What Happens When a Tucows Domain Expires?
Tucows is a major domain registrar that operates the OpenSRS reseller network, powering domain registrations for thousands of hosting companies and resellers worldwide. When a Tucows/OpenSRS domain expires, the expired inventory is sent to GoDaddy Auctions. Tucows has one of the longest grace periods in the industry at 40 days.
Tucows Expired Domain Timeline
| Days After Expiration | Phase | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0–40 | Grace Period | Owner can renew at standard price. Domain may be parked. |
| ~Day 41–45 | Auction Period | Domain listed on GoDaddy Auctions. Live auction runs. |
| ~Day 40–70 | Redemption Period | Domain can be redeemed if not sold at auction. Extra fee applies. |
| Day 70–75 | Pending Delete | Registry randomizes deletion over 5 days for fair access. |
| Day 75+ | Domain Drop | Domain becomes available for public registration. |
Tucows Domain Grace Period
After a Tucows domain expires, the registrant has approximately 40 days to renew the domain at the standard renewal price. During this time, Tucows may update the DNS and point the domain to a parked page. Tucows may also begin accepting backorders for the domain from interested parties during the grace period.
Where Does Tucows Auction Expired Domains?
Tucows sends its expired domain inventory to GoDaddy Auctions. This was a major industry shift — Tucows previously sent expired domains to NameJet (from 2009 to 2016), then moved to GoDaddy Auctions in late 2016. The expired domains follow the standard GoDaddy auction timeline once listed.
Tucows and OpenSRS
Tucows operates OpenSRS, one of the largest domain reseller platforms in the industry. Many web hosting companies and domain resellers use OpenSRS as their backend registrar. If your domain's WHOIS shows "Tucows Domains Inc." or "OpenSRS" as the registrar, it follows the Tucows expiration process described on this page.
Common resellers that use Tucows/OpenSRS as their backend registrar include various web hosting companies, website builders, and smaller domain registrars. The expiration timeline is the same regardless of which reseller you purchased the domain through.
Tucows Domain Redemption Period
During the redemption period (approximately days 40–70), there are three possible outcomes:
- If the domain is not auctioned or acquired, it is dropped and becomes available for public registration
- Tucows may retain some expired names and place landing pages with advertising on them
- If sold at auction, the domain is acquired by the winning bidder and is not available for re-registration