Redemption fee
The redemption fee is what a registrar charges to recover a domain that has entered redemptionPeriod (typically 30 days after auto-renew grace ends). It is set by the registrar, not the registry, and varies widely: $80 at GoDaddy, $189 at Namecheap, up to $300+ for premium gTLDs and some ccTLDs. The fee is in addition to a year of standard renewal.
Also known as: Restoration fee
In depth
Once a domain progresses past autoRenewPeriod into redemptionPeriod, the registrar has formally deleted it at the registry level. To recover the domain the registrar must submit a "restore" command to the registry, which is a high-fee operation.
Registries charge registrars a wholesale restoration fee — Verisign's published .com/.net restore fee is roughly $40, with other registries in the $30-$80 range and premium TLDs higher. Registrars mark this up substantially to charge the end customer the redemption fee. The markup varies wildly by registrar.
For comparison: GoDaddy charges roughly $80, Namecheap $189, Network Solutions $119, Cloudflare does not allow redemption (you lose the domain). Premium ccTLDs can charge $300+.
The redemption fee is in addition to the year of renewal you must pay to actually keep the domain. So the total cost to recover a $10/year .com domain is roughly $10 (renewal) + $80-$200 (redemption fee) = $90-$210.
Examples
- GoDaddy redemption fee for .com: approximately $80, plus 1 year of renewal at standard pricing.
- Namecheap redemption fee for .com: approximately $189, plus 1 year of renewal.
- Premium ccTLDs (.ai, .tv): $200-$300 redemption fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to recover a domain in redemptionPeriod?
Set by the registrar, typically $80-$300 plus a year of renewal. Total cost depends on registrar policy.
Can I avoid the redemption fee?
Renew before redemption. The auto-renew grace period (first 45 days post-expiry) only requires a normal renewal. Once redemption starts the fee is unavoidable.
Why is the redemption fee so high?
The registry charges the registrar $50-$80 wholesale; registrars mark up to cover support cost and discourage casual recoveries. The fee also covers the 30-day infrastructure to keep the domain in a recoverable state.
Is the redemption fee the same at every registrar?
No. It varies dramatically. GoDaddy is $80, Namecheap is $189, others vary. Cloudflare does not offer redemption at all.
After redemption, what happens?
The domain returns to active "ok" status, paid for the year you renewed. The previous expiration date is replaced with the new renewal-based date.
Related terms
References
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