clientDeleteProhibited: What It Means & How to Remove It
clientDeleteProhibited tells your domain's registry to reject requests to delete the domain. Per ICANN, it makes deletion of the registration impossible while set — protection against unauthorized deletions resulting from hijacking or fraud.
It's set by your registrar, usually as part of the same default lock bundle as clientTransferProhibited and clientUpdateProhibited.
What clientDeleteProhibited means
Deletion is the most destructive operation possible on a domain: once deleted and past its recovery windows, the name drops and anyone can register it. This code instructs the registry to refuse any delete command from the registrar while it's present.
It does not block expiration — a domain with clientDeleteProhibited that you fail to renew still expires and moves through the normal expiry lifecycle. The code only blocks explicit delete requests.
Is it good or bad news?
Good news, essentially always. There's no attack it enables and no routine operation it blocks except deliberate deletion. An attacker with registrar account access could otherwise delete a valuable domain out of spite or to drop-catch it; this code adds a step between them and that outcome.
The only reason to remove it is that you genuinely want to delete the domain — and even then, letting it expire naturally is usually the simpler path.
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How to remove it
- •Log in to your registrar and disable the domain lock for this domain.
- •If there's no self-service toggle, contact registrar support and request removal — only the registrar that set a client code can remove it.
- •After deletion, remember gTLD domains typically pass through a ~30-day redemptionPeriod and then ~5 days of pendingDelete before dropping. Deletion is not instant erasure.
clientDeleteProhibited vs serverDeleteProhibited
serverDeleteProhibited is the registry-level version, set via registry lock services or during legal disputes. Removing it requires your registrar to work with the registry operator, which takes longer than flipping a registrar-side toggle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does clientDeleteProhibited stop my domain from expiring?
No. It only blocks explicit delete requests at the registry. If you don't renew the domain, it expires and moves through the normal expiration lifecycle regardless of this code.
Should I keep clientDeleteProhibited enabled?
Yes. It costs nothing, blocks nothing you do day-to-day, and prevents a compromised account from irreversibly deleting your domain. ICANN's guidance recommends this kind of status restriction.