What happens If I Do Not Renew My Domain Name?

Discover The Risks

Losing your Domain Name can be a big loss to your website, business, your brand, and your reputation. This could also leave it open to being re-registered. And also possibly used for malicious purposes.

What is a Domain Name

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Put in the wrong hands, it could be used to spread Malware or to gain access to users personal information. Or think about your Competitors grabbing your expired domain name.

Why Renew Your Domain

Domain Names are more important than you might realize. They are in effect your online identity and represent your business. And a good Domain gives your business credibility and sets it apart from generic websites. It will inspire customers trust. Will help with SEO efforts. Your domain is the single point of contact for people and your digital business development and marketing. When you receive a renewal notice for your Domain, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before letting the domain name expire.

What Happens When You Don’t Renew Your Domain Name?

Domain names are not owned indefinitely. Instead, they are leased for a specified period, typically one year. If you do not renew the domain before it expires, it will enter a grace period, after which it may be deleted or made available for re-registration. The timeline and specific actions depend on the domain registrar and the top-level domain (TLD), such as .com, .org, or .net.

Let’s break down the stages of what happens if you fail to renew your domain name:

• • Expiration Grace Period: After the expiration date passes, most domain registrars provide a grace period, usually lasting between 30 and 45 days, during which you can still renew the domain without any additional fees. During this period, your domain might still work, but it’s at risk of becoming inactive if you don’t take action. Your website and email may still function, but this is only temporary.
• • Redemption Period: If you fail to renew the domain during the grace period, it may enter a redemption period, which typically lasts 30 days. In this period, the domain is essentially "locked" and can only be recovered by paying a higher redemption fee, which could be hundreds of dollars more than the usual renewal fee.
• • Deletion and Availability for Re-Registration: If you don’t renew your domain during the grace or redemption period, it will eventually be deleted. Once deleted, the domain becomes available for anyone else to register. This is when the real danger sets in, especially for businesses and individuals who rely on their domain name for branding.

Will You Use Your Domain Name Again?

Nobody likes to pay for something they are not using. But with Domains this is different. Domain Names are completely unique. It is not just a simple thing if you decide you want to use the domain again. Someone else probably already has eyes on your Domain and is just waiting for it to expire. Recent studies show more than 85% of expired domains are re-registered within days. Domain names are not expensive. And paying that small renewal fee can be a good insurance policy in case you decide to use the domain name in the future.

Your Domain Could Be Worth Money

Expired Domains can be highly valued. After a Domain has been registered and used, it can provide a history of established site traffic and backlinks. This will make it valuable to many companies and competitors. Millions of dollars of pre-registered domain names are bought and sold each month.

What if Someone Else Buys Your Domain

This is probably the most important question. You may decide you will never use that domain. Maybe it was a domain you registered just to protect your website. Or maybe it is a personal Domain to show off your newborn grand children? You may not need it now, but how would you feel if someone else owned the domain you used?

Hidden Costs

Many Domain Registrars rely on the fact that almost everyone will not read the fine print. Be sure to check what the renewal rates are. Some inflate the renewal rate, and they try to persuade you into buying more than one domain name or other Services that you do not need or want.

Protect your Privacy

Domain Name details can be public record in the WHOIS and RDAP directories. Most businesses choose to keep their personal information private. Public data is susceptible to being mined by spammers and scammers. All domain registrars should offer Privacy Protection for free. Beware of those who charge a premium for “Whois Privacy”.

Transferring a Domain Name

If you are looking to transfer a Domain to save on renewal fees, or for any other reason, make sure you start the transfer at least 30 days before expiration. 60 or better 90 days is preferred. We have seen some Registrars put a domain on hold for 60 days, preventing any change or transfers.

How to Prevent Domain Name Expiration and Loss

The risks associated with not renewing your domain name are significant, but fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent them:

Someone Else Will Register It, Holding It Hostage

One of the most damaging consequences of failing to renew your domain name is the risk that someone else will register it. Once your domain name is deleted and available for re-registration, anyone can snap it up, especially if it’s a valuable or recognizable domain name.

Additionally, if you’ve invested in SEO strategies to drive organic traffic, losing your domain means all of that work could go to waste, and you may have to start from scratch with a new domain. This is not only time-consuming but can result in a loss of trust from search engines like Google, which could take a long time to rebuild.

Famous Websites that Domains Expired

Yatra.com
In April 2012 the second-largest online travel site Yatra.com let their domain expire.

Regions Bank
One of the largest banks in the United States, Regions Bank that contains over 1700 branches forgot to renew their domain name in April 2013.

Dallas Cowboys
Yes, this organization forgot to renew their domain name in 2010 during a major news brief.

Microsoft
Microsoft forgets to renew two of their major domain names. Missed the renewal date for hotmail.co.uk domain and Passport.com.

Foursquare
Foursquare forgets to renew its domain name.

Sitemeter
Sitemeter did provide tracking capabilities for Tens of thousands of websites. April 4th, 2013 they forgot to renew their domain And now the domain is for sale.

Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications unable to deliver 911 call services due to domain name expiration.

Top 15 Most Expensive Domain Names

Below is a list of the most expensive reported domain name sales from NameCorp.com.

Whisky.com sold for $3.1 million in 2014.

Vodka.com sold for $3.0 million in 2006.

Toys.com sold for $5,100,000 in 2009.

Voice.com sold for $30,000,000 in 2019.

Shop.com sold for $3,500,000 in 2003.

Tesla.com sold for $11,000,000 in 2018.

Hotels.com sold for $11,000,000 in 2001.

Software.com sold for $3,200,000 in 2005.

FB.com sold for $8,500,000 in 2010.

Korea.com sold for $5,000,000 in 2000.

Wine.com sold for $3,300,000 in 2003.

California.com sold for $3,000,000 in 2019.

Candy.com sold for $3.0 million in 2009.

Pizza.com sold for $2,605,000 in 2008.

Loans.com sold for $3.0 million in 2000.

Your domains may not be worth this much. But before you let your domain expire, consider if someone else might want to buy it. Even a couple of hundreds of dollars would be a nice plus.

You can auction off your domain name or list it for sale on domain marketplaces like Sedo.com and Afternic.com. It can take time to sell a domain. So we suggest starting the process of selling those domains well before renewed is needed.

Learn how to sell a domain name with a simple step-by-step guide from Name Silo

Domain Name Search

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Summary

Failing to renew your domain name can lead to severe consequences, ranging from the loss of your website and email services to the risk of someone else registering your domain and holding it hostage. Additionally, it can damage your brand, reputation, and SEO efforts, making it harder to rebuild once the domain is lost.

To avoid these risks, it’s essential to take proactive steps, such as setting up auto-renewal, monitoring your domain’s expiration date, and keeping your contact information up to date. Your domain name is an invaluable asset, and maintaining it should be a top priority to ensure the ongoing success of your online presence.

Author Bio: Adam Jones

With over 10 years of experience working at major organizations and agencies. His expertise spans across...

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