The registrar blocked my domain

[BrunoAles]

Urgent problem!!! The registrar blocked my domain. I can’t do anything with it. And now they demand $250 for something they call restore. It is very expensive for me. Does it really cost that much?

 

[azgold]

Did they happen to tell you why they blocked you?

And now they demand $250 for something they call restore

I've never heard of that myself but hopefully someone here will have some information or advice to share with you.

 

[Honeybadger]

Urgent problem!!! The registrar blocked my domain. I can’t do anything with it. And now they demand $250 for something they call restore. It is very expensive for me. Does it really cost that much?

1. Which registrar did you use?
2. How many days since your domain expired?
3. What is TLD? (e.g. .NET, .COM)

For .NET, .ORG or .COM it does not cost $250
Read document for .ORG --> icann.org/resources/unthemed-pages/registry-agmt-appg-2003-08-19-en

 

[Honeybadger]

This is official answer from the ICANN ( Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
icann.org/resources/pages/name-holder-faqs-2017-10-10-en

"My domain name has just expired. Can my registrar require me to pay for a renewal before I can transfer the domain name to a new registrar?"

"No. You have the right to transfer an expired domain. Registrars are not allowed to deny a transfer due to expiration or nonrenewal, (unless you haven't paid for a previous registration period)."

"However, if the current registrar has begun to delete your domain (i.e., the EPP status code (EPP Status Codes | What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know? - ICANN) shows the domain in Redemption Grace Period (see also Life Cycle of a Typical gTLD Domain Name - ICANN), the name must be restored by your current registrar before it can be transferred. This may result in an additional fee, sometimes referred to as a redemption fee."

 

[Honeybadger]

There is also answer about redemption period
icann.org/resources/pages/domain-name-renewal-expiration-faqs-2018-12-07-en

"Can I still get my domain name back if it's in the Redemption Grace Period?"

"Domain names that are in the 30-day Redemption Grace Period can be redeemed (or renewed) before the end of the Grace Period. If you tried to redeem (or renew) your domain name that is in Redemption Grace Period, but were unable to do so, the registrar may be in breach of the Expired Registration Recovery Policy. Your registrar must provide three renewal notices and allow a domain in Redemption Grace Period to be redeemed (or renewed)."

5 Things every Domain Name Registrant should know about ICANN's Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP) - ICANN

"If you were not able to redeem (or renew) a domain name in Redemption Grace Period, please submit a Domain Renewal Complaint Form."

 

[Graybeard]

Is the domain expired for more than 30 days?

 

[iamb]

Urgent problem!!! The registrar blocked my domain. I can’t do anything with it. And now they demand $250 for something they call restore. It is very expensive for me. Does it really cost that much?

Please provide more details. This is a bit cryptic. Not sure what you mean by your registrar blocked your domain.
Even when domains expire, you have 30 days to renew them (grace period). After that period it's dropped.

Are you saying that your domain just expired and your registrar is asking $250 to renew it? Must probably be a premium domain then because i have never heard of this.

 

[Sinok]

This is a really huge price. Last year, I paid my registrar Domain Registration – Register domain name at Pananames $50 only. But you can’t do anything. Pay them and then transfer to another registrar.

 

[T J Tutor]

Are you saying that your domain just expired and your registrar is asking $250 to renew it? Must probably be a premium domain then because i have never heard of this.

Yeah, that is weird. I manage about three dozen domains now and on three different registrars. My renewals are usually around $8 or $9 per domain, even those at GoDaddy. If I were to miss a renewal (Mine are on auto), there isn't any extra cost. It would simply be the original renewal. There is something odd about his issue.

 

[Sinok]

At least, if the registrar at the very beginning when registering a domain hides something, this is a reason to think whether it is worth registering a domain here.

 

[Graybeard]

This is a really huge price. Last year, I paid my registrar $50 only. But you can’t do anything. Pay them and then transfer to another registrar.

Don't forget to out the registrar's name and the specific circumstances too ...
I once lost a domain to Melbourne IT in 1999 (real scumbags then --got sued IIRC).
Forfeited the domain and bought it back thru another registrar --the name was no of a super great value. Paid the new register list price of $11.95 in 2000. They wanted $75+another year ($18?)

 

[BrunoAles]

Thanks! I already thought to change the domain registrar.

 

[Honeybadger]

Thanks! I already thought to change the domain registrar.

@BrunoAles so what happened, did you pay up?

 

[Andre Houston]

if the domain got expired and it went to grace period. some registrar will charge you money to re activate your domain, depends on the registrar, like godaddy it happened to me before. paid $80 on top of domain price to restore it... I switched to Namecheap won't charge anything..

it depends on the registrar, usually such info available on their TOS page..

You can wait for the domain to get dropped. after grace period (takes 1-45 days) then, to redemption grace period ~30 days, finally, it will go to pending delete for other 5 days then it will be available for public purchase again...