How to backorder a .nz domain, step by step

Backordering a .nz domain takes about two minutes. This guide walks through the whole process with Dropcatch NZ, including what happens behind the scenes and what to expect on release day.

Step 1: Check the domain’s status

Type the domain into our order form. We query the .nz registry live and tell you where the name stands:

Registered. The most common case. You can place a catch order now; it stays active until the domain is eventually released, whether that is in three months or three years.
Pending release. The domain has been cancelled and its 90-day countdown is running. An ideal candidate, and worth ordering quickly, because these names are visible to every domain watcher in the country.
Available. Congratulations, you do not need us. Register it at any .nz registrar right now.
Restricted or moderated. Some names cannot be freely registered (for example .govt.nz names, or names the registry has reserved). We decline these orders automatically.

Step 2: Place the catch order

Confirm the order after reading the summary. Two things worth knowing:

It costs nothing to place. Your account is only charged if we actually catch the domain: $32.99 all-up, made up of the $30 first-year registration and our $2.99 catching fee.
Orders are exclusive. We accept one catch order per domain across all customers, strictly first-come, first-served. Once your order is in, nobody else can order that name through us.

Every order is reviewed and confirmed by our team within 24 hours. You will get an email when it is locked in.

Step 3: We watch

Nothing is required from you. Our systems track the domain through its lifecycle: expiry, cancellation, the 90-day pending release period, and finally the release itself. If the current owner renews or reinstates the name, your order simply stays on file in case it lapses again, at no cost.

If you change your mind, you can cancel free of charge any time before the domain enters final processing for release day.

Step 4: Release day

The registry releases expired names in its nightly window, shortly after half past midnight New Zealand time. Our systems attempt registration at that instant. Two outcomes:

Caught. You get a success email straight away. The $32.99 charge goes on your account, payable by bank transfer within 14 days. We then contact you to arrange handover.
Missed. Rare, but it happens when multiple professional catchers contest a name. You pay nothing at all, and we tell you immediately.

Step 5: Handover

A caught domain is initially registered through our systems, because that is the only way to win a race measured in milliseconds. After the catch we transfer the name to you: you become the registrant, with the domain at your preferred .nz registrar. The first year’s registration is already covered by the $30 component of the price.

From there it is a completely ordinary .nz domain. Renewals, DNS, and everything else work exactly as they would for any name you registered yourself.

Tips for better odds

Order early. The attempt goes to whoever orders first. Watching and waiting only helps your competitors.
Order the exact name. Check spelling carefully, including hyphens. We catch precisely what you order.
Consider variants. If the .co.nz is the prize, the matching .nz is often worth catching too. Our bulk order form handles several names at once.

Create a free account to get started, or read about the full .nz domain lifecycle first.