How to get your expired domain name back

I recently had a client who changed to us from another website designer. Two of their domains had expired and they couldn’t access them to renew. This article explains how we got their .com.au domains back and recovered their expired domain names.

Step 1: Identify the Expired Domains

Start by confirming the domains that have expired. If you or your client is unsure of all the domain names they own, ask for any known website details, emails, or old invoices that may contain domain names. Once you have the domain name you can check the status via a Whois service (like whois.auda.org.au or synergywholesale.com/domain-tools

Step 2: Find Out Where the Domains Were Registered

If your client doesn’t remember where their domains were registered, use Whois lookup tools to identify the domain registrar and the expiration date. For .com.au domains, the registrar’s name will typically appear in the search result under “Registrar Name.”

Step 3: Contact the Previous Registrar

Once you’ve identified the registrar, contact their support team to verify the status of the domain. Explain the situation (that you now manage the website and are looking to recover the expired domains). Provide proof of ownership or any client-related documentation, such as previous invoices or emails used for registration, to facilitate the process. You may find that the domain name registrar is a reseller of services provided by the registrar contact, the registrar contact should be able to provide you with the resellers support contact information and you can repeat step 3 with the reseller.

Step 4: Check the Domain Expiry Grace Period

For .com.au domains, most registrars offer a grace period after expiration, where the domain is still recoverable before it goes into a “redemption period” or becomes available for public re-registration. During this time, the domain can be renewed without penalty. Ask the registrar if the domain is still within the grace period or redemption period.

Step 5: Recover the Domain

If the domain is still within the registrar’s recovery window (whether it’s the grace period or redemption period), follow their instructions to pay the necessary renewal or redemption fees. Once the payment is processed, the domain should be re-registered under the client’s name.

Step 6: Update the Client’s Domain Contact Information

After recovering the domain, log into the registrar’s dashboard to ensure all contact details (email, phone number, etc.) are updated and accurate. This prevents future problems with renewal notifications.

Step 7: Set Auto-Renewal for the Domain

To prevent future domain expiration issues, enable auto-renewal for all the client’s domains. Alternatively, set up reminders for renewal before the domain’s expiration.

Step 8: Transfer Domain Management (if needed)

If the client prefers to manage their domain through your preferred registrar, initiate a domain transfer. Keep in mind that some registrars have a waiting period (usually 60 days) before allowing transfers for newly recovered domains. Ensure that both the current and receiving registrar follow the necessary processes.

Step 9: Verify Domain DNS Settings

Once the domain has been recovered, verify that the DNS settings are correctly configured, especially if the website or email services were interrupted. Make sure that DNS records point to the correct hosting provider to get the website back online.