How long do you get to keep your domain name?

Even if you get the domain name first, you don't necessarily get to keep it forever.

Domain names are licensed, not bought. The licensing fee (or NIC fee) is payable yearly. Some registrars do allow you to prepay your NIC fee for anywhere from one to ten years.

You may wish to consider the all pros and cons before you decide to prepay your domain name far into the future. As new registrars are added to the pool, competition increases and prices are often lowered. It could be that in two years the standard or average fee has become as low as $10 per year. If you've prepaid your domain name for ten years $35 per year, you will have lost about $200.

When the renewal date for the domain name comes about, the current registrant is given the first opportunity to renew the domain name before others are given a chance to grab it. Just be sure that your registrar always has current contact information for you so that when the time comes you get that renewal notice!

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