Expired domain guides
Plain-English guides to how domains expire, how to catch them when they drop, and how to tell a good name from a risky one. Start with what an expired domain is, or jump to the part you need.
The basics
What is an expired domain?
Why names expire, where they go next, and what makes one worth buying.
Expiry, redemption and pending delete
The stages a domain passes through before anyone else can register it.
What is pending delete?
The last five days of a domain's life, and how to be ready when it drops.
The domain redemption period
What happens in the 30 days after the grace period, and what it costs to restore a name.
How .uk domains drop
Nominet's rules for expired .uk and .co.uk names, and how to catch one.
Types of expired domains
Pending delete, deleted, auction, closeout and caught names, and what each means for you.
Aged domains explained
What an aged domain is, what age really does for you, and how to find and check one.
Whois and RDAP explained
What a domain lookup shows, why owner details are hidden, and how to read the dates.
Finding and buying
How to find expired domains
Where expired domains come from, the fastest ways to find good ones, and how to get alerts.
How to buy an expired domain
Step by step, from finding a name to owning it: register, backorder or bid.
Where to buy expired domains
The auction sites, backorder services and registrars worth knowing, and what each is for.
Auctions, backorders and drop-catching
How expiring names are sold, and which route suits which domain.
How to backorder a domain
What a backorder is, when it is worth it, what it costs and how to place one.
Drop catching explained
How drop-catchers grab names in the first second, and what that means for you.
How many expired domains get caught?
Our own figures: what share of dropped names are registered again straight away, by quality score.
Expired domain tools compared
Drop lists, research tools, auction houses and drop-catchers: what each kind of tool is for.
Vetting and value
How to check a domain before you buy
A practical checklist for archive history, backlinks, spam and trademarks.
How to choose a good expired domain
Tips for picking a name that is easy to use, safe to build on and worth the money.
Expired domain red flags
The warning signs that mean you should walk away from a name, however good it looks.
How to value a domain
What makes a name worth more, how to compare sales, and how to avoid overpaying.
How we score domains
What goes into our quality score, brandability, radio test and fair-value estimate.
Expired domain or new domain?
Which to choose for a new business or project, and what each costs.
SEO and using the name
Are expired domains good for SEO?
What an old name can and cannot do for rankings, and how to use one without risk.
Expired domains with backlinks
How to find expired domains that still have good links, check them, and use them safely.
Redirecting an expired domain
When a 301 redirect from an old name helps, and how to do it without wasting it.
Building a site on an expired domain
Step by step, from first checks to a site that earns back the name's trust.
Expired domains for small businesses
How a local business can find a short, trusted name and avoid the traps.
Reference
Look up a term in the expired domain glossary, browse every answer on the FAQ page, or read our web hosting guides for what to do once the name is yours.