If a domain name expires, your website and email services can become unavailable. To prevent service interruptions and protect your brand, it's crucial to renew your domain name before its expiration date. This topic covers the domain renewal process, the lifecycle stages after expiration, and how to recover an expired domain name.
Domain name lifecycle and renewal policy
A domain name progresses through several stages from registration to deletion. Each stage has a different timeframe and cost implication. It is always best and most cost-effective to renew your domain name before it expires.
Stage | Duration | DNS status | Action and cost |
Active period | Within the validity period | Resolves normally | Renew at the standard price. |
Renewal grace period | Typically a 30-day period after expiration Note The grace period for | DNS resolution is suspended | Renew at the standard price. |
Redemption period | Typically 31–60 days after expiration Note For CNNIC-managed domain names (such as | DNS resolution is suspended | Redemption requires a high fee, significantly more than the standard renewal price. |
Pendingdeletion period | After the redemption period ends | Pending deletion | The domain name cannot be recovered by the original registrant. It will be deleted by the registry and released for public registration. |
The exact status and deadlines for your domain name are displayed in the Alibaba Cloud Management Console.
If you renew or redeem a domain name and then transfer it away from Alibaba Cloud within 45 days, the renewal year is forfeited, and no refund will be issued. To avoid this, complete the domain transfer before renewing it, or wait at least 45 days after renewal to initiate the transfer. For more information, see Transfer out from Alibaba Cloud.
Procedure
Log on to the Domain Names console and go to Domain Names page.
Ensure you are logged on with the Alibaba Cloud account that owns the domain name or a RAM user who has been granted domain management permissions.
From the domain names list, you can renew domain names individually or in bulk:
Single renewal: Find the domain name you want to renew and click Renew in the Actions column.
Batch renewal: Select the checkboxes next to the domain names you want to renew, and click Renew at the bottom of the list.
On the order confirmation page, select the renewal period for each domain name, agree to the terms of service, and click Buy Now to proceed with payment.
DNS resolution recovery after renewal
After you renew an expired domain name, DNS resolution must be restored. The time this takes depends on DNS propagation and caching.
DNS provider | Estimated recovery time |
Alibaba Cloud DNS | Up to 24 hours |
Third-party DNS | 24–48 hours |
Troubleshoot renewal failures
Category | Cause | Solution |
Payment issues | Insufficient account balance. | Top up your account balance and try again. |
The selected payment method is invalid or has expired. | Update your payment method and try again. | |
Your account has overdue payments. | Settle all overdue payments before proceeding. | |
Domain status issues | The domain name has a status like | This status prevents renewal. Contact support to have it removed. |
Real-name verification is incomplete (required for TLDs like | Complete the identity verification process first. |
FAQ
Does Alibaba Cloud support auto-renewal for domain names?
No. Auto-renewal is not currently available for domain names on the Alibaba Cloud international site (alibabacloud.com). You must renew your domain name manually.Why do I see a "Failed to get product" or "Unpaid order exists" error during renewal?
This usually indicates an existing unpaid or pending order for the same domain name. Navigate to the My Orders page, find the pending order, and either complete the payment or cancel it. Then, try the renewal process again.Can I use Alipay to renew a domain name on the Alibaba Cloud international site?
No. The Alibaba Cloud international site only accepts international payment methods like credit cards and PayPal.