WHOIS Lookup
Get the registration record of any domain straight from its registry: registrar, creation and expiry dates, status codes with explanations, name servers and DNSSEC. The lookup uses RDAP, the modern replacement for WHOIS, and falls back to classic WHOIS where a registry has no RDAP service.
- Encrypted connection
- No sign-up
- Free to use
How to use WHOIS Lookup
- Enter a domain name such as example.com. A full web address works too.
- Select Look up WHOIS.
- Read the registration summary: registrar, dates and data source.
- Check the status codes and name servers, or open the raw WHOIS text when it is available.
WHOIS Lookup features
Live registry data
Every lookup asks the responsible registry directly; results are cached for an hour at most.
RDAP with WHOIS fallback
Uses the structured RDAP protocol and switches to port-43 WHOIS for top-level domains that lack it.
Status codes explained
Codes like clientTransferProhibited or redemptionPeriod are translated into what they mean for the domain.
Dates in context
Shows how old the domain is and how many days remain until it expires.
Name servers and DNSSEC
Lists the delegated name servers and whether the zone is signed.
No guessing
Fields a registry does not publish are left out rather than filled with estimates.
When to use WHOIS Lookup
- Finding the registrar of a domain so you know where to log in or whom to contact.
- Checking when a domain you want is due to expire.
- Verifying that a transfer or name server change has been completed.
- Assessing an unfamiliar website: a domain registered last week deserves more caution.
WHOIS Lookup FAQ
Why does the lookup not show the owner's name and email?
Since privacy regulations took effect in 2018, registries and registrars redact personal contact data from public records. What remains public is the registrar, the dates, the status and the name servers. To reach an owner, use the contact form or address the registrar provides for that purpose.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
WHOIS is a plain-text protocol from the 1980s with no standard format, so every registry answers differently. RDAP, the Registration Data Access Protocol, returns the same information as structured data over HTTPS and is now required for generic top-level domains. This tool prefers RDAP and labels each result with the source it used.
What do the status codes mean?
They describe what may happen to the domain. Codes containing “prohibited” are locks that prevent transfers, changes or deletion and are normal for a protected domain. Codes such as clientHold, redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete signal trouble: the domain is suspended or on its way to being released.
Why are there no results for some country domains?
A few country-code registries offer neither RDAP nor a public WHOIS server, or they limit lookups heavily. In that case the tool says so instead of showing partial data. The registry's own website usually provides a lookup form.
Can I look up a subdomain?
Registration exists only for the registered domain. If you enter blog.example.com, the record for example.com is shown, with a note.
How current is the data?
It is fetched from the registry when you search. Repeated lookups of the same name within an hour are served from a cache to avoid overloading registry servers.
What a registration record tells you
Every domain is recorded in the database of a registry, the organisation that runs a top-level domain such as .com or .org. Owners do not deal with the registry directly; they register through a registrar, which passes the details on. The registration record is the registry's public view of that entry, and it answers a few practical questions reliably: who the registrar is, when the name was first registered, when the current term ends and which name servers it is delegated to.
The dates are worth reading carefully. The creation date is when the current registration began, which is not always the first time the name was ever used; if a domain was dropped and registered again, the clock restarted. The expiry date is the end of the paid period. Many domains renew automatically, so a date a few weeks away does not necessarily mean the owner is letting the name go.
After expiry, a domain passes through a predictable sequence. For some weeks it can simply be renewed. Then it enters a redemption period in which it can still be recovered for an extra fee, followed by a short pending-delete phase, after which it becomes available to the public. The status codes in the record show where in that sequence a domain currently is, which is exactly what you want to know when a site suddenly stops working or when you hope to register a name once it drops.
Name servers and DNSSEC complete the picture. The name servers tell you which DNS provider is authoritative, and therefore where records must be changed. DNSSEC indicates whether the zone is cryptographically signed, which protects visitors against forged DNS answers.