Understanding Domain Status Codes

Part 8 of 12 in the Domain Mastery series — Previous: Pending Delete and Domain Drops

Every domain has one or more status codes that describe its current state and what actions are allowed. These codes appear in WHOIS and RDAP lookups, and understanding them helps you diagnose issues like why your domain isn't resolving, why a transfer was rejected, or why you can't update your nameservers.

Where You'll See Status Codes

Status codes show up when you look up a domain:

WHOIS lookup — Listed as "Domain Status"
RDAP query — In the "status" field
Your registrar dashboard — Often translated to plain language

A typical WHOIS entry looks like:

Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited

The "ok" Status

The simplest status is ok — it means your domain is in a normal state with no restrictions. If your domain shows only ok, everything is working as expected.

Important: The ok status disappears when any other status is added. So a locked domain won't show ok — it will show the lock statuses instead. This is normal.

Client vs. Server Statuses

Status codes fall into two main groups:

Prefix	Who Sets It	Who Can Remove It
client	Your registrar	Your registrar (at your request)
server	The registry	Only the registry

Client statuses are the ones you can control through your registrar. Server statuses are set by the registry and typically require contacting the registry or waiting for a process to complete.

Common Statuses You'll Encounter

Domain Lock Statuses (Protection)

Most registrars offer a "domain lock" feature. When enabled, it sets these statuses:

Status	What It Prevents
`clientTransferProhibited`	Stops unauthorized transfers to another registrar
`clientDeleteProhibited`	Stops accidental or unauthorized deletion
`clientUpdateProhibited`	Stops changes to nameservers and contacts

Recommendation: Keep your domain locked. Unlock only when you need to make changes or transfer, then re-lock afterward.

Hold Statuses (Domain Offline)

Status	Set By	What Happens
`clientHold`	Registrar	Domain is removed from DNS — website and email stop working
`serverHold`	Registry	Same effect, but only the registry can remove it

Common reasons for holds:

clientHold — Non-payment, failed WHOIS verification, abuse complaint
serverHold — Court order, law enforcement request, policy violation, dispute

If your domain is on clientHold, contact your registrar. If it's on serverHold, the registrar may need to contact the registry on your behalf.

Renewal Block

Status	What It Does
`clientRenewProhibited`	Prevents renewal, including auto-renewal
`serverRenewProhibited`	Same, set by registry

Warning: If clientRenewProhibited is set, your domain will not auto-renew at expiration and will proceed through the expiration process.

Server-Only Statuses

These are set by the registry and you cannot remove them yourself:

Status	Typical Reason
`serverTransferProhibited`	60-day lock after registration or transfer, legal dispute
`serverDeleteProhibited`	Court order, UDRP proceeding, registry lock service
`serverUpdateProhibited`	Legal hold, compliance investigation
`serverHold`	Law enforcement, court order, policy violation

If you see a server status you don't expect, contact your registrar for an explanation.

Pending Statuses (Transitional)

Pending statuses indicate something is in progress:

Status	Meaning
`pendingTransfer`	A transfer has been requested and is waiting for approval (up to 5 days)
`pendingDelete`	Domain is scheduled for permanent removal (learn more)
`pendingRestore`	A restore request has been submitted and is being processed

These statuses are temporary and resolve automatically.

Grace Period Statuses

During certain windows after registration or renewal, special statuses appear:

Status	When It Appears	Duration
`addPeriod`	After initial registration	5 days
`renewPeriod`	After explicit renewal	5 days
`autoRenewPeriod`	After auto-renewal at expiration	Up to 45 days
`transferPeriod`	After a successful transfer	5 days
`redemptionPeriod`	After deletion (post-grace)	30 days

These correspond to the grace periods covered earlier in this series.

Premium Security: Registry Lock

Some registrars offer a registry lock service that adds both client and server protections:

clientDeleteProhibited
clientTransferProhibited
clientUpdateProhibited
serverDeleteProhibited
serverTransferProhibited
serverUpdateProhibited

This provides the highest level of protection. Any changes require manual verification through the registry — often involving phone calls or other out-of-band confirmation.

Troubleshooting with Status Codes

My domain isn't resolving:

Check for clientHold or serverHold — these remove the domain from DNS
Check for inactive — this means no nameservers are configured

I can't transfer my domain:

Check for clientTransferProhibited — ask your registrar to unlock
Check for serverTransferProhibited — you may be within the 60-day post-registration or post-transfer lock

I can't update my nameservers:

Check for clientUpdateProhibited — ask your registrar to unlock
Check for serverUpdateProhibited — contact registrar for details

I can't renew my domain:

Check for clientRenewProhibited or serverRenewProhibited
If the domain is in redemptionPeriod, renewal isn't possible — you need to restore it instead (learn more)

Quick Reference

Status	DNS Active?	Blocks
`ok`	Yes	Nothing
`inactive`	No	Nothing (no nameservers)
`clientHold` / `serverHold`	No	DNS only
`clientDeleteProhibited` / `serverDeleteProhibited`	Yes	Deletion
`clientTransferProhibited` / `serverTransferProhibited`	Yes	Transfer
`clientUpdateProhibited` / `serverUpdateProhibited`	Yes	Updates
`clientRenewProhibited` / `serverRenewProhibited`	Yes	Renewal
`pendingDelete`	No	Everything
`pendingTransfer`	Yes	— (in progress)

Key Takeaway

Status codes are your domain's vital signs. Check them whenever something isn't working as expected — they'll usually point directly to the issue. Keep your domains locked when not making changes, and don't hesitate to contact your registrar if you see a status you don't understand.

Next: How Domain Transfers Work