Fixing a Domain Renewal in Draft

A domain renewal enters draft mode when the last action on the renewal order fails. The most common cause is insufficient funds in the reseller account. This article shows how to identify a draft renewal, add funds, delete the failed order, and complete the renewal.

When to use this article

Use this article if you attempted a renewal and it did not complete. A domain in this state is still owned by the registrant but the renewal order is stuck. Where this fits in the renewal lifecycle:

• Active: Standard renewal flow — see Renewing Domains.
• Draft (this article): A renewal attempt failed and must be cleared before retrying.
• Expired / Redemption: The domain has passed its expiry date — see Redeem an Expired Domain.

Note: When a renewal fails due to insufficient balance, the reason appears in the domain notes on the domain's page in the Reseller Control Panel.

Before you begin

• Confirm you have access to the Reseller Control Panel at manage.opensrs.com.
• Identify the TLD of the affected domain. Renewal pricing depends on the TLD and your current pricing tier.
• Be ready to add funds to your reseller account.
• Note the domain's expiry date. If it is close to expiring, complete these steps promptly to avoid moving into the grace or redemption period.

Step 1: Check the funds needed for the TLD

1. Log in to the Reseller Control Panel.
2. Click Domains and select the Pricing tab.
3. Search for the TLD and note the renewal price.

Step 2: Add funds to your reseller account

Add enough funds to cover the renewal. Follow the steps in Add funds to your reseller account.

Tip: Add a buffer above the exact renewal price so you can complete the renewal without re-funding if you have multiple renewals queued.

Step 3: Delete the draft order

You must delete the draft order before you can submit a new renewal.

1. In the Reseller Control Panel, go to the Domains page.
2. Search for the domain.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the domain's page.
4. Click Delete draft in the bottom-left corner.

Note: You may see an internal server error after clicking the domain. Ignore this error and continue.

Step 4: Retry the renewal

1. Scroll to the top and click the Domains tab.
2. Search for and select the domain.
3. Click Renew beside the domain.
4. Choose the Renewal period from the drop-down.
5. Click Renew in the bottom-right to submit the order.

Step 5: Confirm the renewal succeeded

1. Open the domain's page in the Reseller Control Panel.
2. Scroll to Domain History.
3. Verify the renewal appears with a successful status and the new expiry date is correct.

Next steps

• Prevent future draft renewals: Enable auto-renew and maintain a sufficient reseller balance. See Renewing Domains.
• Domain already passed its expiry date? See Redeem an Expired Domain for grace period and redemption guidance.
• Need pricing details by TLD? Check the gTLD and ccTLD reference chart.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.