How renewal works
- Nominet says the best way to renew a .UK domain is through your registrar, which can confirm the cost and any linked services such as website or email (The UK Domain).
- .UK domains can be registered for between 1 and 10 years at a time (The UK Domain).
- Whenever you renew, the new period runs from the existing expiry date, not from the day you pay (The UK Domain).
- Linked products such as hosting or email may have different expiry dates from the domain.
What happens if it isn’t renewed
Nominet describes this lifecycle for .UK domains. Your registrar may suspend services sooner (The UK Domain, checked 20 October 2026):
| Stage | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry | The anniversary of registration | If the registrar hasn’t renewed, Nominet emails the registrant’s contact address with the registrar’s details. |
| Expiry grace period | Expiry to +30 days | Expired but still exists; can be renewed through the registrar. |
| Redemption grace period | +30 to +90 days | Still renewable; the domain appears on Nominet’s daily drop list. |
| Pending delete | +90 to +95 days | No longer renewable; queued for deletion. |
| Deletion | +95 days | The domain is deleted and available for anyone to register. |
If your registrar has stopped trading, Nominet explains how to move to a new one, and says domains can be renewed directly with Nominet through Online Services for £80 plus VAT, covering the domain only (The UK Domain, checked 20 October 2026).
A renewal plan for small organisations
- Auto-renew switched on at the registrar.
- Payment card held by the organisation, with its expiry date in the treasurer’s diary.
- Renewal reminders going to a role inbox that more than one person reads.
- Consider a multi-year renewal to reduce the number of renewal moments.
- Renewal date in the trustees’ annual calendar alongside insurance and accounts.
- Website hosting and email renewals checked separately from the domain.
And never renew through an unexpected letter or email from a company you don’t recognise. See fake renewal notices.
Questions people ask
How long can we register a .uk or .org.uk domain for?
Between 1 and 10 years at a time, according to Nominet.
If we renew early, do we lose the remaining time?
No. Nominet says the renewal period runs from your existing expiry date, whenever you renew.
Our domain expired last week. Is it gone?
Probably not. Nominet describes a 30-day expiry grace period and a redemption period up to 90 days in which the domain can still be renewed through your registrar. Contact them now.
Related guides
Who should be the registrant?
Why a charity’s domain should be registered to the organisation, not a volunteer, and how to set it up properly.
Fake renewal notices & scams
How to spot fake domain renewal invoices, misleading offers and spoof ‘Nominet’ emails, and what to do.
Moving or transferring a domain
Switching registrar versus changing the registrant: the two different ‘transfers’, and how each works for .UK domains.
Domain security checklist
A one-page checklist for trustees: access, 2FA, renewals, records and who to call, linked to Charity Commission and NCSC guidance.