The moment your domain name expires, it is shifted to the "expired domains" tab, which lacks the normal operations that you can perform on the name: "UNLock" and "Send Authorization Key to Registrant" are 2 of them.
So in short, NO.
Haven't tried calling their "Technical Help" though.
Silhouette,
Any Registrar that blocks a domain transfer while the domain is expired but still in the auto-renew grace period is in violation of their
"Registrar Accreditation Agreement".
Please see this:
"
Registrar Advisory Concerning the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy
April 03, 2008
The purpose of this advisory is to assist ICANN-accredited registrars in understanding that under the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy:
1. Registrars are prohibited from denying a domain name transfer request based on non-payment of fees for pending or future registration periods during the Auto-Renew Grace Period; and
2. A registrant change to Whois information is not a valid basis for denying a transfer request.
The Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy ("Transfer Policy") was adopted by ICANN as a consensus policy in 2004 in order to assist domain name holders in transferring their domain names from one ICANN-accredited registrar to another upon request. The Transfer Policy is available at
ICANN | Policy on Transfer of Registrations between Registrars.
1. Pursuant to the Transfer Policy, registrars are prohibited from denying domain name transfer requests based on non-payment of fees for pending or future registration periods during the Auto-Renew Grace Period.
This section of the advisory considers the scenario when a registrar denies a transfer request made by the registrant during the Auto-Renew Grace Period, if the registrant has not paid for renewal.
Pursuant to Section A.3 of the Transfer Policy, registrars are permitted to deny outgoing transfers of gTLD domain names only in the limited circumstances specifically enumerated by the Transfer Policy. One of these circumstances is:
5. No payment for previous registration period (including credit card charge-backs) if the domain name is past its expiration date or for previous or current registration periods if the domain name has not yet expired. In all such cases, however, the domain name must be put into "Registrar Hold" status by the Registrar of Record prior to the denial of transfer.
The Transfer Policy further states that,
"Instances when the requested change in Registrar may not be denied include, but are not limited to: Nonpayment for a pending or future registration period…"
In those cases where a registrant has paid all past registration fees, but has not paid for renewal, and
the domain name is in the Auto-Renew Grace Period, registrars are prohibited from denying a transfer request, as a registration in the Auto-Renew Grace Period is either a "pending or future" registration, during which time the Transfer Policy prohibits denial of transfers on the basis of non-payment.
While issues related to domain name transfers initiated during the Auto Renew Grace period are under consideration by the GNSO’s Transfers Working Group, ICANN’s intention with this advisory is to provide clarification of existing policy.
Registrars are advised that under the Transfer Policy they may not deny a transfer request on the basis of non-payment of fees during the Auto-Renew Grace Period, unless the denial is based on non-payment for a past registration period.
Registrars that impose policies or procedures on their registrants that are contrary to this determination are in violation of the Transfer Policy."
