How does domain name expiration work?

[Thomas Charron]

On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 17:20:22 -0400, Larry Cook <lcook at sybase.com> wrote:
> I've been watching a domain name that I'd like to grab.  It is now a month
> past expiration but GoDaddy still reports it as not available.

  Ok, basically, it's up to the registry itself.  TYPICALLY, what ends
up happening is the domain will 'expire'.  About a month later, the
domain will go into 'redemption period'.  Typically, you can tell what
the period is going to be by looking at the last modified date in the
whois info.  One month after that, it will go pending delete.  Pending
delete typically lasts about a week.

  It MAY be possible with GoDaddy to put an administrative hold on it
and get it for yourself IF the owners do not renew it.  Remember..  Up
untill it's gone, they can take it back, even in pending delete.