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.uk domain expiry changes in February 2027
Updated 12 November 2026
On 9 February 2027 Nominet, which runs the .uk registry, moves .uk domains onto the same expiry lifecycle that most other domain extensions use. If you're waiting for an expired .co.uk, .uk, .org.uk or .me.uk domain, it is likely to become available sooner than it would today.
How .uk expiry works today
When a .uk domain isn't renewed, it goes through three stages before Nominet releases it:
- Days 1 to 30, expiry grace: the owner can still renew, and the website and email keep working.
- Days 30 to 90, redemption: the domain stops working, but the owner can still renew it.
- Days 90 to 95, pending delete: the domain can no longer be renewed, and Nominet publishes the exact drop time.
The domain becomes available to register again about 95 days after it expired.
How it works from 9 February 2027
- Renewal grace, up to 45 days: the length is set by the owner's registrar. The owner can still renew.
- Redemption, 30 days: the domain stops working. The registrar can still restore it.
- Pending delete, 5 days: the domain can no longer be restored, and the drop time is set.
Most domains will drop roughly 35 to 80 days after expiry, instead of about 95.
What this means if you want an expired domain
- Names will drop sooner, and the timing will vary more. The grace period depends on the owner's registrar, so two domains that expired on the same day may drop weeks apart.
- Book early. With Drop Catcher, booking is free at any stage. We watch the domain around the clock and try to register it the moment it drops, including if it is cancelled early.
- You still pay only if we catch it: £35, including the first year's registration. If several people book the same name, it goes to a private 72-hour auction between them. If we don't catch it, you pay nothing.
What this means if you own a .uk domain
If you want to keep a domain, renew it before it expires. After 9 February 2027 the time you have to recover a lapsed domain will be shorter than it is today.
Read more: What is drop catching? and How Drop Catcher works.
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