Domain expiration questions

**Jei** · March 11th, 2002, 16:48

How do I:

1) Find out when the domain expires
2) Find out who is the registrar of the domain
3) How long it gets put on hold
4) and When I can send an application to register it?

The domain(s) I want are foriegn ones like .as, .cc, .to, .it etc.

**wm2k1** · March 11th, 2002, 16:53

Originally posted by Jei
The domain(s) I want are foriegn ones like .as, .cc, .to, .it etc.

i can't help u in finding expired cc-tld names, but if u need help in finding expired gtld names (com/net/org)
i could help
since i'm providing this, i'm not allow to mention it in the message, so please pm me

**Jei** · March 11th, 2002, 17:22

cc-tld names
gtld names

what does that stand for?

I'm more interested in the foriegn ones because I have not been able for years to find a .com name I'd ever use.

**wm2k1** · March 11th, 2002, 17:24

Originally posted by Jei
cc-tld names
gtld names

what does that stand for?

cc-tld - country code top level domains
gtld - genric top level domains

i provide a service in finding expired domain names, if u are interested, PM me

**thewitt** · March 11th, 2002, 17:26

Originally posted by Jei
How do I:

1) Find out when the domain expires

Use a whois service. Here's ours http://domains.myostrich.net/whois

2) Find out who is the registrar of the domain

You can often tell by which server responds to the whois query above, but if you can't the database of record here is the otherwise limited whois at http://www.internic.net

3) How long it gets put on hold

There are no rules for how long a domain goes on hold, but most registrars will allow 30-45 days for the owner to renew after it expires. Some however will not. There are no rules here.

4) and When I can send an application to register it?

Again, since there are no rules for dropping expired domains, this is entirely dependant on the individual registrar. NetSol has some domains that have been on hold since 1998.

Good luck,

-t

**wm2k1** · March 11th, 2002, 17:37

generally when finding expired domains on whois is not always correct
there is a grace period before the names truely becomes expired
and you have to know what to look for to know the exact day it becomes expired
i made a program that search the names from tld zone files and check w/ the whois on when it'll become expired

i have the program runs 24/7 and the tld zone files itselves are 3gb

**thewitt** · March 11th, 2002, 17:51

Can you give me an example of a domain name that is expired and does not show as such in the whois? Any domain will do.

And I got the impression from his question that he knows what domain he wants, he just doesn't know how to tell when it expires or where it's registered - not that he is searching for expiring domain names.

I could have misinterpreted the question of course, but I did not get the feeling he was looking for an automated service, just asking general questions about the status of domains in general.

-t

**wm2k1** · March 11th, 2002, 18:06

just search for any names that is stated as expired this week
i'll bet u that on that date, u still can't get those names
there is a grace period* before u could get the name, as to allow people who forgot to pay their bills to do so

*grace period is different for each regristrar

**wm2k1** · March 11th, 2002, 18:13

To understand fully, we first need to understand how the registration system for global domains (dot com, dot net, dot org) works:

A domain name is registered for a fixed period of time.
If the time period elapses and the original registrant has not paid to renew the registration, the name is put 'on-hold'. The original registrant is then given anything from 0 to 60 days to pay for the name's renewal.
If this grace period expires without payment from the registrant, they lose the right to renew the name. Instead, the name is placed on a six-day countdown, and is given the status of 'soon to drop'. Note: this six-day countdown does not seem to apply to domain names registered with registrars other than Network Solutions.
At precisely 6.30 AM (EST) or up to 15 minutes thereafter on the 6th day after the name becomes soon to drop, the name is made available for anyone to register again i.e. it is dropped.

some of the information stated above are incorrect as of last August
Verisign changed a few thing around to prevent flooding because too main racing to get expired names

**Jei** · March 11th, 2002, 18:19

1) Find out when the domain expires

Use a whois service. Here's ours http://domains.myostrich.net/whois

2) Find out who is the registrar of the domain

You can often tell by which server responds to the whois query above, but if you can't the database of record here is the otherwise limited whois at http://www.internic.net

Tried 'em, the thing they both don't give me is when it expires. for example i even tried a popular one: http://go.to -- doesn't give me much info.

internic lead me to http://www.uwhois.com it looked perfect for searching for other country domains. but again not much info. i guess i'll keep looking for other whois sites.

**thewitt** · March 11th, 2002, 18:41

Originally posted by wm2k1
just search for any names that is stated as expired this week
i'll bet u that on that date, u still can't get those names
there is a grace period* before u could get the name, as to allow people who forgot to pay their bills to do so

*grace period is different for each regristrar

This doesn't answer my question at all.

You stated that whois data does not show when a domain has expired.

When a domain expires and when a domain drops are two very different things, as I have explained already.

There is no set period of time between when a domain expires and whan you can "get" that name - ie when a domain drops. Each registrar is free to deal with this "grace period" any way they want until ICANN defines and enforces a standard.

You still have not given me an example of a domain that has expired but does not show that it has expired in the whois database for that registrar.

-t

**thewitt** · March 11th, 2002, 18:49

Originally posted by Jei

Tried 'em, the thing they both don't give me is when it expires. for example i even tried a popular one: http://go.to -- doesn't give me much info.

internic lead me to http://www.uwhois.com it looked perfect for searching for other country domains. but again not much info. i guess i'll keep looking for other whois sites.

You are right.

Here's the quote from the .to registry site:

Tonic does not maintain a whois database that provides registrant information, as many of our customers consider the public display of this information invasive of their privacy

So it appears you will not be able to tell when a .to domain is going to expire. They do not follow the whois specification.

-t