How much does it cost to get it back?

Renewing in the short window often costs the normal yearly price. Restoring from redemption adds a fee set by the company, which they have to publish. Ask before you agree.

Will my email come back too?

Often, once the domain is restored and its settings are back. If your email plan lapsed too, renew that as well.

Whose name should the domain be in?

Yours, or your business’s, with an email you check. Not your web person’s, and not a former employee’s.

My domain expired. Can I get it back?

Often, yes, if you act quickly. An expired domain goes through stages, and each one is harder to undo. Here’s how to tell which stage yours is in.

You’ll work with Isaac Riehm, founder · Scottsdale, Arizona

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(623) 252-4330

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What happens after it expires

Exact timing depends on the company your domain is registered with. This is the usual order for .com and similar endings.

1It expires. Soon after, your site and any email on that address can stop. GoDaddy, for example, parks the domain 5 days after it expires.
2A short window to renew. You can still renew from your account. At GoDaddy, a recovery fee applies from day 18.
3Redemption. The domain sits in a 30-day redemption period. Only the company it was registered with can restore it, for an extra fee.
4Released. About 5 days after redemption ends, anyone can register it, including people who buy expired names to resell.

Check it yourself

1Go to lookup.icann.org and enter your domain. It shows the company it’s registered with, the expiry date, and its status.
2If the status mentions “redemption,” you’re in the 30-day period. “Pending delete” means it’s about to be released.
3Search your email for that company’s name. Renewal notices often go to an old address.
4Find out whose account the domain is in. If it’s a former web person’s, read the ownership page.

Or let the free site checker look for you Do I own my website?

What you can fix yourself

Still in the renewal window: log in and renew it. Turn on auto-renew, with a card that won’t expire soon.
In redemption: call the company it’s registered with and ask them to “restore the domain from redemption.” The account holder pays the fee.
Ask for the fee before you agree. Companies have to publish what a restore costs.
Renewing the domain may not bring the site back. If the website plan lapsed too, renew that as well.
Ignore strangers who email offering to recover it. Deal only with the company your domain is registered with.

If someone else got it first

Once it’s released and someone registers it, you can’t force it back. Getting it usually means buying it from them, if they’ll sell.

Often the better move is a new address, with your city or trade in it. Then update Google, Yelp, and your other listings so customers follow you.

When to call me

The first call and a look are free. You know the price before any work starts.

It’s in redemption, and you want someone on the line while you call the domain company.
The domain is back, but the site isn’t.
The domain was registered in someone else’s name.
You lost the address and need your site on a new one.

Walking you through getting the domain back from the company it’s registered with is free.

$150A small fix
The domain is back, and one setting has to point it at your site again.
Paid in full when you sign. Done within 2 business days of payment and access.
$900Rebuild or new site
The site didn’t come back, or it needs to live on a new address. A new site, set up in your name.
Half to start, half when it’s done. Done within 10 business days of the deposit, access, and your photos and words.

What each flat price covers

Tell me your web address and what you see.