Buying back an expired domain name: AFNIC procedures

Buying back a domain name that has already been registered by a third party is a common move: the brand name you want is taken, the perfect name for your project is held by someone who is not using it, or you want to consolidate your portfolio by recovering close variants. Three routes exist to buy back a .fr in 2026, each with its own constraints and costs. Here is the complete guide to the procedure.

Buying back an active domain: direct approach

If the domain you are targeting is currently used by its holder (live website, working emails), you cannot recover it through expiration, you have to negotiate directly with the owner. This is the most common situation and also the most expensive one.

Step 1, Identify the holder via WHOIS

The public AFNIC WHOIS gives the contact details of a .fr holder (unless the AFNIC privacy protection is enabled, which is common for individuals since the GDPR). You usually get the name, the email address, and sometimes the phone number. If the holder is a company, this information remains public by default.

Step 2, Assess the market value

Before contacting the holder, estimate objectively what the domain is worth. Use several sources: recent comparable sales (Sedo, Dan.com, Afternic), SEO metrics (Majestic, Ahrefs), length and memorability of the name, current use (active site vs dormant domain). An inactive domain is often worth less than an exploited one, because the holder is not emotionally attached to it.

Step 3, Email approach

First written contact, short and professional. Do not immediately reveal your full identity if you represent a major brand, this would mechanically push up the asking price. Introduce yourself as a project owner interested in the name, propose a reasonable range, and let the conversation start.

Step 4, Negotiation

The holder will typically respond with a starting price two to ten times higher than your initial offer. Stay firm on your range, backed by market comparables. The majority of amicable transfers settle at an average of EUR 1,400 for a .fr according to 2024-2025 secondary market studies, but the spread is very wide (from EUR 200 for a minor name to EUR 50,000 for a premium one).

Step 5, Securing the transfer

Once the deal is agreed, you must use an escrow service (Sedo, Escrow.com) to secure the payment and the transfer. The escrow holds the funds, verifies the actual transfer of the domain, then releases the payment to the seller. Typical escrow cost: 1 to 3% of the amount.

Buying back an expired domain: through a platform

If the domain is in the process of expiring or has just expired, you can recover it through .fr drop-catching platforms. This route is significantly cheaper than a direct buy-back if you are patient and the holder really lets it expire.

The full AFNIC expiration cycle for a .fr lasts about 30 days in redemption (the domain then carries the « redemption period » and « pending delete » statuses simultaneously). During this redemption window, the holder can still restore the expired domain for a fee, through their registrar. If no restoration takes place, the domain is deleted at the end of the 30 days, then released (the drop) during an hourly AFNIC batch, this is the precise moment when drop-catching platforms step in.

Platforms specialised in .fr in 2026: Milodomain (French, 100% .fr focus, transparent public auction), Nicsell (German, pan-European leader), WebExpire (French, SEO selection), Kifdom (historical French player losing ground), DomainOrder. The choice depends on your UX preferences, language, transparency and AFNIC compliance.

Buying back via SYRELI: if you hold prior rights

If you hold a registered trademark or another prior right over the sign matching the domain, and the current holder registered it in bad faith (cybersquatting, commercial parking, excessive resale request), you can launch a SYRELI procedure at AFNIC to obtain the transfer or deletion of the domain.

SYRELI is a paid out-of-court procedure (EUR 250 excl. VAT in official AFNIC fees plus generally EUR 1,500 to 5,000 in counsel fees), lasting around two months, with no hearing. A panel of three legal experts reviews the case on the documents alone. Advantage: lower cost than a court procedure if you have a solid file. Drawback: rejection rate of about 30%, non-refundable fees, no damages awarded.

For more details, see our complete guide on the SYRELI procedure: dispute or defend a .fr domain.

How much does a domain buy-back cost in 2026?

Price ranges observed in France in 2026 on the .fr secondary market:

• Direct amicable buy-back: EUR 200 to 50,000 depending on the value of the domain. Average ~ EUR 1,400. The more actively the domain is used, the higher the price (the holder has a replacement cost to offset).
• Purchase via auction platform (expired drop): EUR 30 to 10,000. The stronger the demand at the time of the drop, the higher the price goes.
• SYRELI procedure (if prior rights): EUR 2,000 to 6,000 in total fees (official + counsel), not a purchase in the strict sense, only transfer or deletion.
• Court action: EUR 5,000 to 25,000 in attorney fees over 12 to 24 months, with the possibility of obtaining damages on top of the transfer.

The pitfalls of buying back a domain name

Five frequent mistakes cost beginner buyers dearly:

• Revealing your identity too early. If you represent a well-known brand or a large company, the holder will adjust their price accordingly. Use a neutral intermediary (broker, lawyer) for the first approaches.
• Ignoring emotional value. A domain carrying a family name, the name of a personal project, or a historical brand has an emotional value for its holder, they will only sell it at a price well above the objective market value.
• Buying without escrow. Paying the seller before the domain transfer is risky. Always use Sedo or Escrow.com to secure the transaction.
• Overvaluing an unprofitable name. A domain at EUR 5,000 for a project that will generate EUR 200 per month is not profitable. Assess the ROI before negotiating.
• Underestimating side costs. On top of the buy-back price come: counsel fees for the negotiation, escrow, AFNIC transfer fees, and possibly VAT if the seller is a VAT-registered company.

Securing the AFNIC transfer

Once the deal is reached, the .fr domain transfer follows the standard AFNIC procedure:

1. The seller retrieves the auth-code from their current registrar.
2. The seller passes the auth-code to the buyer (via the escrow if used).
3. The buyer initiates the transfer at their own registrar using the auth-code.
4. Once the transfer is validated by both registrars, the buyer becomes the new holder in the AFNIC WHOIS.
5. DNS propagation then takes 24 to 48 hours depending on the configurations.

Tip: before the actual transfer, check that the seller has properly lifted the transfer lock at their registrar, otherwise the transfer fails automatically.

Tax aspects of the buy-back

For an individual buyer in France, buying back a domain name generally has no direct tax impact if the domain is not exploited commercially. For a professional buyer (company, sole proprietorship), the acquisition cost is capitalised as an intangible asset and can be amortised over the estimated useful life (typically 5 years).

If the seller is a VAT-registered company, the transaction will be invoiced inclusive of VAT. If the seller is an individual, no VAT applies. Keep the supporting documents (invoice, purchase order, assignment agreement) for your accounting.

FAQ

Conclusion

Buying back a .fr domain name in 2026 requires method and patience. The direct amicable route remains the simplest if the holder is open, but it is also the most expensive, count on around EUR 1,400 on average. If the domain is in the process of expiring, waiting for the drop and going through a public auction platform can divide the price by five or ten. And if you hold prior rights and the holder is in bad faith, the SYRELI procedure offers a paid but structured alternative route.

To go further, see our complete guide to the SYRELI procedure, our article on expired .fr domains, drop-catching and backorder, and our method for analysing a domain before purchase. To discover the .fr domains currently available at auction on the platform, browse the Milodomain.com catalog.