As we are in the midst of the internet phenomenon, domain names still play a key role in getting a company, a group or just an individual known in the internet. Because of this, it is very important to understand that domain names are part of the whole marketing a particular brand. It is unfortunate for us who are just getting into the domain name investing. “Born on the wrong time?” Or “Too bad, I just found out about it now!”…

…Are there still some gems out there? Of course! But it is getting harder and more difficult each passing day. So do not despair. Just keep your eyes open and shut your mouth if you found a jewel and you cannot grab it yet, for now. Domain name registrations do expire. That is the good news. So there is a chance. Just be vigilant. So it is important to understand how the process works, at least in concept. So let’s do a review.

Expiration Dates – Most important Date

Service periods of domain names are strictly regulated by ICANN. They can be renewed in yearly increments; as a result, any action that increases the registration period — either by a renewal or transfer — always extends the existing expiration date by one year. So basically, it isn’t possible to lose time on a domain by acting early.

Domain Renewals

To protect your domain name is to renew it well ahead of its expiration date. Domain registrations do not “lose” unused time if they are renewed early, so there is no reason to wait until the last minute to renew. As an illustration, purchase date of a domain name is on March 1, 2009, it will expire on March 15, 2010. You could renew the domain on November 26, or in the middle of December, and it would still be extended to exactly March 15, 2011. If you receive an expiration notice about your domain name, you should act on it immediately. You lose nothing by acting early and not having the risk of losing the domain name entirely by procrastination.

Domain Transfers

Similarly, domain transfers to another registrar will not “lose” the time remaining on the service. When transferring domains between ICANN-accredited registrars, the domain name is renewed for one year from its existing expiration date. As an illustration, a domain that expires on February 14, 2010 will be renewed to February 14, 2011 after transfer. Since transfers can take up to 10 days to complete, it is always best to act early rather than wait until the last day to transfer and have the risk of expiration.

Expiration Process

When a domain name expires, it is not immediately deleted; instead, it can take more than 70 days for a domain to become available for re-registration. Typically, a domain passes through four stages. The actual amount of time between expiration and deletion varies depending on the TLD; I will provide in another article the list for each TLD and the length of each stage in the expiration process.

The Domain name Life Cycle:

Stage 1: Expiration

On the day of expiration, the domain’s nameserver delegation is cleared or assigned to temporary nameservers (which usually point the domain to a parking page). In either case, the domain stops resolving successfully and web services like web access and emails are disrupted. The domain is automatically placed under REGISTRAR-HOLD status, thereby locking it. The domain then begins the Renewal Grace Period. (Some TLDs skip this stage and enter the Redemption Period)

Stage 2: Renewal Grace Period

After the domain expires, the owner can still renew the domain and restore it to its original status for a period of time. This stage is known as the Renewal Grace Period. This period typically lasts 30 days for .com, .net and .org domains,. If the domain is not renewed during this time, the domain enters the Redemption Period. (Some TLDs skip this stage and go directly to Redemption Period)

Stage 3: Redemption Period

After the domain’s Renewal Grace Period had passed, it may enter a secondary grace period known as the Redemption Period. This stage can last up to 40 days after the end of the Renewal Grace Period. The domain can still be renewed at this point, but the domain registrar usually imposes a prohibitive fee on renewals in the Redemption Period. The cost can be as much as ten times the cost of a standard renewal (example, a $10 domain registration can be redeemed for $100).

This is the last chance that the domain owner can retain registration of the domain. But the fee ensures that only the most serious registrants will request for the redemption. (Some TLDs skip this stage and enter Pending Delete)

Stage 4: Pending Delete

After the Renewal Grace and Redemption Periods had passed, the registry will finally delete the registration. However, this deletion does not happen instantly. I can take between 1 and 7 days for the registration to be removed and make the domain available for re-registration. This is the opportunity for new registrants and is the final step in a domain’s life; after Pending Delete, the domain has been fully removed and can be purchased as new.

Available for Registration

After deletion, the domain name is made available for purchase. It can be registered from any registrar as a brand new domain by anyone. If you own it before, you may wish to purchase the domain again.

About the writer:

Dell Igs is domain professional based in NJ and had attended the first Global.TV conference in Cincinnati last year and usually attend the NY Domainer’ s Meet-Up arranged by Elliot Silver of ElliotsBlog.com. He understands the power of domain names thereby registering PhilippineWeb.org for the benefit of everyone in the Philippine Web community.