pendingRestore status

The registrar has asked the registry to restore the domain from its redemption period, and the registry is waiting for the restore report.

pendingRestore at a glance
EPP status codependingRestore
RDAP statuspending restore (per RFC 8056)
Set byRegistry
CategoryLifecycle and pending status
Defined inRFC 3915
ICANN referenceicann.org/epp#pendingRestore

What pendingRestore means

pendingRestore means a domain that was in redemptionPeriod is being restored. The registrar has sent a restore request, and the registry is waiting for the restore report that completes the process. In RDAP it appears as pending restore.

The restore process is defined by the Registry Grace Period (RGP) extension in RFC 3915. After requesting the restore, the registrar sends a report with the domain's registration data before and after the deletion, the reason for the restore and statements confirming that it is legitimate.

If the report arrives within the registry's deadline, the domain is restored and returns to a normal status. If it doesn't, the domain falls back to redemptionPeriod.

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

Why a domain has this status

  • The owner asked the registrar to recover a deleted domain during its redemption period, and the registrar has requested the restore from the registry.

What you should do

  • If you asked for the restore, wait for the status to be replaced by a normal one, such as ok or your registrar's usual locks.
  • If the status is still there after several days, or the domain goes back to redemptionPeriod, contact your registrar to make sure the restore is completed.
  • Once the domain is back, check the new expiration date and turn on auto-renew so it doesn't lapse again.

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.

  • redemptionPeriod: The domain was deleted and no longer resolves, but its owner can restore it for a fee during the redemption period (30 days for gTLDs).
  • pendingDelete: The domain is being deleted. After the redemption period it can't be restored, and gTLD domains are released about 5 days later.
  • autoRenewPeriod: The domain has expired and the registry renewed it automatically; for gTLDs the registrar has up to 45 days to keep or delete it.

Frequently asked questions

How long does pendingRestore last?

Usually not long. The status stays until the registrar submits its restore report and the registry processes it. If the registrar misses the registry's deadline, the domain returns to redemptionPeriod.

Why does restoring a domain cost more than renewing it?

Registries charge registrars a separate restore fee for recovering a domain from the redemption period, and registrars pass it on to the owner, usually on top of the renewal price. The amount varies by registrar and TLD.

Further reading