Domain name statuses: what they mean and when to be wary

When working with a domain name—purchasing, renewing, transferring to another registrar, or restoring—you may encounter unfamiliar statuses such as ok, clientHold, pendingDelete, or inactive. These statuses are displayed in the status parameter when receiving information from whois.

These statuses are not random: each one reflects the current status of the domain and directly affects whether the website is working, whether the domain can be renewed, and whether it is available for transfer.

In this article, we will examine the main statuses of domain names and explain them in simple terms.

What is domain status?

Domain status is a technical label assigned by a registry or registrar. It shows what is currently happening with the domain and what actions are permitted with it:

• whether the website is working;
• Is it possible to change the DNS?
• is transfer available;
• whether the domain is in the process of being registered or deleted.

A single domain can have multiple statuses simultaneously.

Main working statuses

Status: ok

Normal, working domain status.

What you can do:

• renew the domain;
• change DNS and contact details;
• transfer to another registrar. In some domain zones, transfer to another registrar is only possible 60 days after registration or renewal or transfer of the domain name.

What's up with the site: The site works if the DNS is set up right.

➡️ This is a status that is always worth striving for.

Status: inactive

The domain does not have DNS servers (NS) specified. The website and email will not work in such a domain. To make the domain work, you need to specify the correct NS servers.   

Reasons:

• DNS settings have not yet been configured;
• The DNS was deleted by mistake.

Registration-related statuses   

Status: pendingCreate

The domain is in the process of registration. This status is displayed for a long time for zones where additional actions are required for registration. For example, the UA zone, where TM and contacts must be verified. In this status, the site is not yet operational.   

A domain with pendingCreate status is not yet operational, and no operations can be performed on the domain while it is in this status.

Status: addPeriod

What this means: The domain has just been registered and is located in «grace period».

What you can do:

• configure;
• extend;
• In some domain zones, registrars may allow you to delete a domain and get a refund for its payment.

Statuses related to domain name renewal

Status: autoRenewGracePeriod

A status that is set after the domain registration period has expired and means that the registrar must decide whether to renew the domain for the next period or delete it. Domain deletion occurs exclusively on the basis of a request from the registrar. If the registrar does not submit a request to delete the domain, it will be renewed automatically.

Blocking and restricting statuses

Status: clientHold

The registrar has suspended domain delegation. The website and email on this domain will not work. To clarify the reasons for the block, you need to contact the domain registrar.   

Common causes:

• owner's email address not confirmed;
• payment issues;
• complaints or violations of the rules.

Status: frozen / hold-since

The domain has been frozen by the registry for legal, financial, or regulatory reasons. You must contact the domain registrar and ask them to contact the registry to clarify the reasons for the domain being blocked.

Status: serverHold

The domain has been disabled by the registry; the domain is missing from the zone file. You must contact the domain registrar and ask them to contact the registry to clarify the reasons for the domain being blocked.

Deletion statuses

Status: redemptionPeriod

The domain has been deleted, but can still be restored for an additional fee. Each registry sets a price for restoring a domain that has not been renewed on time. The price can be 10 times higher than the price of a regular renewal. A domain usually enters the redemptionPeriod status 30 days after its expiration date. The redemptionPeriod lasts up to 30 days, after which the domain will be deleted from the registry and become available for registration. Domains that are deleted are often monitored by cybersquatters — companies that register domains as soon as they are deleted. Therefore, you need to decide whether to take the risk or pay 10 times the price for your domain name that has not been renewed on time.   

Status: pendingDelete

The domain is in the final stage of deletion.

Important:

• recovery is impossible;
• At the end of the period, the domain will become available for registration to anyone who wishes to do so.

⛔ If you see this status, it's too late to act.

Protective statuses (blocking of operations)

Protective statuses are necessary to protect against domain hijacking. They are usually enabled manually by the owner or automatically set by the registrar.

Status: clientTransferProhibited

Set by the registrar or at the customer's request, in addition to other domain statuses, this indicates that the domain cannot be transferred to another registrar. Before submitting a request to transfer the domain to another registrar, this status must be removed.

Status: clientUpdateProhibited

If this status is set, all requests to change the domain will be rejected by the registry. A domain with this status can be renewed, transferred, and deleted. Requests to change domain data, such as changing NS or contact information, are only possible after the clientUpdateProhibited status has been removed.

Status: clientDeleteProhibited

Domain deletion is prohibited. Domains with this status will not be deleted from the registry, but will be automatically renewed after the paid delegation period expires. This status is set only by the registrar, as it is the registrar who will pay for the domain, regardless of whether the payment was made by the customer or not.   

Status: clientRenewProhibited

The domain status is set by the registrar. It means that the domain name cannot be renewed. It does not affect automatic domain renewal. For example, if the domain has not been deleted and its term has expired, it will be renewed automatically. However, renewal requests for the domain name will be rejected by the registry.

Status: serverTransferProhibited

Set by the registry. Indicates a transfer ban.

Status: serverUpdateProhibited

Set by the registry. Means that no changes can be made to the domain object.

Status: serverRenewProhibited

Set by the registry. Means that the domain name cannot be renewed. The restriction does not apply to automatic domain renewal, which occurs after the domain delegation period ends.

Status: serverDeleteProhibited

Set by the registry. Means that the domain object cannot be deleted.

Domain name transfer statuses

Status: pendingTransfer

Set automatically for the duration of the domain transfer. With this status, the registry accepts commands to approve or deny the transfer of the domain by the current registrar, as well as commands to refuse the transfer by the receiving registrar.   

Why a domain can have multiple statuses

That's normal. For example, Status: ok, clientTransferProhibited means:

• the domain is working;
• Transfer temporarily blocked for security reasons.

When to be wary

Please note if you see:

• clientHold
• inactive (if the site should be working)
• pendingDelete
• frozen

In these cases, the website is most often down or the domain is at risk of being lost.

Result

Domain name statuses are not just technical terms, but indicators of the status of your website and business. Understanding these statuses helps:

• renew the domain on time;
• avoid losing your name;
• quickly diagnose problems with the website.

If you are unsure about the status of your domain, it is better to check with the registrar immediately than to try to recover the lost name later.