How Auto-Renew registrations are billed

Overview

The following explains how Auto-Renew domain registrations are charged, billed, and renewed.

FAQs

What are Auto-Renew Only domains, and how are they different from Generic domains?

The two types of domains differ in the process of how and when they are renewed.

Auto-Renew Only domains are specific domains determined by the registry that do not renew the same way as Generic domains (such as .COM, .NET, or .ORG). As a result, Auto-Renew Only domains do not have an Add Years button on the Manage Registrations page and cannot be renewed by manually placing a renewal order.

The following TLDs are Auto-Renew Only. DreamHost strongly recommends that the auto-renew setting remain enabled on these domain names, unless the registrant chooses to discontinue renewing them:

• .AT
• .DE
• .JP

Are domain registration renewals refundable?

No. Once a domain is auto-renewed or manually renewed, your credit card is charged, and the domain is renewed for one more year. At this point, the domain registry updates its information to show that you are the owner for an additional year. Since there's no way to reverse the renewal from the registry, a refund is not possible. 

Will DreamHost honor a previously quoted rate?

Yes. If a registration renewal price increases after you receive a renewal notice, DreamHost will honor the quoted rate in the notice.

Will I receive a receipt after I renew my domain?

Yes. The account owner is emailed a renewal receipt showing the date of charge and the date of renewal.

Can I change the Auto-Renew status in the panel during the renewal period?

No. Within the 31-day period between when it is charged, billed, and expires, you are not able to change the status of Auto-Renew in the panel. This is a safeguard that ensures the domain does indeed renew, since you’ve already paid for the renewal. All of these details are reflected in the receipt that is emailed to you when the charge occurs.

What is the difference between the expiration and renewal date?

Expiration date — The date the domain name officially expires. For all domains, it is one day before a full calendar year from when you originally purchased the domain. You can view this date by visiting the Manage Registrations page, or running a registration query and looking for the Expiration date line item.

Renewal date — This date varies depending on whether your domain is a Generic domain (such as .COM, .NET, or .ORG) or a specific Auto-Renew Only domain. See the tables in the next section for more information.

What is the difference between charging the card and billing the account?

Charge date — The date your credit card is charged for the domain renewal.

Bill account date — The date your DreamHost panel posts that the charge has become due. Billing the account only posts the information to your DreamHost panel; it does not actually attempt to charge the credit card at all.

How Auto-Renew domains are charged and billed

The following sections describe how Generic and Auto-Renew Only domains are charged and billed.

Renewing process (Generic and Auto-Renew Only)

The credit card is charged 31 days prior to the expiration date.

• If the charge is successful, the account is billed for the renewal.
• If the charge is unsuccessful, the domain’s renewal status changes to ASK. An email notifying the account owner that an attempt to charge the credit card was made and was unsuccessful is sent, along with instructions on how to manually renew or turn back on Auto-Renew.

Renewing Generic domains

The following table illustrates example dates when each step occurs for Generic domain renewals (such as .COM, .NET, or .ORG):

Renewing Auto-Renew Only domains

The following table illustrates example dates when each step occurs for Auto-Renew Only domain renewals. Note that the Renewal and Expiration dates are the same:

How to check if a domain is set to Auto-Renew

New domain registrations and domains transferred to DreamHost are automatically defaulted to Auto-Renew. You can adjust this setting by visiting your panel and following these instructions.

Checking Generic domains

You can set a regular domain to Auto-Renew on the Manage Registrations page. When you set it to Auto-Renew, the option is set to YES.

Checking Auto-Renew Only domains

The Auto-Renew setting is found on the Manage Registrations page. The Auto-renew by or Delete by deadline is listed on the page directly beside the expiration date.

To renew an Auto-Renew Only domain correctly, the domain's auto-renew setting must be enabled prior to the Auto-renew by or Delete by date found in the panel. When you hover over the tooltip, a note box appears stating the following:

If the domain is not auto-renewed on the expiration date, it goes into a redemption period, during which it can usually be recovered for an additional fee.

See also

• Renew a domain registration
• Domain Registration Terms
• Domain Extensions with Pricing