Note: This document provides a summary of the ICANN-accredited registrar requirements related to the Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP) and Expired Domain Deletion Policy (EDDP). These policies are ICANN Consensus Policies and the EDDP is incorporated into the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement at Section 3.7.5. The summary does not override or replace the requirements set forth in the ERRP, EDDP, Registrar Accreditation Agreement or other ICANN specifications or policies. Please refer to the text of the relevant agreements, specifications and policies to review and understand the terms used in this summary and the full contractual requirements for registrars. 

Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP) 

Notification Requirements

• Registrar must send two (2) notices to the Registered Name Holder (RNH) before a domain’s expiration date:
  • One month before (within 26 – 35 days timeframe is acceptable)
  • One week before (within 4 – 10 days timeframe is acceptable)
• Registrar must send one (1) notification to the RNH after a domain’s expiration date, if the domain is not renewed or is deleted:
  • Send within 5 days of the domain’s expiration date
• The notice must be in the language of the registration agreement.
• The notice must not require affirmative action from RNH.

Post Expiration

• Registrars can delete the domain any time after it expires.
• ERRP requires interruption of DNS after domain expires
• Action sequence: Domain Expires à DNS interruption  à Deletion
  • For domains deleted within 8 days of expiration:
    • DNS must be interrupted from the date of expiration until the date of deletion;
  • For domains deleted 8 days or more days after expiration:
    • DNS must be interrupted at least the last eight days the domain is renewable by the Registrant at Expiration (RAE).
  • Domain must be renewable by RAE during the DNS interruption period.
  • If registrar directs the domain to a different page, then that page must indicate the domain has expired and have renewal instructions to inform the RAE how to renew the domain.
  • If RAE renews domain, DNS must be restored immediately (as soon as commercially reasonable).

Redemption Grace Period

• All non-sponsored gTLD registries must offer such period.
• Redemption Grace Period is a 30-day period following deletion where RAE can restore the domain.
• Registrar must allow RAE to restore domain if offered by registry.

Fee Information

• Registrars must make these fees reasonably available to RNH and prospective RNH at time of registration:
  • Renewal fees
  • Post-expiration renewal fees (if different from renewal fees)
  • Redemption/restore fees
• At minimum, these fees shall be:
  • On registrar’s website (if used)
  • In registration agreement
  • On reseller’s websites (if used)

Notification Methods

If Registrar uses a website:

• Must include information on how the expiration reminder notices will be transmitted to the RNH (Example: email, postal mail, etc.).
  • Must have similar description or link on website to where this information is displayed in the registrar’s registration agreements.
• Information must also be displayed on resellers’ websites (if the reseller uses website).

Expired Domain Deletion Policy (EDDP)

Registrars must delete the domain if RNH does not renew the domain, unless any of following circumstances exist:

• UDRP action
• Court order
• Failure of registrar’s renewal process
• Nameserver provides DNS to third parties
• RNH is subject to bankruptcy proceedings
• Payment dispute (where RNH claims to have paid for a renewal or difference in amount paid)
• Billing dispute (where RNH disputes amount on bill)
• Domain is subject to litigation
• Other circumstance approved specifically by ICANN, e.g. https://www.icann.org/news/blog/assisting-registrants-in-areas-affected-by-hurricane-maria

If a domain is renewed under one of the above extenuating circumstances, Registrar must maintain a record of the circumstances for ICANN’s inspection.

Absent an extenuating circumstance, a domain must also be deleted within 45 days of termination of registration agreement by either registrar or RNH.

Notification Requirement

• Registrars must provide notice to RNH of:
  • Deletion policy
  • Auto-renewal policy
  • Changes to these policies (Registrar must use same effort it would use to provide RNH notice of any other material change(s) to registration agreement)
• Deletion/Auto-renewal policies must be on registrar’s website (if used)
• Recovery fees charged during Redemption Grace Period must be on Registrar’s website (if used) and provided to RNH at time of registration

Domain Expiry During UDRP Proceeding

• EDDP applies to domains that expire or are deleted during UDRP.
• Registrars must give UDRP Complainant a right to renew or restore the domain(s) under same commercial terms as the registrant.
• If UDRP Complainant does renew/restore the domain(s), Registrar must:
  1. Lock the registration and place it on hold at the registry. The lock prevents the domain from being deleted, updated or transferred, and the hold will additionally prevent the domain from resolving.
  2. Stop providing the registrant’s information through Registrar’s RDDS services.
  3. Ensure that the RDDS data for the domain indicates that the domain is subject to dispute.