Thousands
of domain names are registered every day. Almost every domain name
starts off in the similar manner – they are all available for
registration and expire at a point of time. For those who are interested
in purchasing a domain name, you must understand a typical lifecycle of
any Domain name. Since it is the most important thing on the internet,
let’s understand what happens between the registration and deactivation
of a domain name. Once you get a fair idea about the lifecycle of a
domain name, you can possibly retain a domain name that is on the verge
of deletion or may have accidentally expired.
Available Domain NamesIn
any domain name lifecycle, the first stage is its availability. Here,
the domain name is available and not registered by any entity. Use a
registrar to search for an available domain name and go for it. These
domain names are available for registration for a period of 1 to 10
years.
Registered PeriodThe
domain name will become active and registered for the term you have
made the payment for. After registration, the current registrar should
keep it for a minimum period of 60 days after which, it can be
transferred to another registrar, if need be. Also, if you want to keep
it for a longer period, you need to renew the domain name. A majority of
registrars will notify you well in advance before the domain is due to
expire. This makes it easier for you to renew the domain name early
without wasting any time.
Expired Period In
case you fail to renew the domain before it expires, the domain name
will get deleted. All services related to domain name are then put to an
end. In fact, the domain name cannot be transferred to another
registrar, unless it is renewed. After the expiry, the domain name
enters a Grace Period that may last up to 30 to 45 days depending upon
the extension and registrar. This is the period when you can renew the
domain name at a regular rate without having to pay a penalty (if not
auctioned). However, if it still is not renewed during this phase, the
domain enters the redemption grace period.
Redemption Grace PeriodAt
the end of the expired period, the domain enters a 30 day redemption
period. During this phase, most of the registrars delete all the
information about the domain. The domain is then removed thus making it
expensive to recover again. Most registrars charge a lump sum during
this period to reclaim the domain.
Pending Delete PeriodIf
the domain is still not renewed in redemption period then it goes into
the pending delete phase. This period lasts for 5 days, after which the
domain gets deleted and is available to public for registration.
Deleted and Active – Renew ASAPThe
domain name is deleted and available to anyone for registration. To
avoid your domain name from getting deleted, the best thing to do is
renew it at the earliest.