Domain under Registrar Hold Period: ok to transfer?

[Castlemelody]

Greetings!

I can't seem to renew a domain from a current registrar due to it's website preventing credit card transactions emanating from any Philippine IP address.
Before it is ok to transact with them using my credit card.

Anyway, the domain has expired and is still under registrar hold. I can actually renew it if there is no problem with their site preventing credit card transactions from a Philippine IP. The registrar in questiion is ev1servers.net

I have two options:

1. Wait for their instructions what to do to renew. They mentioned that this will be renewed manually and I need to fill up a form which I am still waiting since yesterday.

2. Transfer the domain to another registrar. Now, the question, is it possible to transfer away an expired domain under Registrar Hold period? I need your expertise on this one. I have also emailed the current registrar and asked them that if they cannot process my request, at least they advise me if it is ok to transfer the domain to another registrar.

Thank you very much.

 

[RJ]

This seems to depend on the registrar. I've routinely transferred names out of Network Solutions that were past the expiration date, while at other registrars the transfer request is immediately declined. I've never tried this with OpenSRS (EV1's backend registrar). If you can still release the registrar lock from the control panel, you might as well give it a try.

I'd be interested to hear from someone with a registrar to clarify why the difference between registrars for this.

 

[Dave_Z]

I'd be interested to hear from someone with a registrar to clarify why the difference between registrars for this.

While I don't own a registrar (can't afford it :D ), I've gotten this info from my
registrar contacts. I hope you won't mind I reply to this.

Why registrar A allows Bozanian users to renew while registrar B disallows the
same users boil down to one simple reason: fraud. If registrars (or resellers in
this case) detect a large number of fraudulent transactions over time coming
from a country, they can choose to ban users from that country's IP range to
protect themselves.

Registerfly, last I checked, banned Vietnam users. And Go Daddy used to not
allow me to manage my domain names 2 years ago because I was in their so-
called "banned country list".

Heck, even Clickbank and PayPal banned Philippine-based users.

It's not really unusual. But it sadly hurts legitimate ones.

ICANN's new transfer policies no longer allow registrars to prevent transfers
just because the domain expired. But I'm guessing some registrars haven't
updated their software to accept expiring names into their systems.

Go Daddy is one registrar I've found that accepts transfer of expired names
into their system. But have you found others, -RJ- ?

Another problem here is that the name's with a reseller. Resellers aren't really
covered that much by ICANN's policies.

Castlemelody, I'd do what ev1 said and wait for their payment form. Ask them
for some kind of "extension", something that'll allow them to hold it a little bit
longer to allow you time to renew.

 

[RJ]

Thanks for the reply, Dave. I assumed it was more a matter of the losing registrar denying the transfer rather than the gaining registrar refusing it because it was expired. Is this not the case?

I was moved dozens of names from Network Solutions to eNom, all past expiration date, and had no problems at all.

 

[Dave_Z]

Thanks for the reply, Dave. I assumed it was more a matter of the losing registrar denying the transfer rather than the gaining registrar refusing it because it was expired. Is this not the case?

http://www.icann.org/transfers/dnholder-faq-03nov04.htm

My domain name has just expired. Can my registrar require me to pay for a renewal before I can transfer to a new registrar?

No. Your new registrar of choice can initiate a transfer request on an expired domain name once they receive the required authorization from you. Expiration or nonrenewal of a domain name is not a valid reason for denial of a transfer request.

Note that if the registrar has already begun the deletion process on the domain name and its status shows it to be within a 30-day Redemption Grace Period, the name must be .restored. by your current registrar before it can be transferred.

Even though the domain's with ev1, as long as Castlemelody's contact email is
there and active and he can unlock the name, he can transfer it out. The only
problem now is if ev1 will make things difficult.

Just found this tidbit in Tucows' page:

http://helpcenter.tucows.com/index....n I renew domain that is about to be deleted?

Here is a summary of the drop timeline:

- Domain expires and begins 40 day Grace period where a standard renewal can be made
- 40 days of grace pass, Registrar deletes the domain from their database and asks the Registry to do the same
- Registry holds domain in 30 day Redemption Grace Period
- Domain enters 5 day randomized deletion process, and redemption is no longer possible. This is PENDINGDELETE for COM/NET, and "PENDINGDELETE SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE" for others

Whoa...if Tucows' page is right and they'll keep an expired name for 40 days
before letting it go, that's the longest grace period I've seen among registrars
by far.

 

[Greg Hal]

I remember doing something similar once, without any problems. Please update when/if you succeed.

 

[Castlemelody]

The discussion is quite interesting. Actually, I've waited for ev1 to contact us back and they sent us the form to fill out.

Caution: You need to fill up the complete credit card number or they will ask you back again. Also you need to attach a PDF file not a zipped file because it appears they don't have winzip on some of their customer service computer?

But, it's good to know that GoDaddy accepts expiring domains on their database. However, it may be inferred that the reason for non-transfer to be not possible is because of the Registrar Hold status. Some losing registrars do not allow transfer away at this period? I am not sure. I have not actually tested it over at ev1. It's not worth the risk as of now because the client is very anxious to have it renewed.

Thanks. This issue may be well worth put into the domains faq.

Take care all! Hopefully the renewal of the domain will be successful.



EDIT: The domain name was successfully renewed using the form we filled up and sent back to ev1.

 

[Dave_Z]

However, it may be inferred that the reason for non-transfer to be not possible is because of the Registrar Hold status. Some losing registrars do not allow transfer away at this period? I am not sure.

I see what you mean. A registrar may put a domain on RH status if it's found
to violate any of ICANN's or their policies, or if the domain's in a legal dispute.

But with the new ICANN transfer policies, there's finally an exception.