Troubleshooting Domain Expiration Issues

If you’re experiencing problems with domain expiration, renewal, or auto-renewal, this guide will help you identify and resolve common issues. For general information about what happens when a domain expires, see What Happens When a Domain Expires?.

Table of Contents

• Domain expired unexpectedly
• Auto-renewal not working
• Payment failed during renewal
• Domain in redemption period
• Domain deleted and cannot be recovered
• Not receiving expiration notifications
• Expired domain cannot be transferred
• Auto-renew only domains
• Grace period questions
• Have more questions?

Domain expired unexpectedly

Symptom: Your domain expired even though you thought it was set to auto-renew.

Why it happens: Common reasons include:

• Auto-renewal was disabled
• Payment method failed or expired
• The domain is an auto-renew only domain that requires a subscription
• The domain entered redemption period before renewal could complete

Resolution steps:

1. Check auto-renewal status: Navigate to your domain in DNSimple and check the Registration tab to see if auto-renewal is enabled.

2. Check payment method: Ensure your payment method on file is valid and has sufficient funds. Update it if necessary.

3. Renew manually: If the domain is still in the grace period, you can renew it manually. The domain will be reactivated immediately upon successful renewal.

4. Restore the domain: If the domain has entered the redemption period, you must restore it, which includes a restore fee in addition to the renewal fee.

Auto-renewal not working

Symptom: Auto-renewal is enabled, but your domain expired anyway.

Why it happens: Auto-renewal can fail due to:

• Payment method declined or expired
• Insufficient funds on the payment method
• Payment method removed from account
• Domain is auto-renew only and requires a subscription

Resolution steps:

1. Check payment method:
   • Navigate to your account settings
   • Verify your payment method is valid and not expired
   • Ensure it has sufficient funds or credit available

2. Update payment method: If your payment method is invalid, update it with a valid credit card or payment method.

3. Check for error notifications: Check your email for notifications from DNSimple about failed renewal attempts. These emails will explain why the renewal failed.

4. Enable auto-renewal: If auto-renewal was disabled, enable it to prevent future expiration issues.

5. Renew manually: If the domain has already expired but is still in the grace period, renew it manually to reactivate it immediately.

Payment failed during renewal

Symptom: You received a notification that payment failed when attempting to renew your domain.

Resolution steps:

1. Check payment method: Verify your payment method is valid, not expired, and has sufficient funds.

2. Update payment method: If needed, update your payment method in your account settings.

3. Retry renewal: Once your payment method is updated, renew the domain manually to complete the renewal immediately.

4. Contact your bank: If your payment method should be valid, contact your bank or credit card company to ensure there are no blocks or restrictions on the transaction.

Domain in redemption period

Symptom: Your domain has entered the redemption period and you cannot renew it normally.

Why it happens: After a domain expires and passes through the grace period (if applicable), it may enter a redemption period. During this time, only the previous registrant can recover the domain, and it must be restored through the previous registrar.

Resolution: You must restore the domain rather than renew it. The restoration process:

• Takes up to a day to complete
• Includes a mandatory restore fee in addition to the domain’s renewal fee
• Automatically extends the domain’s registration by the registry’s minimum renewal period (usually 1 year)

For more information about the redemption period and restoration process, see What Happens When a Domain Expires? and Restoring a Domain.

Domain deleted and cannot be recovered

Symptom: Your domain has been deleted and is no longer available for restoration.

Why it happens: After the redemption period, domains enter a “Pending Delete” period (typically 5 days) during which they cannot be recovered. After this period, the registry deletes the domain, and it becomes available for anyone to register as a new domain. For more details about the deletion period, see What Happens When a Domain Expires?.

Resolution: Unfortunately, once a domain has been deleted by the registry, it cannot be recovered. You would need to register it again as a new domain if it becomes available, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to obtain it, as it will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Prevention: To avoid this situation in the future:

• Enable auto-renewal for your domains
• Keep your payment method up to date
• Monitor expiration notifications
• Renew domains before they expire

Not receiving expiration notifications

Symptom: You’re not receiving email notifications about upcoming domain expirations.

Resolution steps:

1. Check spam folder: Expiration notification emails may have been filtered. Look for emails from DNSimple.

2. Verify account email: Ensure the email address on your DNSimple account is correct and can receive email. Update it if necessary. For instructions on updating your account email, see Changing Your Email Address.

3. Check notification settings: While expiration notifications cannot be disabled (they’re required), ensure your email provider isn’t blocking DNSimple emails.

4. Check domain list: You can also check your domain list in DNSimple to see expiration dates and domains that are expiring soon.

Expired domain cannot be transferred

Symptom: You’re trying to transfer an expired domain but the transfer is being denied.

Why it happens: ICANN rules permit expired domains to be transferred only if:

• The domain is still in its grace period (not in redemption)
• The transfer completes before the domain enters redemption period
• This applies to ICANN generic top-level domains (gTLDs); country code TLDs (ccTLDs) may have different rules

Resolution:

1. Renew first: If the domain is still in the grace period, renew it first, then initiate the transfer.

2. Contact support: If you need to transfer an expired domain that’s in grace period, contact us at support@dnsimple.com or through the contact page for assistance.

3. Restore then transfer: If the domain has entered redemption, you must restore it first, then wait for it to be active before transferring.

Auto-renew only domains

Symptom: You’re trying to renew a domain manually, but the option is not available, or the domain expired and cannot be recovered.

Why it happens: Some domains are auto-renew only and require an active subscription to DNSimple. These domains:

• Cannot be renewed manually
• Have no grace period
• Cannot be recovered once expired
• Must have auto-renewal enabled with a valid payment method

Resolution:

1. Ensure you have a subscription: Auto-renew only domains require an active DNSimple subscription. Verify your subscription status.

2. Enable auto-renewal: Enable auto-renewal for the domain and ensure your payment method is valid.

3. Contact support: If you’re unsure whether your domain is auto-renew only or need help setting up auto-renewal, contact support.

Grace period questions

Symptom: You’re unsure about grace periods and when you can renew your expired domain.

Important information:

• Grace period is not guaranteed: Our registrar partners may offer a non-guaranteed 29-day grace period for renewal for most generic top-level domains (gTLDs). There is no guaranteed grace period. For more details, see What Happens When a Domain Expires?.

• Early renewal doesn’t lose time: Renewal years are always added to the end of the current registration period, so you will never lose time on your domain by renewing early.

• ccTLDs may differ: Country code TLDs (ccTLDs) may have different grace period rules or no grace period at all. See What Happens When a Domain Expires? for more information about expiration periods.

Resolution: If your domain has expired, attempt to renew it immediately. If renewal is not available, the domain may have entered redemption period, and you’ll need to restore it instead.

Have more questions?

If you’ve tried these troubleshooting steps and are still experiencing issues with domain expiration or renewal, contact our support team. Please include:

• Your domain name
• The current status of the domain (expired, in redemption, etc.)
• Whether auto-renewal is enabled
• Your payment method status
• Any error messages you’ve encountered
• Steps you’ve already taken to resolve the issue

We’ll be happy to help you renew or restore your domain and prevent future expiration issues.