Lost domains: Getting a Domain Name Back

Many domain owners overlook the value of a domain name that had previously existing content residing on it. People often view domains as intangible products that simply identify a brand and contain a website. While these are true, there is more nuance and value to an established domain name. With this knowledge, losing a domain name (due to one of a variety of issues) can be painful. So what happens when you lose a domain? Getting a domain back can be a complicated and confusing process, but you do have some options. If you're worried about a domain that’s no longer in your control, stay tuned as we'll dig deeper into lost domains and your options on how to get your domain name back. 

 

How You Can Lose Your Domain Name

 

When you register a domain name, it becomes a crucial asset to your business and branding. Losing a well-established domain can be like losing property if you’ve used it for a long period of time. So, how can it get lost? Here are some common scenarios:

 

• The domain name expired, and the registrant failed to renew it.

• Unauthorized domain transfers without the registrant's knowledge.

• Changes in the domain's WHOIS information without the registrant's permission.

• Domain suspended or terminated due to violating the registrar's registration agreement. 

• Unable to verify the domain's WHOIS information.

• The domain was unlawfully stolen.

 

If you find yourself in any of these scenarios, the process of getting a domain name back can be an expensive and extensive journey. But fear not, all is not lost. There are still opportunities to get your domain back!

 

Expired Domains vs. New Domain Owners

 

Before jumping straight into getting a domain name back, we need to differentiate between domain expiration and losing domain ownership. As seen earlier, there are many ways that you can lose a domain, and it is not so black and white to get it back.

 

One of the most common ways to lose your domain is through expiration. You can check out the domain expiration lifecycle in our past blog post! With this in mind, domains are not a permanent purchase but temporary ownership.  Depending on the registrar, there are ways you can get your domain name back and even set up auto-renewals to prevent this. If your domain has expired, read the ‘Getting a Domain Name Back with Dynadot’ section for more info!

 

In another scenario, let's say you lost a domain somehow, and now it is registered to another registrant. This is where getting a domain back gets a little more complex. The first step is to find out who this registrant is. You can identify the new owner by using a WHOIS lookup tool and trying to contact them with the provided information from the results (if they are not using privacy services). However, if they do have domain privacy enabled, the process transfers to contacting the registrar in hopes of reaching out to the new owner. You can also create a dispute claim to bring the registrar’s attention to potentially contacting the new owner.

 

Some honest domain owners will either return it at no cost or meet a reasonable price deal in some cases. Unfortunately, these cases are unlikely. If the new owner DOES respond, be prepared to negotiate prices and potentially prove your previous domain ownership. Furthermore, always be on the lookout for your domain in expired domain or backorders auctions. You'll never know what will happen, but it's worth a try. Most of the time, reclaiming your domain from another owner or buying it off in an auction makes getting a domain name back complicated and pricey. 

 

Getting a Domain Name Back with Dynadot

 

Luckily with expired domains at Dynadot, there is a renewal grace period of 40-days. Within the first 30 days, renewal costs are equal to the renewal costs of the domain’s TLD. However, going into the last 10 days, a fee of $10 is added on top of the regular renewal price. Beyond this 40 day period, it may still be possible to restore your domain but the cost increases significantly and is determined by the TLD as the domain is no longer under the registrar or reseller’s control. There is a possibility that getting your domain name back isn’t an option.  

 

So how do you renew a domain?

 

1. Sign in to your Dynadot account.

2. From the left-side menu look for "My Domains" and select "Manage Domains" in the drop-down tab.

3. Check off the domain name(s) to renew then select the "Bulk Action" button.

4. Double-check the "Renew" section from the "Bulk Action" list.

5. The selected domain(s) will be added to your shopping cart in addition to any domain privacy that you have with them.

6. Press the "Shopping Cart" logo at the top and proceed with the "Check Out" buttons to finalize your order.

 

Check out how to set up auto-renewal so you can prevent the risk of losing your domains in the future! Now that we know the complicated process of retrieving a lost domain,  domain name holders should take extra care and precaution to keep their domains secure.

 

You can explore our aftermarket to attempt to retrieve lost domains!