inactive status

The domain has no name servers delegated at the registry, so it is not published in DNS and does not resolve.

inactive at a glance
EPP status codeinactive
RDAP statusinactive (per RFC 8056)
Set byRegistry (automatic)
CategoryLifecycle and pending status
Defined inRFC 5731
ICANN referenceicann.org/epp#inactive

What inactive means

inactive means no delegation information (name servers) is associated with the domain at the registry. With nothing to publish in the TLD's DNS zone, the domain does not resolve. The status has the same name in EPP, WHOIS and RDAP.

According to RFC 5731, it is the default status of a domain created without name servers, and the registry also sets it when all name servers are removed from an existing domain. The registry manages it automatically and removes it once name servers are added.

inactive is the only status RFC 5731 allows alongside ok, so a domain showing ok and inactive together is healthy apart from not being delegated.

Official definition: ICANN, EPP Status Codes: What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know? (inactive)

Why a domain has this status

  • The domain was registered without name servers, for example because no DNS or parking option was chosen at the registrar.
  • All name servers were removed, for instance while moving to a new DNS provider or to take the domain offline on purpose.
  • For TLDs that require documents or verification, the domain may stay undelegated until those requirements are met.

What you should do

  • If you want the domain to work, set name servers in your registrar account: your DNS provider's, your hosting company's or the registrar's own.
  • If you have just registered the domain, check again a little later. If it is still inactive after several days, contact your registrar.
  • If you don't plan to use the domain yet, inactive is harmless: the registration is kept and renews as usual.

Check a domain's status

Look up any domain to see its current status codes, registrar, expiration date and name servers from the registry's RDAP or WHOIS service.

  • ok: The domain has no pending operations and no restrictions, so it can be updated, renewed, transferred or deleted normally.
  • clientHold: The registrar has told the registry not to publish the domain in DNS, so the domain does not resolve and its website and email stop working.
  • serverHold: The registry has removed the domain from DNS, so it does not resolve and its website and email stop working until the hold is lifted.
  • pendingCreate: A request to register the domain has been received but not completed yet, typically during a TLD launch phase or a manual registry review.

Frequently asked questions

Is an inactive domain available to register?

No. inactive only means the domain has no name servers. It is still registered to someone and will not become available unless it expires and is deleted.

How do I make an inactive domain active?

Set name servers for the domain at your registrar; some registries require at least two. Once the registry has name servers for the domain, it removes the inactive status and publishes the delegation in DNS.

Further reading