrar's renewal or restore deadline in your account. If you're waiting for someone else's domain, look it up in QName AI WHOIS and record the registrar, expiry date, last update, and status.
- Expiry date only. The original owner may still be able to renew, or the registrar may keep the name in its expired auction inventory.
redemptionPeriod. Estimate from the actual start of redemption when available. Using the first day you spotted it can move the estimate too late.- Final
pendingDelete. Check the registry status and published drop batch. The lookup tool may refresh after the registry updates the record. - Available at a registrar. Verify the quoted price before placing the registration. A new creation date indicates that someone has already created a new registration record.
If you need to check the same name again, follow it from the lookup result and revisit it in Domain Watches. QName Domain Registration Monitor guide