When a .uk domain is not renewed, it does not become available straight away. It moves through a fixed set of stages, and Nominet publishes the names in the later stages on its daily drop list.
The .uk Expiry Timeline
Nominet counts each stage from the day the domain expires:
- 0 to 30 days: a grace period. The domain keeps working and the owner can renew it.
- 30 to 90 days: the domain stops working and appears on the drop list with a possible drop date. The owner can still renew it.
- 90 to 95 days: the final stage. The domain can no longer be renewed and its drop date is firm.
- The drop: at the published drop time the name is released, and anyone can register it again.
What the Drop Time Means
Every name on the list has a drop time in UTC. Drops no longer happen at random; Nominet sets each time in advance and publishes it on the list. From that moment the name can be registered through any registrar that sells .uk domains.
Why Some Names Disappear From the List
Until the last five days before its drop time, a name can still be renewed by its owner. When that happens, Nominet removes it from the next day’s list and it disappears from our finder too. Only names in those last five days are certain to drop.
How to Register a Name After It Drops
Once the drop time has passed, you can register the name through any domain registrar that sells .uk names. Popular names are often picked up by drop-catching services the moment they are released, so if a name matters to you, a registrar’s backorder service gives you a better chance than trying to register it by hand.
Using the Finder
The finder on our homepage shows each name with its drop time and the time left. Use the Dropping today preset or the Next 24 hours window to see what is about to be released, and the star to save names you want to come back to.