Short answer: No. While a domain has an outstanding renewal invoice against it — which is what expiry creates — no registrar will release it. Renew it with the current registrar first, then wait 45 days before transferring, so you do not lose the year you have just paid for. If the site needs to work in the meantime, point the domain at our name servers.
Applies to: Expired domains at any registrar · domains being moved to Infosaic
This comes up in a hurry, usually because a website has gone dark and somebody has just discovered why. The instinct is to move the domain somewhere it will be looked after properly. Unfortunately that is the one thing that cannot be done while it is expired.
The reason is mechanical rather than obstructive. When the expiry date passes, the current registrar raises a renewal invoice, and an unpaid invoice blocks the transfer until at least one year of renewal has been paid.
So the order is fixed: renew, wait, then transfer. Below is how to do that without paying twice.
Why an expired domain cannot move
A domain name cannot be transferred from one registrar to another while there is an outstanding invoice due against it. Once the expiry date passes, that invoice exists automatically and stays in effect until a renewal of at least one year has been paid.
This is not a policy the losing registrar chooses to apply. It is how the registry handles expiry, and every registrar works the same way.
It also means the transfer is not being refused because you are leaving. Paying the renewal clears the block regardless of who you intend to move to.
What to do instead
- Renew the domain with the registrar it is currently at. One year is enough.
- Wait 45 days from the renewal payment.
- Then start the transfer. A year is added to the expiry date when it completes, so you gain the time rather than losing it.
The 45-day wait is the part people skip, and it is the expensive part. Transfer inside that window and the year you have just paid for is forfeited — you buy it, then hand it back.
Renew even if you are certain you are leaving. There is no route that avoids it. Paying a year at the old registrar and waiting 45 days is always cheaper than losing the domain to redemption fees, which run into hundreds.
Keeping your site and email working in the meantime
You do not have to wait 45 days to get the site back up. Pointing and transferring are separate operations, and pointing works immediately.
As soon as the domain is renewed and resolving again, point it at our name servers — dns1.yournameservers.net and dns2.yournameservers.net — and it will serve from your hosting here while the registration stays where it is.
If the domain cannot be pointed for some reason, IP pointing is another route. Open a ticket and tell us the situation; there is usually a way to get the site live the same day.
If the domain has been expired for a while
- Under about 15 to 30 days. We can normally still recover it at the usual price if it was registered through us.
- Past that, in redemption. The registry charges a redemption fee, which is substantially more than a renewal.
- Past redemption. The domain is deleted and released for anyone to register. At that point it is a race, not a renewal.
Speed matters far more than getting the paperwork right. If a domain has lapsed, open a ticket the day you notice, even if you are not sure what you want to do with it.
Questions and answers
Can an expired domain be transferred to another registrar?
No. Expiry creates an outstanding renewal invoice, and that blocks any transfer until at least one year has been renewed.
What should I do with an expired domain I want to move?
Renew it with the current registrar, wait 45 days, then transfer it.
Why do I have to wait 45 days after renewing?
Because a transfer inside 45 days of a renewal forfeits the time just purchased.
Will I lose the year I pay to renew?
Not if you wait the 45 days. When the transfer completes, a year is added to the expiry date.
Can my website work before the transfer is finished?
Yes. Point the domain at dns1.yournameservers.net and dns2.yournameservers.net and it will serve from your Infosaic hosting immediately.
How long do I have before an expired domain is gone for good?
It varies by registrar. Infosaic can usually recover a domain at normal cost for 15 to 30 days after expiry; after that redemption fees apply.
Is IP pointing an option?
Yes, if name server changes are not possible. Open a ticket and we will set it up.
Related articles
- How can I renew my expired domain name?
- Is any registration time lost during a domain transfer?
- How do I transfer my domain to Infosaic?
- How do I manage or point my domain name to Infosaic?
- What are Infosaic’s name servers?
- How do I contact tech support?
Still stuck?
Open a support ticket from your hosting control panel at controlpanel.infosaic.com — that is the fastest route, because it reaches the team who can already see your account. You can also email [email protected].