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Expired Domain Drop-Date Estimator
An expired domain drop-date estimator turns a single expiry date into the full ICANN deletion timeline, so the day a name finally drops and becomes re-registerable can be planned for instead of guessed at. A domain does not become available the moment it expires: it moves through an auto-renew grace period, a 30-day redemption window, and a 5-day pending-delete queue before the registry releases it, and missing that release window means losing the name to a faster drop-catcher.
This free tool runs the real date arithmetic for you. Enter a domain and it looks up the real registry expiry date and status from public RDAP (the modern WHOIS), or set the date manually, then it maps each phase to a calendar date and gives an estimated drop date as a range, because the auto-renew grace period is set by the registrar. The domain lookup queries the public registry; nothing else is uploaded, and manual date entry stays entirely in your browser.
🌐 Note: the domain lookup sends the domain name to the public RDAP / WHOIS registry to read its real expiry date and status. Manual date entry stays fully in your browser.
How to use the drop-date estimator
Enter a domain to look up its real expiry date, or set it manually, pick the TLD lifecycle, and read each phase off the timeline. The estimated drop date updates instantly as the inputs change.
Let the tool read the registry expiry date for you
Type a domain and the tool fetches its authoritative Registry Expiry Date and current status straight from public RDAP, the registry-run successor to WHOIS, then anchors every later phase to it. That registry date, not the one your registrar dashboard shows, is what ICANN deletion policy keys off, so a name whose registrar account lapsed weeks earlier can still carry a future registry expiry. If a TLD does not publish public RDAP, enter the expiry date by hand and the same timeline math applies. RDAP also reports when a name is already in redemption or pending delete, which sharpens the estimate.
Read the auto-renew grace as a range, not a fixed date
The first phase after expiry is the auto-renew grace period, and it is the one number ICANN does not fix: registrars may set it anywhere from 0 to 45 days, and many auto-renew the domain instead of letting it lapse. That is why the estimated drop date is shown as a range rather than a single day. The slider lets you set a typical assumption, around 30 days, for the headline estimate, while the range underneath spans the full 0-to-45-day window so a drop-catching plan can cover the earliest realistic release.
Treat ccTLDs as a separate problem entirely
Country-code domains such as .uk, .de, and .io do not follow the gTLD redemption-and-pending-delete model, so selecting the ccTLD option tells you so rather than printing dates that would be wrong. Nominet’s .uk runs a roughly 90-day suspension followed by a 30-day cancellation, DENIC’s .de has no public redemption window and drops on registry deletion, and others differ again. For any ccTLD, read the specific registry policy and treat its published schedule, not the ICANN gTLD lifecycle, as the source of truth.
Expired domain drop-date frequently asked questions
Q1How long after a domain expires does it drop?
For standard gTLDs like .com and .net, a domain typically drops 70 to 80 days after expiry, but the exact figure depends on the registrar. The fixed part is a 30-day redemption grace period plus a 5-day pending-delete window, which together total 35 days. Before those is an auto-renew grace period of 0 to 45 days that the registrar sets, which is why the estimate is given as a range rather than a single date.
Q2What are the stages between expiry and the drop?
A gTLD passes through four stages. First the auto-renew grace period, where the registrar may renew the name and the owner can still recover it. Then the 30-day Redemption Grace Period, where only the original registrant can restore it, usually for a fee. Then a 5-day pending-delete queue where nothing can stop the deletion. After that the domain drops and becomes available for anyone to register.
Q3Why does the tool give a date range instead of one day?
Because the auto-renew grace period is not fixed by ICANN. Each registrar chooses its own length, anywhere from 0 to 45 days, and may even auto-renew the domain instead of releasing it. The redemption and pending-delete windows are fixed, but that variable first phase shifts the final drop date by up to 45 days, so a responsible estimate has to be a range. The tool also shows a single typical estimate based on the assumption you set with the slider.
Q4Does this tool work for ccTLDs like .uk or .io?
No, and it deliberately tells you so. Country-code registries run their own deletion schedules that do not match the ICANN gTLD model. Nominet’s .uk uses a suspension and cancellation period, DENIC’s .de drops on registry deletion with no public redemption window, and others vary. Selecting the ccTLD option returns guidance to check the specific registry policy rather than printing gTLD dates that would not apply.
Q5Is the estimated drop date guaranteed to be accurate?
No. It is a structured estimate built from documented ICANN gTLD lifecycle rules and real date math, not a live status check. Registrars can delete a name early, renew it on the owner’s behalf, or process deletions in batches that shift the exact moment. Always confirm the live domain status in WHOIS or RDAP before acting on a drop date, and treat the timeline as a planning aid rather than a promise.
