How to buy an expired domain
To buy an expired domain, first find out whether the owner can still renew it. Many cannot be bought yet. A .com name can pass through a renewal stage, a 30-day redemption stage and a short pending-delete stage before anyone can register it. Place a backorder if you want it, and check its history before you pay.
Expired does not mean available
Many people see a domain marked expired and assume it is free to take. Usually it is not. The owner can often still renew it, and the registrar may keep it parked while that is possible.
Think of expiry as the start of a queue, not a sale. Until the name is deleted by the registry, nobody else can register it in the normal way. The owner might also renew at the last moment, and then the name never drops at all.
So the first job is patience and checking. Search the name on our /domains/ page. If it shows as taken, it is still registered to someone. If it shows as free, we can register it for you in your own name. Our /buy-domain/ guide explains the other route, which is buying from a current owner.
What happens to a .com name after expiry
For gTLDs such as .com, ICANN describes several statuses a name can pass through. After the registration period ends, the registry may renew the name automatically for a limited time. ICANN calls this autoRenewPeriod, and the owner can still ask the registrar to delete it.
If the name is then deleted, it can enter redemptionPeriod. ICANN says it is held there for 30 days, and the owner can still restore it through the registrar. Five calendar days after redemption ends, the name is purged from the registry database and can be registered again.
ICANN describes pendingDelete as a status that follows 30 days in redemption without a restore. The name stays there for several days before it is purged. Timings can differ between registrars and extensions, so treat this as the general pattern, not a promise for one name.
Backorders and the drop
The moment a name is purged and released is called the drop. Many buyers want the same good names, so people try to be first in line.
A backorder is a request to a service to try to register a name for you the moment it drops. If several people backorder the same name, the service may run an auction or give it to whoever got there first. Rules differ by service, so read the terms before you pay anything.
Do not expect a result. A backorder can fail because someone else wins or the owner renews. Only pay for one if you can accept that outcome. If a name matters to your business, you can also check our marketplace at /#browse, or ask us on WhatsApp whether the current holder will sell directly, with payment held in escrow.
What about .pk and .com.pk names
For .pk and .com.pk, the registry is PKNIC, and we are not part of it. We could not confirm from PKNIC's public pages the exact periods after expiry, so we will not guess them here. Please ask PKNIC directly at staff@pknic.net.pk before planning around a date.
What we can say is how registration works once a name is free. PKNIC fixes the registrant name at registration, so the name must be in the right person's or company's name from day one. The minimum term is two years. PKNIC's fee is Rs 2,100 per year for Pakistan-based registrants from 1 August 2026, and USD 15.99 per year for overseas ones.
See /pk-domain/ and /register-pk-domain/ for the full steps.
Check the history before you pay
An expired name can carry a bad past. A previous owner may have used it for spam, scams or copied content. Search engines and email filters can remember that, even years later.
Before you commit, do these checks:
- Search the exact name on Google and look for odd results or warnings.
- Look at old copies of the site in a web archive to see what it was used for.
- Check whether the name matches a known brand. A trademark clash can cost you the name later.
- Do not assume old links give you rankings. Treat the name as new and build from there.
How we can help
We are a small Pakistani company. We run a marketplace where owners sell existing domains, with payment held in escrow, and a service that checks availability live and registers new names in your own name through PKNIC or a registrar. We are not a registrar.
If an expired name drops and shows as free, tell us on WhatsApp. You pay in rupees by bank transfer, Raast, JazzCash or Easypaisa. We aim to file the same working day the payment arrives. Unpaid orders cancel after 48 hours. If the name is taken before we file, you get a full refund.
If you are unsure what a name is worth, read /domain-value/ first. For ideas while you wait, try /ideas/.
Common questions
Can I buy a domain the day it expires?
Usually not. The owner can often still renew, and the name stays registered until the registry deletes it. Check it on /domains/ and see whether it shows as taken or free.
How long is the redemption period for .com?
ICANN says a name in redemptionPeriod is held for 30 days, and five calendar days after that it is purged and can be registered. Registrars may handle timing differently, so confirm for the name you want.
Does a backorder guarantee I get the domain?
No. Another buyer may win, or the owner may renew. Only pay if you accept that the attempt may fail.
How long until a lapsed .pk name can be registered?
We could not confirm PKNIC's exact periods, so we do not quote any. Ask PKNIC at staff@pknic.net.pk. When it is free, we can register it for you in your own name.
Is an expired domain safe to use?
Not always. Check what it was used for, search the name, review old site copies and look for brand clashes first. A name with a poor past can hurt email delivery.