When does my domain renew, and is this notice real?

How do I find out when my domain renews?

1. Go to ICANN Lookup, type your domain (yourbusiness.com) and run the lookup.
2. Note the Registrar and the expiry date in the results.
3. Search your email for receipts or reminders from that registrar. They show which account and email address the domain uses.
4. Write the date somewhere you’ll see it, such as your calendar a month ahead.

Expected result: you know who to pay and by when.

The short version

• ICANN Lookup shows your domain’s registrar and expiry date.
• Never pay from the letter or an email link. Sign in to the registrar yourself, renew and turn on auto-renew.

Is this renewal notice real?

Some companies send official-looking letters or emails about “domain renewal”, “domain listing” or “search engine registration.” Many are offers to move your domain to them, or bills for things you never ordered. The FTC warns that small businesses get fake invoices for things they never ordered, naming domain registration and SEO services as examples.

Check these before paying anything:

Check	Genuine	Suspicious
Company name	The registrar in ICANN Lookup, or the reseller or host you pay for the domain	A company you’ve never dealt with
Domain name	Your exact domain	A near-match, or a different ending
How to pay	Sign in to your existing account	A form, a phone number, or a “renew now” link to a new site
Wording	A plain reminder	“Final notice”, urgent threats, or small print saying it’s an offer

ICANN’s page on registrants’ benefits says you’re protected from misleading advertising and deceptive notices. The FTC suggests searching an unfamiliar company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint”, and reporting suspicious invoices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How do I renew safely?

1. Type your registrar’s address into your browser and sign in. Don’t use a link from an email you weren’t expecting.
2. Open the domain from your domain list.
3. Renew it. Many registrars let you renew several years at once.
4. Turn on auto-renew. ICANN notes that if you use auto-renew, you must keep your payment details current. An expired card is a common reason domains lapse.
5. Check the contact email. Reminders go there, so use an address someone reads every day.
6. Save the receipt and note the new expiry date.

Renewing doesn’t change your website, email or DNS. Everything keeps working as before.

What happens if it expires?

ICANN’s renewal and expiration FAQ sets the rules for domains like .com, .net and .org:

• Before expiry: the registrar must send two reminders, about a month and about a week before.
• After expiry: another notice within five days. Your website and email may stop. What happens next depends on your registrar’s terms; many still let you renew for a while.
• If the registrar deletes it: a 30-day redemption grace period starts, when you can still get the domain back, often for an extra fee. It starts at deletion, not on the expiry date.
• Pending delete: five more days after redemption, then the domain is released and anyone can register it.

If you were never sent reminders, ICANN accepts complaints through the same FAQ page.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• The reminders go to someone who left. Nobody sees them, and the date slips by. Update the contact and account email to a shared business address.
• An old web company holds the account. Ask them to move the domain into your own account. See who owns my domain, and who do I call.
• Paying a lookalike invoice “just in case”. That can start a transfer to a company you don’t want, or simply lose the money.
• Extra domains. If you own a .net or a misspelling that redirects to your site, renew it while you still use it. Check no email addresses depend on it before letting it go.
• Moving an expired domain. ICANN says a registrar can’t refuse a transfer just because the domain expired, but a domain in redemption must be restored first. See how do I transfer my domain.

What if this didn’t work?

• You renewed but the site is still down: give it a short while, then check the lookup again. If it still shows expired or on hold, call the registrar. If the domain looks fine, see why is my website down.
• You can’t sign in to the registrar: use their account recovery steps, and have proof of the business ready, such as a business registration or a bill in the business’s name.
• It’s in redemption: contact the registrar today. The window is short.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

Renewing takes a few minutes. Prices vary by registrar and by domain ending, and restoring a domain from redemption usually costs more than a normal renewal. Check your registrar’s renewal terms.

How does E-3 handle this?

Some E-3 clients keep their domain in their own registrar account. For others, E-3 handles the renewal. If you’re not sure which applies to you, ask before you pay any notice. Forward the letter or email to support@e3help.me, or call 814-399-4655, and we’ll tell you whether it’s genuine and who should renew it.

If your website or email has already stopped, call rather than email.

Related questions

• What happens if my domain expires?
• Can you buy a new domain name for me?
• Which logins should my business own?