Domain Expiry Checker

Check exactly when a domain expires, how many days remain, and whether it has already lapsed.

What is a domain expiry checker?

A domain expiry checker shows the date a domain's registration runs out and how many days are left. Domains are registered for a fixed period, usually one to ten years, and must be renewed before that date. If renewal is missed, the website and email that depend on the domain can stop working, and in time the name can be lost.

This tool reads the expiry date directly from the registry and turns it into a clear status, so you can see at a glance whether a domain is safe, due soon or already expired.

How the domain expiry check works

The tool queries the domain's registration record through RDAP, the modern structured protocol, and falls back to WHOIS for extensions without RDAP. It takes the registry's expiry date and calculates the exact number of days between today and that date.

The date shown is the one held by the registry. If a domain has just been renewed, the registry is normally updated within minutes, but a few registries and caches can take a little longer.

How to check when a domain expires

Enter the domain name, such as example.net, without a protocol or path.
Run the check and read the expiry date and the number of days remaining.
Look at the status badge to see whether action is needed.
If it is your domain and it is close to expiry, log in to your registrar and renew it, ideally with auto-renew switched on.

What the domain expiry status means

Active

More than 30 days remain before the expiry date. No action is needed, although auto-renew is still a good idea.

Expiring soon

Thirty days or fewer remain. If this is your domain, renew it now and check that the payment method on file is still valid.

Expired

The expiry date has passed. The domain is not necessarily gone yet: most generic domains enter a grace period during which the owner can still renew at the normal price.

What happens after a domain expires

For generic domains, the usual sequence is an auto-renew grace period of up to 45 days, then a redemption period of about 30 days in which the owner can restore the domain for an extra fee, then a short pending-delete phase of around five days before the name is released. Country-code registries set their own rules, so exact timings vary by extension and by registrar.

Common uses

Making sure your own or your clients' domains do not lapse.
Watching a domain you would like to buy in case it is released.
Checking whether a supplier's domain is maintained.
Auditing a list of company domains before a renewal budget is set.

How to avoid an accidental domain expiry

Turn on auto-renew at your registrar and make sure the payment card on the account has not expired. Keep the account's contact email up to date, because renewal reminders are sent there. For important domains, renew for several years at once, and add your own calendar reminder a month before the expiry date as a backup.

Common problems and fixes

The date looks wrong after renewing. Give the registry a little time to update, then check again. Renewal adds time to the existing expiry date rather than starting from today.

No expiry date is shown. A few registries do not publish one. Your registrar's account page will always show it.

The domain says expired but the site still works. During the grace period many registrars keep DNS running, or show a parking page, until the domain is renewed or deleted.

Related tools

WHOIS Lookup shows status codes such as redemptionPeriod in plain English.
Bulk Domain Lookup checks up to 20 domains at once.
Domain Age Checker shows when the registration began.
SSL Expiry Checker checks the other date that often catches site owners out.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check when a domain expires?

Enter the domain in this checker. It reads the expiry date from the registry through RDAP or WHOIS and shows the exact date, the number of days remaining and a simple status: Active, Expiring soon or Expired. If the domain is yours, your registrar's account page shows the same date and the renewal options.

What happens when a domain name expires?

The website and email that use it can stop working. For generic domains, the owner usually has a grace period of up to 45 days to renew at the normal price, then a redemption period of about 30 days to restore it for an extra fee. After a short pending-delete phase, the name is released for anyone to register.

Can I renew a domain after it expires?

Usually yes, for a while. During the grace period renewal normally costs the standard price. During the redemption period it is still possible but registrars charge a restoration fee. Once the domain has been deleted and released, the previous owner has no special right to it and must register it again like anyone else.

When will an expired domain become available?

For most generic domains, roughly 70 to 80 days after the expiry date, once the grace, redemption and pending-delete phases are over. Country-code domains follow their own registry rules, and some registrars auction expiring names earlier. Keep checking the status codes in a WHOIS lookup to see which phase the domain is in.

Why does the expiry date not change right after I renew?

Your registrar sends the renewal to the registry, which usually updates within minutes, but some registries and caches can take longer. Renewal also extends the existing expiry date rather than counting from today, so a one-year renewal adds one year to the date that was already there.

What does Expiring soon mean in this tool?

It means 30 days or fewer remain before the expiry date shown by the registry. It is a reminder, not an error. If the domain is yours, renew it promptly and turn on auto-renew so a payment problem or an old email address does not cause the domain to lapse.

Can someone else renew my domain?

Only the registrar where the domain is held can renew it, and normally only through the owner's account. Be careful with letters or emails offering to renew your domain: some are from companies trying to move it to their own service at a much higher price.

Is domain expiry the same as SSL certificate expiry?

No. Domain expiry is when your registration of the name runs out. SSL certificate expiry is when the security certificate that enables HTTPS stops being valid, usually after a few months. Both can take a website offline, so it is worth checking them separately. Our SSL Expiry Checker covers the certificate side.