Quick Start Guide
Overview
Managing the lifecycle of a .ie domain is essential for ensuring a continuous online presence for businesses and individuals. This guide provides a concise overview of the deletion policy for .ie domains, outlining the key stages and actions required to manage your domain effectively.
Steps to Manage Your .ie Domain
- Renewal Notice: Pay attention to renewal notifications. Ensure your domain does not expire by renewing it before the expiry date.
- Auto Renew Retry (0-45 Days): If your domain expires, it enters a 45-day Auto Renew Retry period. During this time, you can still renew your domain.
- Redemption Period (46-75 Days): Following the Auto Renew Retry, your domain enters a 30-day Redemption Period. Renewal is still possible but may incur additional fees.
- Pending Delete (76-80 Days): If not renewed during the Redemption Period, the domain enters a 5-day Pending Delete status, during which renewal or re-registration is not possible.
- Deletion and Availability: After 80 days post-expiry, if unpaid, the domain is deleted and made available for new registration.
In-depth Guide
Understanding the .ie Domain Lifecycle
.ie domains follow a structured lifecycle designed to provide multiple opportunities for renewal, even after expiry. This policy ensures domain registrants have ample time to retain ownership of their domains.
Auto Renew Retry Period
Immediately following the expiry date, a .ie domain enters the Auto Renew Retry period lasting 45 days. During this phase, the domain remains active, and website and email services continue uninterrupted. Renewal at this stage is straightforward and does not incur additional fees. This period serves as a grace period for registrants to renew their domains without losing their online services.
Redemption Period
After the Auto Renew Retry period, the domain enters the Redemption Period for 30 days. During this time, the domain is deactivated, resulting in the suspension of related services such as website hosting and email. Renewal is still possible, but typically involves higher fees due to the additional administrative processes required to reactivate the domain. This stage acts as a final reminder and opportunity for registrants to reclaim their domain before it’s released.
Pending Delete
Following the Redemption Period, the domain moves into a Pending Delete status for 5 days. This is the final stage before the domain becomes available for new registration. During Pending Delete, the domain cannot be renewed or re-registered by the original owner. This phase signifies the imminent release of the domain back into the pool for registration by new owners.
Deletion and Availability
After completing the 80-day cycle post-expiry without renewal, the domain is officially deleted. Subsequently, it becomes available for registration by any interested party. This process ensures that valuable domain names can find new owners and continue to serve as a critical online identity for users and businesses.
Throughout the lifecycle of a .ie domain, SmartHost communicates with the domain’s Registrant Contact and Administrative Contact via email, informing them of the status changes and providing guidance on renewal processes. Domain owners need to keep their contact information updated to receive these important notifications.
By understanding the .ie domain deletion policy, registrants can effectively manage their domains, avoiding unintended service interruptions and ensuring their online presence remains secure.
FAQs About .IE Domains – The .IE Domain Deletion Policy
If you don’t renew your .ie domain by its expiry date, it enters the Auto Renew Retry period for 45 days, during which you can still renew the domain without additional fees. Failure to renew during this period leads to the Redemption Period, followed by Pending Delete status, and eventually, the domain will be deleted and made available for new registration.
Yes, you can renew your .ie domain during the 30-day Redemption Period. However, renewing during this period may involve additional fees due to the administrative processes required to reactivate the domain.
The Pending Delete status is the final 5-day period after the Redemption Period during which the domain cannot be renewed or re-registered by the original owner. After this period, the domain is deleted and becomes available for new registration.
It takes 80 days after the expiration date for a .ie domain to be deleted and become available for new registration if it remains unpaid and unrenewed.
SmartHost contacts both the Registrant Contact and Administrative Contact via email at various stages of the domain’s lifecycle, including prior to expiration, during the Auto Renew Retry period, upon entry into the Redemption Period, and before transitioning to Pending Delete status. It’s crucial to keep your contact information up to date to receive these notifications.
If your .ie domain has entered the Redemption Period, you should contact SmartHost as soon as possible to renew the domain. Be aware that renewing during this period may incur additional fees.
No, you cannot renew or re-register your .ie domain during the Pending Delete status. You must wait until the domain is deleted and becomes available for new registration to attempt to re-register it.
Once a .ie domain is deleted, it is immediately available for registration by anyone on a first-come, first-served basis. If you wish to recover a deleted .ie domain, you will need to register it again, subject to its availability.
Renewing a .ie domain during the Auto Renew Retry period usually does not incur additional fees. However, renewing during the Redemption Period often involves additional fees due to the domain’s deactivation and the administrative effort required to reactivate it.
