Domain Renewal, Expiry and Cancellation Policy
For Consumers and business customers, including SMEs
Last updated: 16 July 2026
Important: A domain can stop working and may eventually be registered by someone else if it is not renewed. Keep contact and payment details current, use an independent recovery email address, and act well before the published deadline. Registry timings can change and are measured from precise timestamps.
Key information
- Keep details current: Renewal notices are sent to the contact details held for the domain or account. Use a monitored email address that does not rely solely on the domain itself.
- Auto-Renew: Where enabled, F13 normally attempts payment around 30 days before expiry. Disable it at least 35 days before expiry to avoid the normal first charge attempt.
- Reminder timetable: We normally send notices about one month and one week before expiry and, if still unrenewed, at or within five days after expiry.
- Do not wait: Registry deadlines are measured from precise timestamps. Renewal and restoration are not guaranteed until accepted by the Registry or sponsoring registrar.
- Transfer instead of abandoning: To keep a domain but stop using F13, transfer it to another registrar before expiry rather than allowing it to be deleted.
1. About this Policy
1.1 This Policy explains how F13 Limited handles the renewal, expiry, suspension, restoration, cancellation and transfer of domain names.
1.2 It applies to Consumers and business customers, including SMEs, whenever F13 supplies or manages a domain registration, renewal, transfer or restoration service.
1.3 This Policy forms part of the contract for Domain Services and should be read with the Domain Registration Terms, the applicable F13 customer terms, Domain Pricing and Charges, Privacy Notice, Acceptable Use and Abuse Policy and Customer Service and Complaints Procedure.
1.4 Domain lifecycles are set by the relevant Registry, ICANN, Nominet and, for some domains, a sponsoring registrar used by F13. Mandatory Registry rules take priority where they conflict with this Policy.
1.5 Nothing in this Policy excludes or restricts a Consumer’s statutory rights or any right that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
2. Who we are and how to contact us
2.1 F13 Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 17045453.
2.2 Our public business and correspondence address is Unit 1, Whittington Moor Business Park, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8LF.
2.3 You can contact us about a domain by emailing office@f13.co.uk, telephoning +44 (0)114 361 0113, using the customer portal or using the contact details published at f13.co.uk/contact.
2.4 When contacting us, include the domain name, the Registrant or account name and enough information for us to verify authority. Do not send passwords or full payment-card details by email.
3. Key responsibilities
3.1 The Registrant remains responsible for deciding whether a domain should be renewed and for ensuring that renewal is completed in time, even where reminders or Auto-Renew are provided.
3.2 You must keep the Registrant, account, billing and recovery contact details accurate and maintain at least one monitored email address that does not depend solely on the domain being renewed.
3.3 You must keep payment details current and allow enough time for payment, identity checks, Registry processing and any transfer or restoration procedure.
3.4 We strongly recommend enabling multi-factor authentication, using Auto-Renew for important domains and maintaining an independent record of all domain names and expiry dates.
3.5 F13 is not responsible for a reminder that cannot be delivered because contact details are inaccurate, an inbox is unavailable or full, a message is filtered, or another matter outside our reasonable control prevents delivery. This does not reduce any obligation imposed on us by law or Registry policy.
4. Renewal options and consent
4.1 A domain may be renewed manually, through Auto-Renew or under a portfolio-management, quotation or invoicing arrangement agreed with F13.
4.2 F13 will not intentionally renew a domain without the Registrant’s consent. Consent may be given by placing a renewal order, paying a renewal invoice, enabling Auto-Renew, accepting a managed-renewal arrangement or giving another clear renewal instruction.
4.3 Auto-Renew is an ongoing instruction to renew the domain and collect the applicable renewal charge using the payment method or credit arrangement on the account. It must be positively selected or otherwise expressly agreed and must not be enabled through a pre-ticked consumer option.
4.4 Where Auto-Renew is enabled, F13 will normally attempt the first renewal payment approximately 30 days before expiry. We may retry approximately 14 days and 7 days before expiry and, while the domain remains recoverable, after expiry.
4.5 To avoid an Auto-Renew charge, disable Auto-Renew at least 35 days before expiry. You may still ask us to stop a renewal after that point, but a refund is available only if the renewal has not been submitted or can still be reversed and credited by the relevant Supplier.
4.6 Where a managed portfolio, quotation or Order specifies a different renewal date, invoicing process, minimum term or approval procedure, that agreed arrangement takes priority.
4.7 Renewal is not complete merely because an invoice has been issued or payment has been attempted. It is complete only when payment is received or approved and the relevant Registry or sponsoring registrar accepts the renewal transaction.
5. Renewal reminders
5.1 F13 will normally send renewal or expiry notices by email to the current Registrant email address and/or the principal account or billing contact recorded for the domain.
5.2 For domains subject to the ICANN Expired Registration Recovery Policy and for .UK domains operating under the standardised .UK policy from 9 February 2027, F13 will send reminders approximately one month before expiry, approximately one week before expiry and, if the domain remains unrenewed, at or within five days after expiry.
5.3 For other domains, F13 will use the same reminder timetable where reasonably practicable, but a Registry or sponsoring registrar may impose a different or additional process.
5.4 We may also display notices in the customer portal, include domains on an account statement, send further email reminders or contact a managed-service customer by another agreed method. These additional contacts are not guaranteed.
5.5 Nominet, another Registry or a sponsoring registrar may send its own reminders directly to the Registrant. A reminder from another organisation does not mean that the domain has been renewed or that payment to F13 is no longer due.
5.6 If a Registrant change occurs close to expiry, we will notify the new Registrant of the expiry date where required by applicable Registry policy.
6. Charges and payment
6.1 The registration, renewal, post-expiry renewal, restoration, redemption, transfer and administration charges that apply are shown in the Domain Pricing and Charges page, the customer portal, an Order, quotation or renewal notice.
6.2 Consumer prices are shown inclusive of VAT unless clearly stated otherwise. Business prices may be shown exclusive of VAT, in which case VAT is added at the applicable rate.
6.3 Renewal and Registry prices can change. The price payable is the price notified or displayed when the renewal is ordered or processed, unless a fixed price has been expressly agreed in an Order.
6.4 If payment fails, is reversed or is disputed, we may suspend processing, disable Auto-Renew, cancel a pending renewal or allow the domain to expire, subject to applicable law and Registry rules.
6.5 A renewal or restoration fee is normally non-refundable once the Registry or sponsoring registrar has accepted the transaction. If the transaction can be reversed and F13 receives a corresponding credit, we will provide any refund due after deducting only charges that may lawfully be retained. Consumer statutory rights remain unaffected.
7. What happens when a domain expires
7.1 Expiry means that the paid registration period has ended. Depending on the Registry and F13’s or the sponsoring registrar’s process, the domain may stop resolving immediately, remain active temporarily, be redirected to an expiry page, enter a grace period, be suspended or be deleted.
7.2 Expiry can interrupt websites, email, authentication, DNS, certificates, remote access and other systems that depend on the domain. Messages sent during interruption may be rejected or permanently lost.
7.3 F13 may interrupt DNS resolution or direct web traffic to a page that clearly states that the domain has expired and provides renewal instructions, where permitted or required by Registry policy.
7.4 Expiry of a domain does not automatically cancel or refund connected hosting, email, DNS, support or other services. Those services continue under their own terms until separately cancelled, although they may not function without the domain.
7.5 Once a domain is deleted and released, it may be registered by anyone. F13 cannot guarantee recovery and is not required to bid for, purchase or negotiate the return of a released domain.
8. Current .UK expiry process up to 8 February 2027
8.1 The current legacy .UK lifecycle applies until the Nominet platform transition scheduled for 9 February 2027.
8.2 A .UK domain can currently be renewed through F13 at any time up to precisely 90 days after its expiry timestamp.
8.3 A .UK domain normally remains active for approximately the first 30 days after expiry. If it is not renewed, Nominet normally suspends the domain at approximately 30 days after expiry, which stops associated website, email and other DNS-dependent services.
8.4 The domain remains renewable during the suspension period. The cancellation process begins at 90 days after expiry and the domain is normally dropped at the expiry timestamp plus 95 days.
8.5 The timings are measured from the precise expiry timestamp, not simply at the end of a calendar day. Renewal should therefore be completed well before the final deadline.
| Stage | Current legacy .UK process |
|---|---|
| Before expiry | Renew through F13. Auto-Renew may be processed around 30 days before expiry. |
| Expiry to about 30 days | The domain normally remains active and can still be renewed. |
| About 30 to 90 days after expiry | The domain is normally suspended but remains renewable. |
| At 90 days after expiry | The cancellation process begins and renewal requests are no longer accepted. |
| At expiry + 95 days | The domain is normally dropped and may become available to someone else. |
9. .UK expiry process from 9 February 2027
9.1 Nominet has announced that a standardised .UK lifecycle will apply from 9 February 2027. The then-current Nominet policies will govern domains after the transition.
9.2 Under the announced lifecycle, an expired domain may enter an Auto-Renew Grace Period of up to 45 days. Unless the Registrant has consented to renewal or an applicable exceptional circumstance exists, F13 will normally request deletion between 40 and 45 days after expiry.
9.3 After deletion, an eligible .UK domain enters a 30-day Redemption Grace Period during which the Registrant at expiry may ask F13 to restore and renew it.
9.4 After the Redemption Grace Period, the domain enters a five-day Pending Delete period and cannot normally be restored. It is then purged and may become available for registration by another person.
9.5 F13 will not charge an additional .UK restoration fee where Nominet policy prohibits it. The Registrant must still pay outstanding renewal charges and any other charge expressly permitted by applicable policy and law.
9.6 The transition may alter the lifecycle of a domain that is already expired on 9 February 2027. Nominet’s transition rules and the actual status shown by the Registry will determine the available recovery options.
| Stage | Standardised .UK process from 9 February 2027 |
|---|---|
| Expiry to day 40-45 | Auto-Renew Grace Period. F13 normally requests deletion between day 40 and day 45 if there is no renewal consent. |
| Following deletion: 30 days | Redemption Grace Period. The Registrant at expiry may request restoration and renewal. |
| Following Redemption: 5 days | Pending Delete. Restoration and transfer are normally no longer possible. |
| After Pending Delete | The domain is purged and may become available for registration. |
10. Generic top-level domains
10.1 Generic top-level domains include domains such as .com, .net and .org. F13 may supply these through an ICANN-accredited sponsoring registrar.
10.2 Unless a particular Registry has different rules, F13 will normally keep an expired generic domain renewable for at least the first 30 days after expiry and will normally request deletion no earlier than 30 days and no later than 45 days after expiry.
10.3 A sponsoring registrar or Registry may suspend DNS at expiry or during the post-expiry period. If web traffic is redirected while the domain remains renewable, the expiry page should identify that the registration has expired and explain how to renew.
10.4 Most eligible generic domains enter a 30-day Redemption Grace Period after deletion. Restoration during that period normally requires payment of the published redemption or restore charge as well as the renewal fee.
10.5 After Redemption, a domain normally enters a five-day Pending Delete period, during which it cannot be renewed, restored or transferred, and is then released.
10.6 Sponsored, restricted, premium and newer top-level domains may use different lifecycles, fees or restoration rules. The Registry and sponsoring registrar rules for the particular domain apply.
| Stage | Typical generic-domain process |
|---|---|
| Before expiry | Renew through F13. We normally send reminders approximately one month and one week before expiry. |
| Expiry to day 30 | F13 normally keeps the domain renewable, but DNS may be suspended or redirected. |
| Day 30 to day 45 | F13 normally requests deletion during this period, subject to the sponsoring registrar and Registry. |
| Following deletion: usually 30 days | Redemption Grace Period, where offered. Restoration normally attracts a published redemption charge. |
| Following Redemption: usually 5 days | Pending Delete. The domain cannot normally be recovered. |
11. Country-code and specialist domains
11.1 Country-code, geographic, restricted, regulated and specialist domains may have shorter grace periods, manual renewal requirements, documentary conditions or no post-expiry recovery period.
11.2 Some Registries require renewal before the displayed expiry date or use an internal renewal deadline earlier than the Registry expiry date. The date shown in an F13 notice or customer portal may therefore be the date by which F13 needs instructions and payment.
11.3 You should treat the earliest date notified by F13 as the renewal deadline and contact us promptly if a domain is business-critical or subject to a specialist Registry.
12. Restoration and redemption
12.1 If a deleted domain is in a restoration or Redemption Grace Period, only the Registrant at expiry or a person with verified authority may normally request restoration.
12.2 A restoration request is not complete until F13 has received all required instructions, verification and cleared payment and the Registry or sponsoring registrar has accepted the request.
12.3 Restoration can take time and DNS, email and related services may not resume immediately. Cached DNS information and third-party systems may take additional time to update.
12.4 We do not guarantee restoration. A Registry, sponsoring registrar, dispute process, court order, data-verification issue, abuse investigation or final lifecycle status may prevent it.
13. Cancelling Auto-Renew or allowing a domain to expire
13.1 You can normally disable Auto-Renew through the customer portal or by contacting F13. We may require identity or authority verification.
13.2 Disabling Auto-Renew does not immediately delete the domain. The domain remains registered until its expiry date and then follows the applicable expiry lifecycle unless it is transferred or renewed.
13.3 A request to cancel hosting, email, DNS or another service does not automatically cancel Auto-Renew or delete a domain. A request to cancel a domain must identify the domain and the required action.
13.4 If you no longer want F13 to manage a domain but want to keep it, transfer it to another registrar rather than allowing it to expire.
14. Immediate domain cancellation or deletion
14.1 Immediate deletion is different from disabling Auto-Renew. It may cause immediate service failure and may be irreversible.
14.2 F13 will act only on a properly authorised and sufficiently clear deletion request. We may require enhanced verification, written confirmation and confirmation that the customer understands the consequences.
14.3 Where applicable Registry policy requires it, F13 will submit a properly authorised cancellation request within five working days, unless a dispute, court order, Registry lock, abuse investigation, payment dispute or other lawful restriction prevents deletion.
14.4 A deleted domain may enter a Redemption Grace Period rather than being released immediately. The Registrant may remain responsible for charges already incurred.
14.5 No refund is due merely because a customer requests deletion before the end of the registration term, except where required by law or expressly agreed.
15. Transfer to another registrar
15.1 A transfer away is normally the safest way to end F13’s management while retaining the domain.
15.2 Start a transfer well before expiry. We recommend allowing at least 14 days, and longer for a portfolio, restricted domain or domain requiring identity checks.
15.3 Transfers may be restricted by Registry or ICANN rules, including recent-registration or recent-Registrant-change locks, an expired lifecycle stage, a dispute, court order, fraud or abuse investigation, unpaid charges that may lawfully prevent the particular transaction, or failure to provide valid authorisation.
15.4 For .UK domains, the applicable registrar-change or transfer process and Nominet rules apply. For generic domains, the gaining registrar normally initiates the transfer using the required authorisation method.
15.5 Any transfer charge will be published in Domain Pricing and Charges. F13 will not impose a charge or condition prohibited by applicable law or Registry policy.
15.6 A completed transfer normally ends F13’s responsibility for future renewal of the domain but does not automatically cancel other F13 services or unpaid charges.
16. Consumer cancellation rights
16.1 A Consumer ordering online or by telephone may have a statutory 14-day cancellation right. Domain transactions are normally requested for immediate performance because delay may allow another person to register the domain.
16.2 Before immediate performance begins, F13 will obtain any express request, consent and acknowledgement required by consumer law. The cancellation right may end once the service has been fully performed where the legal requirements are met.
16.3 If a Consumer validly cancels after performance has begun, the Consumer may have to pay a proportionate amount for services supplied and unavoidable Registry or Supplier costs where the law permits.
16.4 This clause does not affect rights relating to services not supplied with reasonable care and skill or any other statutory remedy.
17. Disputes, legal restrictions and exceptional circumstances
17.1 A domain may be locked, suspended, retained, renewed, restored, transferred or deleted differently where required by a dispute-resolution procedure, court order, insolvency process, Registry instruction, law-enforcement request, sanctions rule, data-verification requirement, abuse investigation or other binding rule.
17.2 Where a domain is subject to a formal dispute, the applicable Registry policy may allow a complainant or another party to renew or restore it on specified terms.
17.3 F13 may preserve records of renewal consent, reminder delivery, expiry status, payment and exceptional circumstances where required for regulatory, contractual, evidential or compliance purposes.
18. Changes to this Policy
18.1 F13 may update this Policy to reflect legal, regulatory, Registry, supplier, pricing, security or operational changes.
18.2 The current version will be published on f13.co.uk with its last-updated date. Where a material change affects an existing registration, we will take reasonable steps to provide notice consistent with the Domain Registration Terms and applicable Registry policy.
18.3 Nominet’s standardised .UK policies are scheduled to take effect on 9 February 2027. F13 may update this Policy before or after that date to reflect final implementation details.
19. Complaints and further help
19.1 Questions about renewal, expiry, cancellation or restoration should be raised with F13 as early as possible using the contact details in clause 2.
19.2 Our Customer Service and Complaints Procedure explains how to make and escalate a complaint.
19.3 A .UK Registrant who remains dissatisfied after completing the F13 complaints process may be able to ask Nominet to review a complaint within the scope of Nominet’s procedures.
19.4 A dispute about legal rights in a domain may need to be brought under the applicable Nominet DRS, ICANN UDRP, Registry dispute policy or court process rather than the service-complaints procedure.