It is important to be aware that when you register a .uk domain name you do not ‘own’ that domain name. Instead, the domain name is registered to you for a period of two years, after which you will have the opportunity to renew it for a further two years.

Domain names are subject to renewal every two years to ensure that those that are no longer wanted are removed from the register database and become available for others to use.

Your registrar should contact you in advance of the renewal date to check whether you wish to renew your domain name. Under our renewal system domain names can be renewed up to six months before the expiry date.

If your registrar does not send us a renewal request for your domain name before its expiry we will send you a renewal reminder email to notify you that the domain name has reached its expiry date and is due for renewal. The email contains contact details for your registrar to help you to renew the domain name.

If a renewal request is not received within 30 days of expiry, the domain name will be suspended. We will send you two further renewal reminders. Seven days before suspension we will send you a suspension warning. Then 30 days after expiry, when the domain name is suspended we will send you a suspension notice. Throughout this period it is still possible to renew your domain name.

When a domain name is suspended all services that use the domain name will stop working. This means that your web site at that domain name will not work and any email using the domain name will not be delivered.

After a 60 day suspension period the domain name will be cancelled and will then be immediately available for re-registration by someone else. At any point during the suspension, your registrar can renew the domain name for you and the suspension will be lifted. We will send you one final reminder seven days before the domain name is cancelled (83 days after the expiry date).

If you know that you no longer require your domain name you can ask your registrar to mark it as 'renewal not required'. This stops us from sending you the renewal reminders.

What can you do to ensure your domain name is renewed?

• Contact your registrar in advance of expiry to arrange the renewal of your domain name.
  
  
• Keep your contact email address up-to-date with your registrar and Nominet to enable us to contact you.
  
  
• It is a good idea to know the renewal date of your domain name, which you can check by using the WHOIS search on the home page of this site.
  
  
• Keep an eye on the registration status of your domain name as shown on the WHOIS search. You can also visit our keepyour.co.uk site to find out all you need to know about our renewal process. 
  
  
  
• If you receive a renewal invoice for your domain name that has not come from your registrar, speak to your registrar to find out if it is genuine before you pay.