clientHold

clientHold is the status a registrar puts on a domain when it wants the name to stop resolving. The registration still exists, but the nameservers are pulled from the zone, so the website goes dark and email bounces.

The most common cause is a registrant who didn't click the verification email ICANN requires after a registration or a contact change. The domain gets suspended after fifteen days and stays that way until somebody verifies. Non-payment, a chargeback, a court order or a fraud flag can put a domain on hold too.

If you're buying, treat clientHold as a question to ask, not a reason to walk. Most of the time it's a missed email and clears in an hour. Sometimes it's a legal problem, and you'd rather know that before you pay.