What happens after you buy, renew or transfer a domain

Introduction

Every domain ending, such as .com or .ng, is run by a registry. The registry is the organisation that keeps the official record of who owns each domain and until when.

Paying us for a domain and the registry updating its record are two separate steps. Most domain questions, such as “I paid but it still says awaiting activation”, come from the time between those two steps.

This guide explains what happens after you buy, renew or transfer a domain, and what each status means.

Buying a New Domain

1. You order the domain and an invoice is created.
2. You pay the invoice.
3. The domain is registered with the registry.
4. Its status in the client area changes to active.

Until step 3 is done, the domain shows as awaiting activation.

.ng Domains

Domains ending in .ng, .com.ng, .org.ng, .net.ng and .edu.ng are registered with NiRA, the Nigerian registry. Our team registers these by hand. A paid .ng domain stays awaiting activation until we finish that step. You do not need to do anything.

Two things are worth knowing:

• Check the domain name on your order. If your invoice or order does not show the name you chose, open a ticket with the exact name so we can register it.
• The due date can move by one day. The year is counted from the day the domain becomes active, so the next due date can be one day later than your order date.

If your paid .ng domain stays awaiting activation, open a ticket at client.getlitehost.com/support with the domain name.

Renewing a Domain

Your domain and your hosting are billed separately. Each has its own yearly invoice. Paying one does not renew the other.

Note: If a renewal looks wrong, check which invoice you paid. A paid hosting invoice does not renew the domain.

Renewal invoices are created on the due date itself, not before it. If your domain is due on 10 March, the invoice appears on 10 March. Pay it that day.

Renewed but Still Showing as Expired

There are two records of your domain’s expiry date:

• The client area, which updates as soon as you pay.
• The registry, which is what WHOIS lookups and the rest of the internet see. It updates when the renewal is placed with the registry.

For .ng domains, our team places the renewal by hand. The registry can show the old date for a while after you pay.

If your domain still shows as expired at the registry, or stops working after you paid, open a ticket. Include the domain name and the invoice number.

When a Domain Expires

An expired domain is not lost straight away. It goes through three stages. Each stage is harder to recover from than the one before.

1. Grace period. For about a month after expiry, you can usually still renew at the normal price. For .ng domains the grace period is 30 days. After that, the domain stops working, and so do your website and email.
2. Redemption. Many domain endings then have a redemption period of about another month. The domain can still be recovered, but only with a restore fee that costs much more than a renewal.
3. Deletion. The registry deletes the domain. Anyone can then register it.

Note: Paying a late renewal invoice does not by itself bring back a domain that is in redemption. Open a ticket first. We will check the domain’s status with the registry and tell you what recovering it involves.

Renew before the due date if you can. When a domain lapses, your website and every mailbox on it stop working with it.

Transferring a Domain to Us

A transfer moves a domain you already own from another company to us.

1. At your current company, unlock the domain.
2. Ask them for the authorisation code, also called an EPP code. This is a password that proves you are allowed to move the domain.
3. Order the transfer from our domain search and enter the code at checkout.
4. Watch the inbox of the domain’s contact email. Some companies send an email asking you to approve the move.

The transfer is charged at the registration price for that domain ending. It finishes once your current company releases the domain.

For a .ng domain transfer, or a transfer that has not finished, open a ticket with the domain name.

Getting Help

If something here does not match what you see, open a ticket at client.getlitehost.com/support. Include the domain name and your invoice number. To change where your domain points, see the nameservers guide.