Domain refers to the location of a specific website. Many people buy domains for various reasons but generally, it is put for visibility and accessibility. If you buy a domain, you have to know that you are not entitled to that domain forever. You need to renew the registration like when you lease your house or car.
If you fail to renew its registration, it will be considered expired domain. The general rule is that if it is not renewed, it will stop from operating but it is not instantaneously deleted. After three days of expiration, nameservers are altered to OpenSRS Expired Domains nameservers. This OpenSRS will get in touch with owners and convince them to reinstate the domain names.
It is important that you know the timeline of expired domains for future references. Here’s the timeline:
Day 0-40
The domain has a 40-day grace period. During this period, the domain is still considered to be yours. You will notice that at the top of your web page, there is a display reminding you that your domain has expired.
If you renewed the domain during the grace period, it will be restored. The good news is that the cost is your standard renewal rate. During the grace period, your domain will be listed for auction. However, after renewing it, it will be removed from the listing.
Day 41-70
After the 40-day grace period, the owner is given chance through this redemption period. Redemption period is from day 41 to 70. This is when your domain will be lined up for deletion. If the owner chooses to renew during the redemption period, the cost will be higher than the standard renewal rate.
Day 71-100
By this time, the domains are put for auction and other parties can buy expired domains. The expired domains are valuable because of its SEO factors. The expired domains have an existing backlink profile that a new owner can utilize. If you are interested, check first the quality of the inbound links.
If you completely ignore the grace period and the redemption period of your domain, it means that you give up your ownership. This means that it is now available for other interested parties to purchase it.
Now that you know what happens to an expired domain, you need to be vigilant for your domain so it will not happen to you. After its expiration, you have plenty of days to register so do not ignore it. There is no reason to forget it as you will be notified.