Guide

What happens when a .co.za domain expires

The stages a .co.za domain goes through when it is not renewed, how long each lasts, and when the name becomes free to register again.

The short answer

A .co.za domain that is not renewed is not released straight away. It is first marked for suspension, then suspended and queued for deletion, then held in a redemption period, and only then released. The registrar timelines we checked put release about 30 days after the expiry date. Until then the current owner can still get the name back.

Stage by stage

The .co.za registry is run by the ZA Registry Consortium (ZARC); older articles call the registry ZACR. The stages below use the registry's own status names, with the timing each source publishes.

Stage What it means Published timing
Expiry The registration period ends. Many registrars renew automatically if they can charge the owner. Domains.co.za says it attempts automatic renewal seven days before the expiry date.
Pending suspension The registry tells the owner the domain is entering deletion. The website and email still work. The registry's notice reads "Pending Deletion in 5 days". Domains.co.za says an expired domain "will be suspended after five days if not renewed".
Suspended (pending deletion) The domain stops resolving, so its website and email go down. The owner can still renew at the normal fee. The registry says the owner has "only 5 days remaining" to reverse the deletion. Domains.co.za says suspension lasts "from 5 days after expiry until 10 days after expiry".
Redemption Also called closed redemption. Only the previous owner can restore the domain, and it costs a redemption fee on top of the renewal. 1-grid gives days 10 to 30 after expiry. Domains.co.za says the period "could be between 20 and 30 days", depending on the namespace.
Release The registry deletes the domain. Anyone can register it through any registrar, first come, first served. 1-grid: "After 30 days the domain is released and available to the public".

How long is the .co.za redemption period?

About 20 days, on the timelines most registrars publish: 1-grid places redemption between day 10 and day 30 after expiry, and Domains.co.za gives 20 to 30 days. Not every source agrees. RegisterDomain says the length "depends on the Registry" and is "usually 30 - 75 days". If the date matters to you, ask the registrar that holds the domain.

What does it cost to get an expired .co.za domain back?

During suspension, the normal renewal fee: Domains.co.za says a suspended name can be re-activated "at the regular renewal fee". During redemption, a redemption fee is added, and it differs by registrar. 1-grid lists a "Domain Redemption" fee of R500.00 and RegisterDomain lists R 398.00 for .ZA domains. Registrars change their prices, so confirm the current fee with yours.

If the domain is yours

Renew it before suspension ends. That is the cheapest point, and it brings the website and email back. Once the domain is in redemption you pay more, and once it is released you are in the same queue as everyone else. Your registrar, not the registry, handles the renewal.

If you want a domain someone else let lapse

Nothing can be done until the registry releases it, and then it goes to whoever registers it first. Knowing the day matters more than anything else. Look the domain up to see which stage it is in, watch it for R99 to get an email when its status changes, or browse the names we have seen released.

Sources

Checked on 14 November 2026. The quoted figures are each source's own; where they differ, we have said so.

Know the day a domain is released

Watch a registered .co.za domain for R99 and we email you as it moves through each stage, including the moment it becomes available.

Look up a domain