The domain lifecycle: from registration to release

Every domain moves through a predictable set of states. Understanding them helps you avoid losing a name.

1. Active — registered and within its term. DNS resolves, the domain works normally.
2. Expired / auto-renew grace period — the term has ended but the registry holds the name for you for a grace window (commonly ~30–45 days for gTLDs). Renewing here costs the normal renewal price. DNS may stop resolving during this period.
3. Redemption period — if still unrenewed, the domain enters redemption (typically up to 30 days). It can be restored, but the registry charges a redemption fee on top of the renewal.
4. Pending delete — a final ~5-day window where nothing can be done. The name is about to be released.
5. Released — the domain drops and becomes available for anyone to register again.

.uk domains follow Nominet's own timeline, which differs slightly from gTLDs but has the same shape: a grace period after expiry, then suspension, then eventual cancellation.

The safest protection against all of this is auto-renew, which you can enable per domain in the panel.