Verisign shifts .com and .net drop times to 12:00 UTC

Verisign has announced a change to the release timing for expired .com and .net domain names, moving the drop window from evening to midday UTC. The adjustment, effective 1 October, will require domain investors and backorder services to adapt their workflows to the new schedule, particularly those in North American time zones where the change translates to early morning hours.

What changed

Previously, Verisign released domains in pending-delete status during evening UTC hours. Under the new policy, domains will begin dropping at approximately 12:00 UTC. For investors in the United States, this shift means domains will now release at 5:00 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) or 4:00 am Pacific Standard Time (PST), depending on the season. East Coast investors will see drops at 8:00 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) or 7:00 am Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Drop-catching services, which compete to register domains the moment they become available, have updated their guidelines in response. SnapNames and NameJet, two major platforms in the space, now recommend customers submit backorders at least 15 minutes before the scheduled drop. DropCatch, another prominent service, advises placing orders 30 minutes ahead of time to ensure priority.

Why the timing matters

The shift to 12:00 UTC introduces operational challenges for investors, particularly those based in the U.S. The earlier drop time may disrupt existing routines, as many investors previously scheduled backorders during evening or nighttime hours. For West Coast investors, the change effectively moves the drop window into pre-dawn hours, requiring adjustments to sleep schedules or automation tools to ensure timely submissions.

Drop-catching services rely on precise timing to maximize their chances of securing domains. Even small delays in submitting backorders can result in missed opportunities, as competition for high-value domains is often fierce. The earlier drop time may also increase the load on these services during a narrower window, potentially leading to higher latency or system strain during peak periods.

What to watch

Investors and drop-catching services will need to monitor the impact of the new timing on success rates and system performance. If latency issues arise during the 12:00 UTC window, services may need to optimize their infrastructure or adjust their recommendations for backorder submission times. Additionally, the change could prompt other registries to evaluate their own drop schedules, potentially leading to further shifts in the domain aftermarket landscape.

For now, the adjustment is limited to .com and .net domains, which remain the most widely used top-level domains (TLDs) globally. Verisign has not indicated whether similar changes will be applied to other TLDs under its management, such as .name or .tv.