If your domain has expired, act the same day: check its status, log in to the registrar that holds it and renew it. In most cases an expired .com or .ca can still be renewed by its holder for several weeks after the expiry date, first at the normal price and later with a restore fee. The longer you wait, the more it costs and the closer the name gets to public release.
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How you notice
Usually the website shows a parking page or stops loading, and email to your addresses starts bouncing. Registrars disable the DNS of expired names at some point after expiry, which takes both the website and email offline. Renewal reminders go to the contact email on the domain; if that address belongs to a former employee or an old web designer, nobody sees them.
How expiry works: .com compared with .ca
The two endings follow different rule books. For .com and other generic domains, ICANN rules and the registry set the frame and each registrar sets its own terms within it. For .ca, CIRA sets the rules.
| Stage | .com (generic domains) | .ca (CIRA) |
|---|---|---|
| Right after expiry | Renewal grace period. The registry allows up to 45 days; each registrar decides how long the holder can renew at the regular price | Auto-renew grace period of up to 45 days, during which the holder can renew through the registrar |
| Next | Redemption grace period of 30 days, restore through the registrar with an extra fee | Redemption period of 30 days, restore through the registrar |
| Then | Pending delete for 5 days, no recovery possible | Pending delete, then the name goes to the To Be Released (TBR) list |
| Release | Name becomes available to anyone, often caught by backorder services | Name is released in a CIRA TBR session, where registrars can request it |
Registrars may also offer expired generic domains to bidders during the grace period, under the terms you accepted when you bought the domain. Check your registrar's renewal and expiry policy for the exact number of days.
What to do when a domain expires: 7 steps
Step 1. Check the domain's status
Look the domain up in WHOIS or RDAP. You can use Namecheap's WHOIS lookup or ICANN's lookup tool; our WHOIS lookup guide explains the fields. Note the registrar, the expiry date and the status codes. A status such as "redemptionPeriod" or "pendingDelete" tells you which stage you are in.
Step 2. Find the account that holds the domain
The registrar shown in WHOIS is where the renewal happens. If you do not know the login, search your email for invoices from that registrar, ask your former web designer or IT provider, and contact the registrar's support with proof that you are the registrant, such as incorporation papers or ID that matches the WHOIS record.
Step 3. Renew or restore right away
In the grace period, renewal is usually a normal renewal. In the redemption period, the registrar has to request a restore from the registry, which costs more and can take a day or two. Pay with a valid card and confirm that the domain status changes back to active. If the registrar offers it, renew for several years at once.
Step 4. Bring the website and email back
After renewal, check that the nameservers and DNS records are still in place. Some registrars switch the domain to parking nameservers on expiry and do not switch it back automatically. Restore the previous nameservers or records, then wait for caches to refresh; our article on DNS propagation shows how to check.
Prefer to hand it off? MMIX sets up domain, hosting, email and DNS for you — since 2012.
Fill in a short briefStep 5. If someone else registered the name
Once a name is released and registered by another party, you can only buy it from the new holder or challenge the registration. Check whether the domain is listed for sale; a marketplace such as Namecheap Marketplace lists some domains, and the WHOIS record may show a contact or relay form. If the new holder uses your trademark in bad faith, generic domains fall under ICANN's UDRP, and .ca names under CIRA's Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (CDRP). Talk to a lawyer before you start either process.
Step 6. Pick a replacement if recovery fails
If the old name is gone, register a close alternative through a domain name search, update your website, Google Business Profile, social profiles, printed materials and email signatures, and set up a redirect from any other domains you still own.
Step 7. Protect accounts tied to the old email addresses
This is the step owners forget. Online accounts (banking, suppliers, social media, government portals) may still use email addresses on the lost domain. Whoever controls the domain can receive password reset emails for them. Change the login email on every such account to an address you control.
How to prevent it next time
- Turn on auto-renew and keep a valid card on the registrar account.
- Use a contact email that the business will always read, on a different domain or a shared admin mailbox.
- Keep all domains in one registrar account in the company's name, with two-factor authentication.
- Add the expiry dates to a shared calendar with reminders a month ahead.
- Renew important domains for several years at once.
Common mistakes
- Waiting for the website developer to handle it. If the domain is in their account, ask them to renew the same day, then move it to your own account.
- Clicking renewal links in unexpected emails. Scammers send fake renewal notices. Log in to the registrar directly.
- Renewing the hosting and forgetting the domain. They are separate services, sometimes with separate companies.
Not sure how your domains are set up? Our .ca registration guide shows how a well-organized domain account looks.
FAQ
How long do I have to renew an expired domain?
It depends on the ending and the registrar. Generic domains such as .com usually have a renewal grace period set by the registrar, followed by a 30-day redemption period. For .ca, CIRA allows an auto-renew grace period of up to 45 days and then a 30-day redemption period. Check your registrar's policy for exact dates.
Why did my email stop working when the domain expired?
Email depends on the domain's DNS records. When a domain expires, the registrar disables or replaces its DNS at some point, so mail servers can no longer find where to deliver your mail. Renewing the domain and restoring the DNS records brings email back.
What is the redemption period?
It is a stage after the grace period when the domain is about to be deleted. The holder can still restore it through the registrar, usually for an extra restore fee. After it ends, the domain goes to pending delete and cannot be recovered.
Can I get back a domain that someone else registered?
You can try to buy it from the new holder. If they registered it in bad faith using your trademark, a dispute under the UDRP for generic domains or the CDRP for .ca domains may be possible. A lawyer can tell you if your case qualifies.
What happens to a .ca domain after it is deleted?
It goes to CIRA's To Be Released list and is released in a scheduled session, where registrars can request it for their customers. After that, anyone who meets the Canadian Presence Requirements can register it.
Prefer to hand it off? MMIX sets up domain, hosting, email and DNS for you — since 2012. Tell us what you have now and what you need, and we will reply with a plan.
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