Redeeming an Expired Domain

When a domain is not renewed by its expiry date, it does not disappear immediately. It moves through a sequence of phases — grace period, redemption period, and eventual drop or transfer to the Tucows portfolio — during which the registrant may still be able to recover the name. This article explains each phase and shows how to redeem a domain during the redemption period.

When to use this article

Use this article if a domain has already passed its expiry date. If the domain is still active, you should renew it at the standard rate instead — see Renewing Domains. If a recent renewal attempt is stuck in draft, see How to Fix a Domain Renewal in Draft.

What is the redemption grace period?

The redemption grace period is the window after the standard grace period when a domain has been pulled from the public zone but is not yet deleted. During redemption, the original registrant can recover the name, but only by paying a redemption fee that is significantly higher than a standard renewal. Once the redemption period ends — or the domain is sent to live auction — recovery is no longer possible.

Warning: Redemption fees are substantially higher than a standard renewal. Redeem the domain as early as possible, and only when you confirm the registrant wants the domain back. Redemption charges are deducted from your reseller account and are non-refundable.

Note: For expired domains, do not manually change the name servers unless you are transferring the domain away. Changing the name servers will not renew the domain, and it will eventually lapse into redemption. If the renewal or redemption succeeds, OpenSRS restores the name servers automatically.

Before you begin

• Confirm you have access to the Reseller Control Panel (and, if needed, the Classic Reseller Interface).
• Note the exact expiry date and current status of the domain. The Reseller Control Panel is the source of truth — the Whois expiry date may differ during the grace period.
• Verify the TLD supports redemption. Not all TLDs have a redemption period — see the gTLD and ccTLD reference chart.
• Confirm sufficient funds are available in your reseller account to cover the redemption charge.
• Confirm the domain has not been queued for live auction. Once queued, it cannot be redeemed.

Expiration phases

Day 0–40: Grace period

The domain has expired but is still within the 40-day grace period. Three days after expiry, the name servers switch to the OpenSRS expired-domain name servers, and a renewal reminder may appear at the top of the website. The domain is still considered owned by the registrant, and Whois continues to show the registrant's details (or Whois Privacy, if enabled).

During the grace period, the registrant can reinstate the domain by simply renewing it at the standard rate. The original name servers are restored on successful renewal — unless Parked Pages is enabled for the domain, in which case the Parked Page is displayed.

Note: The grace period length for ccTLDs varies. Refer to the gTLD and ccTLD reference chart for TLD-specific details. During the grace period, the Whois expiration date may differ from the Reseller Control Panel — trust the Control Panel.

Day 40–70: Redemption period

If the domain has not been renewed by day 40, it may be queued for deletion, sent to auction, or added to the OpenSRS portfolio. If it enters the portfolio, the domain begins a 30-day Redemption period.

During redemption, the domain is still considered owned by the registrant, but the Whois displays a Contact Privacy address. Ownership cannot change during this period — the original registrant must redeem the domain first before transferring or selling it.

Warning: The live auction typically runs between day 41 and day 45. Once a domain is queued for live auction, it cannot be redeemed by the original registrant — even within the redemption window.

Day 70–75: Domain is dropped

If the domain was not auctioned or acquired, it is dropped and becomes available for re-registration by the general public.

Day 70–100: Domain renewed by YummyNames

If the Tucows portfolio business unit (YummyNames) renews the domain during the redemption period, it joins the YummyNames portfolio. The expired site displays a customized page with contextual ads.

During this window, the domain can only be sold to the original registrant. If sold, the price is 50% of the Fair Market Value (minimum $200) as determined by the YummyNames Portfolio Team, plus a one-year registration fee. You set the price you charge the registrant.

Note: Tucows reserves the right not to sell the domain at any price.

Day 100–250: Domain is owned by YummyNames

The expired site continues to display contextual ads. If YummyNames makes the domain available, the price to the original registrant is Fair Market Value less 20% (minimum $200), plus a one-year registration fee. Anyone else interested must contact OpenSRS.

Day 250 and later: Domain still owned by YummyNames

If made available for sale, the price is full Fair Market Value (minimum $200) plus a one-year registration fee. The Reseller sets the price charged to the registrant.

Step 1: Confirm the domain is in redemption

1. Log in to the Reseller Control Panel.
2. Click the Domains tab and search for the domain.
3. Check the Status column. The status must read Redemption for the redemption option to apply.

Step 2: Redeem the domain from the Reseller Control Panel

1. From the domain's row, click Redeem.
2. Review the redemption charges.
3. Agree to the charges and click Submit.

Warning: The redemption fee is non-refundable and is deducted from your reseller account on submission. Confirm the registrant has authorized the recovery before submitting.

Step 3 (Alternative): Redeem from the Classic Reseller Interface

If you prefer the Classic Reseller Interface, use the steps below. You can reach it directly or by clicking your email address in the top-right of the Reseller Control Panel and selecting Classic Reseller Interface.

1. Log in to the Classic Reseller Interface.
2. In the Domain Management section, click Domain Redemption.
3. Complete the Redemption Request Form and click I understand and agree.

A Domain Rescue charge is deducted from your reseller account on submission.

Next steps

• Confirm the redemption succeeded: Open the domain in the Reseller Control Panel and check Domain History for a successful redemption entry and an updated expiry date.
• Prevent another expiration: Enable auto-renew and maintain a sufficient reseller balance. See Renewing Domains.
• Renewal failed before expiry? See How to Fix a Domain Renewal in Draft to clear and retry the failed order.
• Verify TLD-specific rules: Not every TLD has a redemption period. Check the gTLD and ccTLD reference chart.
• Need to add funds first? See Add funds to your reseller account.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.