DR4 Migration Checklist: Update SEO Reports Before December 1

Ahrefs has scheduled the DR4 model to replace DR3 in its standard interface on December 1, 2026. For agencies, SaaS dashboards, directories, and in-house SEO teams, the challenge is not just showing a new number. It is preventing a scoring-model change from looking like a sudden backlink loss in reports, exports, and alerts.

This practical checklist covers how to prepare data pipelines, communicate the change, and preserve historical context.

Understand the DR4 transition timeline

Ahrefs announced DR4 on November 5, 2026 and scheduled its standard interface to switch on December 1, 2026. The free public Domain Rating API supports explicit dr3 and dr4 versions now. Ahrefs says DR3 will remain accessible through the API briefly after the UI transition, but has not published a precise endpoint retirement date.

Treat the transition as a model migration. It is not evidence that every monitored domain simultaneously gained or lost links.

Protect historical data before the switch

If your reports currently store a single field named domain_rating, add version context before you overwrite anything.

A simple observation structure can include:

Retain existing DR3 observations. Begin recording DR4 observations separately where permitted by the applicable license and within your normal product scope. Do not silently rewrite history so it looks as though last year's DR3 scores were DR4 scores.

Update your API integration

Ahrefs documents the public endpoint at POST /v3/public/domain-rating-free. It accepts a JSON list of up to 1,000 targets and one version value per request.

To retrieve both versions, request the same set twice:

{ "targets": ["example.com"], "version": "dr3" }

{ "targets": ["example.com"], "version": "dr4" }

Your application can present one search button while making two server-side requests. The API key belongs on the backend. Cache by both hostname and model version so a DR3 reading cannot accidentally be served as DR4. Our walkthrough of how to check DR4 for free covers the GET and POST requests in more detail.

Also plan for timeouts, rate limits, missing values, and partial failures. If DR3 succeeds but DR4 fails, show a clear unavailable state for DR4 instead of inserting zero.

Ahrefs' license requires a visible linked Domain Rating by Ahrefs attribution whenever the data is displayed. It also restricts using DR data to build products that compete with Ahrefs; review the terms before expanding a public checker, leaderboard, or bulk database.

Design accurate comparison charts

Label the versions explicitly

Use “DR3” and “DR4” rather than a single ambiguous “DR” label during the transition. Add tooltips or explanatory text describing the different methodologies; the DR3 vs DR4 comparison is a useful reference for that copy.

Keep separate history series

On a chart, represent DR3 and DR4 as separately labeled lines or series. If the interface switches to DR4-only reporting, add a visible annotation at the model cutover. Do not connect an old DR3 point directly to a new DR4 point and call the difference a drop. The guide to reading weekly Domain Rating history covers observation dates and gaps.

Make export formats unambiguous

CSV exports should include model version and observation date. For a comparison export, columns such as dr3, dr4, difference, and checked_at make the interpretation clearer.

Adjust alerts

Avoid sending users alarming “DR lost 30 points overnight” messages solely because the default model changed. Alert thresholds should operate on readings from the same version, with explicit cutover handling.

Communicate the change to stakeholders

Use a short note in dashboards and client reports:

Ahrefs is moving from DR3 to DR4 on December 1, 2026. These models score backlink profiles differently; changes across versions should not be interpreted as links lost or a Google ranking penalty.

For leadership, pair the note with actual search clicks, impressions, leads, and relevant referral traffic. For engineers, preserve API version fields and test both result paths. For content teams, keep reporting focused on earned coverage and audience outcomes.

Final launch checklist

• Existing DR3 observations preserved
• DR4 collected with an explicit model label
• Cache keys include version and hostname
• Missing result is distinct from zero
• Comparison values labeled as cross-model differences
• CSV exports updated
• Charts and alerts handle the December 1 transition
• Ahrefs attribution and license reviewed
• Changes tested against actual API responses

Frequently asked questions

Can one Ahrefs API request return DR3 and DR4 together?

The documented endpoint accepts one version value per request. Retrieve each version separately and combine results in your application.

Will DR3 remain available after December 1?

Ahrefs says it will remain accessible via the API for a short time, but has not specified an exact end date.

Should I backfill old DR4 history from DR3?

No. The two models are not directly convertible. Label historic DR3 readings honestly and start DR4 tracking from actual DR4 observations.

Start testing with the IndieTools Domain Rating checker, which requests DR3 and DR4 separately and shows both with the change between them.

Sources and further reading

• Ahrefs: DR4 rollout announcement
• Ahrefs: Free Domain Rating POST endpoint
• Ahrefs: Domain Rating license terms

Last fact-checked: November 6, 2026.