The .com price rises on 1 November. Lock today's for up to ten years

On November 1, 2026, the price for renewing .com domains will increase from $10.26 to $10.97 per year, according to Verisign's quarterly results. This is a 71 cent annual increase and marks the first of up to four such price hikes. However, domain owners have a way to avoid these price increases.

The .com Registry Agreement states that Verisign must provide at least six months' notice before any price increase for new and renewal domain name registrations, as well as for transferring a domain registration from one accredited registrar to another. Additionally, the agreement allows domain owners to lock in a fixed price for up to ten years.

The price of renewals can increase once per pricing year, which runs from October 26 to October 25. The current pricing year runs from October 2026 to October 2030, with four possible price increases. Each increase is capped at 7 percent. In the previous pricing period, Verisign applied all four increases, bringing the price to $10.26 by September 2024.

When a .com domain expires, it does not automatically renew. Instead, the auto-renew attempt occurs approximately 30 days before the expiration date. Therefore, a domain expiring on November 15 will renew in mid-October, at the current price. A domain expiring on December 15 will renew in mid-November, at the increased price.

The registry caps the length of a registration at ten years. For example, a domain expiring in August 2027 can be renewed for a total of nine additional years. The date that sets a domain's price is the renewal date, not the expiration date.

To determine which domains to lock in for the lower price, consider whether the domain is essential for a business or has significant traffic. Locking in a domain for ten years at the current price ensures a certain saving, while domains that only redirect may require further consideration.