Domain renewals, expiry and fees

This page covers every fee attached to a domain bought through Playcode, when we contact you before one expires, and exactly what happens if a domain is allowed to lapse. Registrars are required to publish this, and we would want to anyway - domain expiry is the one billing event that can take a live site offline.

What a domain costs

Prices are in US dollars and cover one year. We show the renewal price next to the purchase price before you buy, because the two are not always the same.

We do not charge a late fee. Renewing during the grace period after expiry costs the same as renewing on time. The restore fee is different - that one is charged by the registry, not by us, once a domain has entered redemption.

Auto-renew, and when we charge

Every domain is set to auto-renew when you buy it. We attempt payment on the card on file 30 days before the expiry date, so there is a month of room to fix a declined card before anything is at risk.

You can turn auto-renew off at any time in Settings → Domains. If it is off, the domain simply expires on its date and enters the timeline below.

When we contact you

We send renewal notices to the registrant email address on the domain:

• About one month before expiry - a reminder with the renewal price.
• About one week before expiry - a second reminder.
• Within five days after expiry - if the domain has not renewed, with instructions to recover it.

These go by email, so keep the registrant address current and able to receive mail. Playcode also shows the state of every domain in Settings → Domains with the renewal date, so you are never relying on an email arriving.

What happens if a domain expires

Exact windows vary by extension. The stages above are the standard timings for most extensions. Country-code extensions such as .io set their own rules and can be shorter or offer no redemption at all - contact us before letting one lapse.

Verifying your email address

After you register a domain, ICANN requires the registrant email address to be verified. You will receive a message with a confirmation link. If it is not confirmed within 15 days, the domain is suspended and the site stops resolving until you confirm.

Check spam if you do not see it. You can also see the verification state, and resend the message, in Settings → Domains.

Moving a domain away

A domain you bought here is yours. To move it to another registrar, open Settings → Domains, select the domain, and use Unlock & get transfer code. We do not charge for transferring out and we do not make you contact support to do it.

Registry rules block transfers in the first 60 days after a registration or a previous transfer. That is an ICANN rule, not ours.

Refunds

Domain registrations are not refundable once the registry has issued the domain - the fee is paid to the registry at that moment and is not returned to us. If a purchase fails before the domain is issued, you are refunded automatically and in full.

Who the registrar is

Playcode sells domains as a reseller. The sponsoring registrar of record is Tucows Domains Inc., and registrations are subject to ICANN policy and the registrar's registration agreement. Your rights and responsibilities as a registrant are described in ICANN's Registrant Rights and Responsibilities .

Questions about a specific domain? Contact us at support@playcode.io and include the domain name.