Domain Renewal Best Practices
Failing to renew a domain can mean losing it forever. Learn how to protect your domains with proper renewal strategies.
📖 5 min read
Enable Auto-Renewal
The most important step: enable auto-renewal for all domains. This ensures your registrar automatically charges your card and renews before expiration. Keep payment methods up to date.
Domain Lifecycle After Expiration
- Grace Period (0-45 days): Domain is expired but can usually be renewed at normal price.
- Redemption Period (30-45 days): Domain can be recovered, but with expensive redemption fees ($80-200+).
- Pending Delete (5 days): Domain is queued for release to the public.
- Released: Anyone can register the domain, including domain squatters.
Multi-Year Registration
For critical domains, register for multiple years. This locks in pricing, reduces renewal management overhead, and eliminates the risk of missed renewals.
Monitor Expiration Dates
Use a spreadsheet or domain management tool to track all your domains. Set calendar reminders 60 and 30 days before expiration as backup.
Consolidate Registrars
Managing domains across multiple registrars increases chances of missing a renewal. Transfer all domains to one reliable registrar.