Domain Expiration

It is critical to understand that a domain name has an expiration date.

If a domain expires, your Web site will stop working. It does not mean your files disappear, but the domain name used to access your site will no longer be visible on the Web.
There is a period of time after a domain expires where you can still go back and renew it, in order to re-enable the name; however, ultimately if you do not renew the name, it will become available for other people to register.

There are several factors to keep in mind:

When you register a domain name, you can choose a registration period from 1 year to 10 years. If you're certain that you'll use a domain name for an extended period, then we recommend using a longer registration (or renewal) period so that it can be locked down without worry.
By default, domain names registered through or transferred to us will be set to renew automatically. However, this method is not foolproof; for example, even though your domain name is set to renew your payment information could be outdated and therefore the domain name is unable to be renewed automatically prior to its expiration.
It's critical that you always update the registrant contact information whenever it changes - particularly the e-mail address.
You can find out how many days are left in the registration of any domain you have registered with (or transferred to) us in SiteControl
If the domain name is not managed by us and you're uncertain which provider registered it, then you can use a Whois Web site to determine where the name was registered, and also view its expiration date. You can try http://www.uwhois.com/cgi/multiask.cgi

Domain Renewal/Redemption

Domain names can be renewed at any time via SiteControl.
If your domain is approaching its expiry date, we will email the administrative contact of your account a reminder that the domain needs to be renewed before and if applicable, after the expiry date.
If your domain is not renewed within 30 days after the expiry date, it will be deleted from your account. Some domain registries provide a 30 day redemption grace period during which domains can be redeemed for a premium fee.
The redemption fees below are applicable.