question What happens to unclaimed GoDaddy closeout domains?

After closeout it goes into redemption grace period, then pending delete, then it's available for reg roughly 37 days after the closeouts are done.

Here's a handy chart: http://archive.icann.org/en/registrars/gtld-lifecycle.jpg

Yeah .. Auction close and $11 closeout are on day 35 after expiration.

Which makes $5 closeouts start at day 39 and end at day 40.

Registrars (like GoDaddy) effectively relinquish the domain back to the registry (Verisign for .com's) on day 42. So 2 days later. Then it's 30 days "redemption grace" followed by 5 days "pending delete" after which the domain is deleted from the registry's database completely and it's like the domain never existed to them (effectively being available at hand-registration).

The reason for the "redemption" period is to have a blackout period where people looking for the old business actually notice the website down and emails bouncing back. Effectively lowering the chances of somebody putting up a clone of the website to steal incoming emails/clients.

It's a pain in the butt for domainers .. but it's extremely important for businesses in order to reduce fraud. (Although that is still completely possible now with domains acquired at auction/closeout .. but for most registrars, there is a similar blackout period as usually they stop resolving the domain 10-20 days after expiration .. which would still leave a 2 week "blackout/bounceback" period.


If you win/buy a domain at auction/closeout, then it usually automatically pushes/transfers to your GD account on day 41 regardless of when you actually won/bought/paid for it.

Paul Nicks said:

After closeout it goes into redemption grace period, then pending delete, then it's available for reg roughly 37 days after the closeouts are done.

Here's a handy chart: http://archive.icann.org/en/registrars/gtld-lifecycle.jpg

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Sorry for hijacking this thread..
I paid for an auction and closeout domain at godaddy today. I am noob at godaddy auctions and closeouts.
There is no guarantee that the domains will be in my account the domain owner still has a chance to renew
OR the domain can be drop caught by somebody else?

Drop catching a domain only happens after it has gone through the complete domain life-cycle .. meaning expired (42 days) and then the registry blackout period (30 days redeption + 5 days pending delete).

Auctions at GoDaddy happen on day 35 (of 42) after expiration. Closeouts from day 35 to 40 (of 42).

So if you acquired your domain at auction or closeout, the domain never fully expires and never gets passed on to the registry. Which means that GoDaddy can transfer the domain to your account on or around day 42 after initial expiration.

GoDaddy and some of the other registrars do not allow renewals on auction/closeout domains after day 30, so unless it's a rare exception, you can be reasonably sure you will get your domains by day 42.

HOWEVER .. GoDaddy also auctions/closeouts domains from other registrars who do not have the 30 day limit .. where the old owner can indeed renew their domain up to day 42 (can vary at different registrars) .. if that happens, you will not get the domain and instead be refunded your purchase.


Drop catching only becomes a factor if nobody renews the domain or buys it at auction/closeout. If none of that happens, then 42 days after the domain expires, the domain then goes into registry redemption / pending delete for an additional 35 days ... after the total ~77 days, the domain gets deleted from the registry's database which means that the first person to dropcatch or handreg the domain will get it.


Also note that the above only applies to domains that go through GoDaddy's expired auctions system. There are some registrars that don't sent their expired domains to auction, and those domains can either be renewed by the original owner, or then obtained by dropcatch or handreg after the 42+35 days.


I think some registrars also have their own expired auction system as well .. but GD is by far the biggest (I think their auction represent about half of ALL expired domains)

Ategy.com said:

Drop catching a domain only happens after it has gone through the complete domain life-cycle .. meaning expired (42 days) and then the registry blackout period (30 days redeption + 5 days pending delete).

Auctions at GoDaddy happen on day 35 (of 42) after expiration. Closeouts from day 35 to 40 (of 42).

So if you acquired your domain at auction or closeout, the domain never fully expires and never gets passed on to the registry. Which means that GoDaddy can transfer the domain to your account on or around day 42 after initial expiration.

GoDaddy and some of the other registrars do not allow renewals on auction/closeout domains after day 30, so unless it's a rare exception, you can be reasonably sure you will get your domains by day 42.

HOWEVER .. GoDaddy also auctions/closeouts domains from other registrars who do not have the 30 day limit .. where the old owner can indeed renew their domain up to day 42 (can vary at different registrars) .. if that happens, you will not get the domain and instead be refunded your purchase.


Drop catching only becomes a factor if nobody renews the domain or buys it at auction/closeout. If none of that happens, then 42 days after the domain expires, the domain then goes into registry redemption / pending delete for an additional 35 days ... after the total ~77 days, the domain gets deleted from the registry's database which means that the first person to dropcatch or handreg the domain will get it.


Also note that the above only applies to domains that go through GoDaddy's expired auctions system. There are some registrars that don't sent their expired domains to auction, and those domains can either be renewed by the original owner, or then obtained by dropcatch or handreg after the 42+35 days.

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Perfectly explained . Thanks

I hope this thread will get more views as you have provided a wonderfully complete and clear answer to a question many of us remain confused about, @Ategy.com Thank you!

Does the clock start sooner on European country codes that require renewal in advance of the actual expiry date?

Also, since the rules are different according to the registrar that the domain came from, is there a way from the listing to be sure whether the owner can renew rate up to day 42 or not?

Thanks again for a great post. Thanks also for the link to the really helpful chart, @Paul Nicks!

Bob

That 77 day timeline is only for .com's. Each TLD is a bit different. ccTLD's can be extremely different.

In terms of until what time you're allowed to renew, most north american registrars are based on midnight pacific time .. keeping in mind GoDaddy does not do daylight savings time. Probably different at other registrars. On day 42, for the final renewal opportunity, that is usually based on the actual time you first registered it (again, that might be different at different registrars). Here too it would be best for @Joe Styler or @Paul Nicks to confirm 100%.

There is at least one trick I know of to know if it's a GoDaddy domain at GoDaddy auctions or an expired domain from a different registrar at GoDaddy auctions. But it's based on one of GoDaddy's bugs, so I'm reluctant to share that info.

That being said, the best thing to do is check the whois on the name to find out what registrar the domain is at, and then look at that registrars terms and services about how they handle renewals (bearing in mind that I suppose that registrar has the power to make exceptions for clients under some circumstances).

The best rule to follow is simply to not consider the domain yours until it's in your account.

I'm not sure if there's a list of all the registrars whose domains go to GoDaddy expired auctions. Maybe @Joe Styler or @Paul Nicks could provide that list. There are some things they can and can't tell you because I think many of their agreements with other registrars are under NDA's. But best to let them confirm that 100% .. since renewal rules are based on public terms and services, I don't think it would be unreasonable to ask for a master list registrars and maximum renewal date (after expiration).

Ategy.com said:

That being said, the best thing to do is check the whois on the name to find out what registrar the domain is at, and then look at that registrars terms and services about how they handle renewals (bearing in mind that I suppose that registrar has the power to make exceptions for clients under some circumstances).

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Sometimes I don't think of the most obvious answers!
Thank you for all of the information, @Ategy.com
I hope that they do respond with a link of which registrars submit to them - definitely useful information to have!
Bob

Ategy.com said:

GoDaddy and some of the other registrars do not allow renewals on auction/closeout domains after day 30, so unless it's a rare exception, you can be reasonably sure you will get your domains by day 42.

HOWEVER .. GoDaddy also auctions/closeouts domains from other registrars who do not have the 30 day limit .. where the old owner can indeed renew their domain up to day 42 (can vary at different registrars) .. if that happens, you will not get the domain and instead be refunded your purchase.





I think some registrars also have their own expired auction system as well .. but GD is by far the biggest (I think their auction represent about half of ALL expired domains)

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What are the other registers allow renewal till 42 days of expiry?

I always wondered about this process this thread is gold imho.