What is a Dropped Domain?  

Dropped Domains refer to domain names that were previously registered but have not been renewed by their owners within the domain’s expiration period.  

When a domain owner fails to renew their domain registration, the domain is released and becomes available for anyone else to register. These domains are referred to as dropped domains because they have effectively dropped out of the ownership of the previous registrant and are now back in the pool of available domain names. 

What happens when a domain becomes a dropped domain? 

1. Expiration and Renewal Grace Period: When a domain’s registration period ends, the owner has a grace period (usually around 30 days) to renew the domain without any additional fees. During this period, the domain remains inactive, but the owner can still renew it.
2. Redemption Period: If the domain owner does not renew the domain during the grace period, the domain enters a redemption period (usually around 30 days) during which the owner can still recover the domain by paying a redemption fee in addition to the regular renewal cost.
3. Pending Delete Phase: If the domain is not redeemed during the redemption period, it enters the pending delete phase, which lasts for about 5 days. Once this phase ends, the domain is finally released and becomes a dropped domain.
4. Availability for Registration: After the pending delete phase, the dropped domain is released and becomes available for registration by anyone on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dropped domains can be attractive to individuals or businesses looking for valuable domain names since they may have already gained authority and traffic from their previous use. 

However, it is essential to research the history and potential issues associated with dropped domains, as some may carry negative reputations or SEO penalties due to past activities. 

If you want to learn more about our domain acquisition services, contact us today.