pendingDelete: the 5-day window before a domain drops

pendingDelete is the last automated phase in the standard gTLD lifecycle defined by RFC 3915 (Domain Registry Grace Period Mapping for the EPP). The 5-day window is mandated between when a registry accepts a delete and when the domain is actually purged. During this window the registrant has zero ability to recover the name — the redemption window has already closed.

For .com, .net, and most legacy gTLDs the deletion happens within a roughly predictable window (the "drop time") set by Verisign and other registries. Drop-catch services and individual buyers compete to register the moment the registry releases the name.

Many ccTLDs have their own rules. .uk uses a 30-day grace plus a 90-day "Protected" period — the protected period serves the same role as redemption, with no separate pendingDelete phase. .de does not implement redemption or pendingDelete in the gTLD sense; once DENIC releases a domain (often via the TRANSIT process) it can return to the public pool without the standard 5-day countdown.

1. 01

   Day 0 — entered pendingDelete

   The registry has accepted the registrar deletion request and started the 5-day countdown.

2. 02

   Day 1–4 — irreversible window

   The original registrant cannot restore the domain even by paying redemption fees. The status will not change.

3. 03

   Day 5 — drop

   The registry deletes the registration. For .com/.net the drop happens within a published Verisign-controlled window in the UTC afternoon. The domain is now available for anyone to register.

4. 04

   Day 5 + minutes

   Drop-catch services compete to register the domain at scale. Manual registration is rarely successful for high-value names.

• Add the domain to a watchlist now if you have not already. Status changes are the cleanest signal you will get.
• Check the exact drop time for the TLD. .com/.net drop in a narrow UTC-afternoon window; .io and .ai have their own schedules.
• Decide whether to use a drop-catch backorder service for high-demand names. Pricing is typically $59–$80 per attempt with no guarantee.
• For low-demand names, manual registration at the drop time often works — keep a registrar checkout tab open.
• Do not pay aftermarket prices to the current registrant during pendingDelete. They cannot transfer the name.

• A .com domain enters pendingDelete on Monday morning UTC. It will drop the following Saturday in the standard Verisign drop window.
• A .io domain in pendingDelete may be picked up by a backorder service that paid for premium queue position. Most drops are caught within 1 second of release.
• A premium 4-letter .com that hits pendingDelete will almost certainly be caught by DropCatch, SnapNames, or NameJet — manual registration is unlikely to succeed.

• redemptionPeriodredemptionPeriod is the 30-day phase that follows the auto-renew grace period for most gTL…
• autoRenewPeriodautoRenewPeriod is the EPP status that follows expiry. The registry has automatically rene…
• okThe "ok" EPP status indicates a domain in normal operating state — registered, present in …
• serverHoldserverHold is the registry-applied equivalent of clientHold. The domain is removed from DN…

• RFC 3915 — Domain Registry Grace Period Mapping for the EPP
• ICANN ERRP — Expired Registration Recovery Policy
• RFC 5731 — EPP Domain Name Mapping