Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP) Compliance Statement

On Aug. 31, 2013, ICANN adopted the Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP), which requires registrars to disclose important information to Registrants and prospective customers about expiration notices, fees, and redemption procedures.

All required information and disclosures currently exist in various locations throughout our website. However, as an aid to Registrants, this article contains links to all required elements in the new policy.

What happens after domain names expire?

Once a domain name expires, it goes through many stages before being released to the open market. We send five renewal emails to the domain name's administrative contact prior to the expiration date. Below is a timeline based on .com domain names.

Note: These timelines do not apply to ccTLD and gTLD domain names.

Days after expiration	Action
Day 1	We make the first of three billing attempts to renew the domain name. If the billing fails, the domain name expires and the domain is parked. The domain name can be renewed by the registrant at no extra cost.
Day 4	We make the second billing attempt. The domain name can still be renewed by the registrant at no extra cost. Any website or email services associated with the domain name may be interrupted.
Day 12	We make the third and final attempt to renew the domain name. The domain name can still be renewable by the registrant at no extra cost.
Day 19	The domain name can be renewed by the registrant for the cost of a one-year renewal plus an $80 redemption fee.
Day 25	We add the domain name to an expired domain name auction.
Day 31	The domain may no longer be redeemed.
Day 36	The expired domain name auction ends. If there are no backorders and no bidders in the expired domain name auction, we list the domain name in a closeout auction.
Day 41	The closeout auction ends.
Day 42	We return the domain name to the registry. The registry may hold the domain before releasing it for general registration.

Note: A registrant may renew an expired domain name at no extra cost up until day 18. Starting on day 19, an $80 redemption fee will apply. Beginning on day 31, the registrant may attempt to redeem the domain as long as the domain was not awarded to an expired auction winner, closeout auction winner, backorder, or released for general registration (with the additional $80 redemption fee). If the domain is available for renewal and redemption from the registry after day 42, the $80.00 redemption fee is still applicable.

What is your process for handling expired domain names?

The process we, the registrar, follow for expired domain names depends on your domain name extensions and their renewal settings. Prior to expiration, we send multiple emails to remind you to renew your domain names.

If you set your domain names to automatically renew, we attempt to renew the registrations for you the day after expiration. If we are unable to bill you, we park your expired domain names after 4 days and notify you via email again.

If you set your domain names to manually renew and you let your domain names expire, we notify you via email again the day after expiration. We park your expired domain names after 4 days.

For expired .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, .us, .ws, .name, .cc, .mobi, .me, or .tv domain name registrations, we hold your domain name for approximately 42 days before canceling it. Domain name renewal during this period is subject to applicable renewal and redemption fees. For more information, see What happens after domain names expire? and Recovering expired domain names.

Automatic Renewal

If you set the domain name to automatic renewal, when your domain name registration expires, we take the following steps before canceling it:

• On the day after your domain name registration's expiration date, we attempt to bill you for the domain name renewal. If we cannot renew the domain name (for example, your card on file expired), we notify you of the domain name registration's expiration and park your domain name. You can manually renew your domain name.
• On the 4th and 12th days after expiration, we email you additional notifications. You can manually renew your domain name.
• On the 19th day after expiration, your domain name remains on hold but becomes subject to a redemption fee. You can call customer support to renew your domain name, subject to any applicable renewal and redemption fees.
• On the 25th day after expiration, we put your domain name up for auction with a domain name industry auction service. You can manually renew your domain name, subject to any applicable renewal and redemption fees.
• On the 31st day after expiration, you may no longer be able to redeem your domain name.

The registry might hold the domain name before releasing it for general registration.

Manual Renewal

If you did not set your domain names to automatically renew, when your domain name registration expires, we proceed with the following steps before canceling it:

• On the day after your domain name registration's expiration date, we notify you of the domain name registration's expiration and park your domain name. You can manually renew your domain name.
• On the 4th and 12th days after expiration, we email you additional notifications. You can manually renew your domain name.
• On the 19th day after expiration, your domain name remains on hold but becomes subject to a redemption fee. You can manually renew your domain name, subject to any applicable renewal and redemption fees.
• On the 25th day after expiration, we put your domain name up for auction with a domain name industry auction service. You can manually renew your domain name, subject to any applicable renewal and redemption fees.
• On the 31st day after expiration, you may no longer be able to redeem your domain name.

The registry might hold the domain name before releasing it for general registration.

For information on manually renewing your domain names, see Renew my domain.

To recover an expired domain name, see Recovering expired domain names

To view your domain name's redemption fee, click here.

Note: For more information, please see Registrant Rights & Responsibilities Under the 2009 RAA.

Note: ICANN Registrant Benefits & Responsibilities (2013) will be determined upon publication by ICANN.