Moz refreshes Domain Authority scores approximately once per month, usually during the first week, though they don't commit to a fixed schedule. The update happens when Moz recrawls the web, processes new link data, and recalculates scores across their entire index using their machine learning model. Your DA score can shift between updates for two reasons. First, your own backlink profile might improve or degrade as you gain links, lose links from deleted pages, or have links devalued. Second, DA is relative to all other sites in Moz's index, so if competitors in your niche build strong links while you stay static, your score can drop even if you didn't lose a single backlink. This relative nature catches people off guard. The size of fluctuations depends on your baseline authority and recent link activity. Sites with DA under 30 can see swings of 3-5 points from a handful of decent links. Sites above DA 50 move slower because they have larger, more stable link profiles. A DR 60 site gaining 10 new referring domains might budge 1-2 points, while a DA 15 site could jump 8 points from the same links if they're contextually strong. At Ottawa SEO, we track DA monthly but don't obsess over small movements. A drop of 2-3 points often reverses the next month as Moz's crawl catches links it missed. We focus on the 6-month trend line and whether our clients are gaining links from genuinely relevant, authoritative sources. If DA climbs while organic traffic stays flat, the links probably aren't moving the needle where it counts: Google's actual algorithm. One watch-out: Moz sometimes rolls out model changes that recalibrate all scores. In 2019, they shifted to DA 2.0, which caused widespread score drops because the new model better predicted Google rankings. When that happens, your score might fall even if your link profile improved. Check Moz's blog after big swings to see if they announced a methodology update. When Does Moz Recalculate DA Behind the Scenes The recalculation process runs continuously in the background, but the public-facing scores only refresh when Moz pushes an index update. Their crawler, Rogerbot, is constantly discovering and indexing new links, but those findings sit in a queue until the monthly processing cycle completes. This means a link you built two weeks ago might not influence your score until the next full index push. Some SEOs check the Moz Explorer changelog or follow their Twitter account for informal heads-up announcements, though Moz rarely gives advance notice of exact dates. If you're running client reports, build in a buffer of 5-7 days into the new month before pulling DA comparisons to ensure you're capturing the freshest data. How Frequently Does Domain Authority Update Compared to Other Metrics Moz's monthly cadence sits in the middle ground compared to competitors. Ahrefs updates Domain Rating daily for most sites in their index, while Majestic's Trust Flow and Citation Flow refresh on a rolling basis as they crawl. Semrush's Authority Score also updates more frequently than DA. This difference matters when clients ask why their Ahrefs DR changed but their Moz DA didn't. Each tool has a different crawl depth, index size, and scoring algorithm, so treating them as interchangeable causes confusion. For link building campaigns, we often track Ahrefs DR for week-over-week pulse checks and reserve DA comparisons for monthly strategy reviews where the slower update cadence actually reduces noise. Why Did My DA Change Without New Links Score changes without obvious link activity confuse site owners, but several mechanics explain it. Moz may have discovered existing links it previously missed during a deeper crawl pass, or links you thought were live actually got removed or nofollowed without notification. The spam score of your linking domains can shift too, dragging your DA down if Moz reclassifies those sources. Index bloat matters as well. When Moz adds millions of new domains to their index, the relative curve shifts and established sites can lose a point or two through pure math, not actual link loss. Check Moz's Link Explorer for changes in your linking root domains count. If that number stayed stable but DA moved, the shift is likely algorithmic rather than profile-based. Domain Authority Update Schedule and Reporting Best Practices For agencies running monthly SEO reports, align your data pulls with Moz's typical update window. Pulling DA on the 10th or 15th of each month usually captures the latest refresh while avoiding the brief inconsistencies that sometimes appear in the first 48 hours after an index push. Document your pull dates in reports so clients understand why month-over-month comparisons might show different magnitudes of change. When presenting to stakeholders who fixate on DA, pair it with referring domain counts and actual ranking movement to provide context. A DA increase means little if it came from low-quality directories, while a stable DA alongside growing organic traffic suggests you're earning the right kind of links even if the score hasn't caught up yet. Frequently Asked Questions When does Moz recalculate DA? Moz recalculates Domain Authority scores during their monthly index update, typically in the first week of each month. The exact date varies and isn't announced in advance. Their crawler gathers link data continuously, but the public scores only refresh when the full processing cycle completes. How frequently does domain authority update? Domain Authority updates roughly once per month. Unlike Ahrefs Domain Rating which refreshes daily, Moz batches their recalculations into monthly pushes. This slower cadence means recent link building may take 2-4 weeks to reflect in your score. Why did my DA change? DA can change from new or lost backlinks, spam score adjustments to your linking domains, deeper crawl passes finding previously missed links, or index-wide recalibrations when Moz adds millions of new sites. Check your referring domain count in Link Explorer to determine if the change was profile-based or algorithmic. What is the domain authority update schedule? There's no fixed published schedule. Moz typically pushes updates in the first week of each month, but dates shift based on crawl completion and processing time. Following Moz's blog or Twitter can provide informal notice of major updates or methodology changes.