What needs to happen when a site domain name is decommissioned?

Answer:

Please notify the Web Communications Division (WCD) at webrequests@hhs.gov with your intents to decommission a site.  (See section 4.5  of the policy.)

Domain names of decommissioned .GOV Web Sites are retained by HHS until the beginning of the next fiscal year following the decommissioning or longer if the WCD recommends reserving the domain name for future use. It is the responsibility of Web site managers of decommissioned web sites with active domain names to provide an accessible redirect that explains that the site is no longer available and, if appropriate, directs the user to the most relevant existing content.

Ownership of domain names in non-.GOV domains, such as topic.org, when replaced by a .GOV domain or decommissioned, are retained until such time as any potential inappropriate use by other parties will not reflect unfavorably on HHS.

Last Updated: 5/1/2008