TBR stands for "To Be Released". When a dot-ca domain is not renewed during the suspension and redemption periods, it is “deleted’” and becomes TBR(To Be Released). The domain names in TBR status become available for registration during a "special registration session" every Wednesday.
Due to high demand for TBR domains, CIRA holds a special registration session before returning them to the pool of available domains. We have partnered with our affiliate registrars to submit registration requests as soon as the special registration session opens, significantly increasing the chances of registering a domain name before it becomes available to the public.
We have a two-stage process:
Stage 1 - Pre-order
In this initial bidding stage, you can pre-order a domain name by placing a bid. You must choose from one of the pre-defined bid levels
for your initial bid. The deadline to participate in Stage 1 is 1 PM on the Wednesday CIRA TBR session runs.
Important: Participating in Stage 1 will reward you for your time by giving you a head start and lowerng your final purchase price.
The CIRA special TBR registration session opens at 2:00 PM EST or 3:00 PM EDT every Wednesday. If we successfully acquire a domain name, Stage 2 (an open auction) will begin within a few days.
Stage 2 - Auction
The second stage is an open, public auction where anyone can participate and bid on the acquired domain name.
The starting bid will be the highest bid received during Stage 1.
In the event of a tie between bidders in Stage 1, the first pre-order placed will be given priority and will be considered the higher bidder.
Once the auction ends and payment is processed, the domain will be assigned to the winner.
Important (New as of Oct 2, 2024 TBR session): All users who place pre-orders in Stage 1, will receive a credit equal to 50% of
their pre-order bid or 20% of the final auction price (whichever is higher) toward the final auction price for that domain.
See examples below for different scenarios.
End of Bidding
Once Stage 2 concludes, the system reconciles the results. After payment is cleared, we will notify the winner via email and assign the domain within 14 days.
There are no hidden fees; you only pay for domains that are successfully registered and won by you.
Effective pricing starts at: $30 CAD (see examples below)
Example 1: You place a pre-order at $60 and are the only user to do so. No one participates stage 2 public auction.
You receive a $30 credit (higher of 60 x 0.50 and 60 x 0.20). Your final cost: $30 (60 minus 30)
Example 2: You place a pre-order at $300, making you the highest bidder in Stage 1 and since no one else participates in Stage 2, you win. You
receive a $150 credit (higher of 300 x 0.50 and 300 x 0.20). Your final cost: $150 (300 minus 150)
Example 3: You place a pre-order at $1000 and win the stage 2 auction at $1500 after competing with other participants. You receive a $500
credit (higher of 1000 x 0.50 and 1500 x 0.20). Your final cost: $1000 (1500 minus 500)
Example 4: You place a pre-order at $200 and win the Stage 2 auction at $1500. You receive a $300 credit
(higher of 200 x 0.50 and 1500 x 0.20). Your final cost: $1200 (1500 minus 300)
Example 5: You place a pre-order at $60 and win the Stage 2 auction at $600. You receive a $120 credit
(higher of 60 x 0.50 and 600 x 0.20). Your final cost: $480 (600 minus 120)
While we cannot guarantee a successful domain registration, placing a reservation is risk-free. There are no hidden fees and you will only pay if the domain is successfully registered and awarded to you.
