Who runs it
.io is administered by Internet Computer Bureau, and its expiry process is an extension with higher renewal costs and an unusual jurisdictional history.
What happens after expiry
Auto-renew grace, then redemption, then release.
The grace period
Typically around 30 days, though shorter at some registrars.
Recovery after that
Redemption fees for .io are usually higher than .com in absolute terms, because the base renewal price is higher.
Worth knowing about .io
The .io extension has been subject to sovereignty questions relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory. Existing registrations have been treated as continuing, but if you hold a business-critical .io it is worth following the position rather than assuming it is settled.
What is true of every extension
- The domain stops resolving the moment it expires. The website and the email both stop at once, because both depend on the same records.
- Your registrar panel may still show the domain as active while the rest of the internet already treats it as gone.
- Every stage after expiry costs more than renewing did, and the last stage cannot be undone at any price.
Registry policies change. The shape of the process below is stable, but confirm the exact windows with your registrar before relying on a specific number.