WHOIS lookup
Read the public registration record of any domain: registrar, creation and expiry dates, status locks, nameservers, DNSSEC and contacts. Live from the registry over RDAP, with every status code explained.
- Registry and registrar records
- Status codes in plain English
- No signup needed
Registrar
Enter a domain to start
- DomainWaiting for inputWhat you entered
- Registry—Holds the extension
- Registrar—Sold the domain
- Status—Current state
Registration record
Enter a domain above to see its registrar, dates, status codes, contacts, nameservers and DNSSEC, explained in plain English.
Fair-use limit: 30 lookups per hour and 200 per day for each visitor IP address. Records are cached for up to 6 hours.
What a WHOIS record tells you
Every registered domain has a public record kept by the registry of its extension and by the registrar that sold it.
Registry and registrar
The registry runs the extension, such as Verisign for .com. The registrar, such as GoDaddy or Namecheap, sells the domain and manages the owner's account.
Dates and renewal
The creation date shows when the current registration began. The expiry date is when it must be renewed. Last changed covers any update, not only ownership.
Status codes protect the domain
Locks such as clientTransferProhibited stop hijacking. Hold and pending-delete codes signal trouble or a domain about to drop.
RDAP replaced old WHOIS
Since January 2025, gTLDs only have to offer RDAP, a structured version of WHOIS. Personal contact data is usually redacted under privacy law.
Domain status codes explained
The EPP codes you will see most often, and whether they are a concern.
| Status | What it means | Concern? |
|---|---|---|
clientTransferProhibited |
Locked against transfers by the registrar | Normal and recommended |
clientDeleteProhibited / clientUpdateProhibited |
Changes and deletion need extra steps | Normal protection |
serverTransferProhibited |
Locked by the registry, often after a recent transfer or by request | Normal, sometimes temporary |
clientHold / serverHold |
Removed from DNS, so the website and email stop working | Problem: unpaid, disputed or suspended |
autoRenewPeriod / renewPeriod |
Just renewed, refundable for a few days | Normal |
redemptionPeriod |
Expired and deleted, only the owner can restore it, for a fee | Urgent for the owner |
pendingDelete |
About 5 days from being released to the public | Domain is about to drop |
pendingTransfer |
A transfer to another registrar is in progress | Check it was you |
How this tool works
What happens between pressing Look up and seeing the record.
You enter a domain
For example example.com. Links and www are trimmed, and international names are converted to their ASCII form.
The right registry is found
The IANA bootstrap list says which RDAP server holds the domain's extension. rdap.org is used as a fallback.
The registrar is asked too
For thin registries such as .com, the registry links to the registrar's RDAP server, which holds the contact record.
The record is explained
Dates become a countdown, status codes get plain-English meanings, and redacted fields are marked as such.
What this tool does, and what it doesn't
A plain list, so you know exactly what to expect.
This tool does
- Read live RDAP from the domain's registry
- Follow the link to the registrar's record
- Explain every status code
- Count down to expiry and flag holds
- Show the abuse contact for reports
- Show the raw RDAP JSON
This tool does not
- Reveal redacted owner details
- Show WHOIS history or past owners
- Read registries without RDAP
- Look up IP address ownership
- Register or back-order domains
- Keep records longer than 6 hours
Where your data goes
The domain you enter is sent from our server to the registry's RDAP service listed by IANA, or to rdap.org, and for thin registries such as .com also to the registrar's RDAP service. They see our server, not you. The public record is cached for up to 6 hours, then deleted. A hashed, temporary copy of your IP address is used for rate limiting. Like any website, our server may keep normal access logs, as described in our privacy policy.
Step-by-step guide by Bhavin J. Sheth.
Why your results might look unexpected
The six surprises people run into most, and what each one means.
Domain not found
The registry has no record: the domain is not registered, or it was deleted. It may be available to register.
Extension not supported
Some country-code registries, such as some .de or .ch services, do not offer RDAP. Use the registry's own lookup page.
Everything shows Redacted
Personal data is hidden by privacy rules. The registrar's contact form or relay email is the way to reach the owner.
clientHold or serverHold
The domain is taken out of DNS. Usually unpaid renewal, unverified owner email, or a dispute. Contact the registrar.
Expiry date in the past
The domain is in its grace or redemption period. The owner can usually still renew or restore it for a while.
Different data than another WHOIS site
Other sites may use cached or old port-43 data. This tool reads live RDAP, cached here for up to 6 hours.
Questions about WHOIS records
Why is the owner shown as redacted?
Since GDPR in 2018, registrars hide the personal details of most domain owners in public records. You usually still see the registrar, the dates, the status and often the owner's country or organisation. To reach the owner, use the registrar's contact form or relay email, or the abuse contact for legal and security issues.
Is this the same as WHOIS?
It shows the same registration record. Since January 2025, gTLD registries and registrars are no longer required to run the old port-43 WHOIS service, and RDAP is the official source. RDAP returns structured data, which this tool reads and explains. A few country-code domains still offer only old WHOIS, and those cannot be read here.
What do statuses like clientTransferProhibited mean?
They are EPP status codes set by the registrar (client) or the registry (server). clientTransferProhibited is a normal lock that stops unauthorised transfers. Watch out for clientHold or serverHold, which take the domain off the internet, and redemptionPeriod or pendingDelete, which mean it has expired and may be released soon.
Why does a .com show more details than the registry gives?
.com and .net registries keep only basic data, while the registrar holds the contact record. When the registry links to the registrar's RDAP server, this tool reads that record too and marks which details came from where.
The domain expired but still works. Why?
Most registrars keep an expired domain running or parked for a grace period of up to 45 days, followed by a 30-day redemption period during which only the owner can restore it at a fee. After about 5 more days of pending delete, the domain is released for anyone to register.
How do I report abuse from a domain?
Use the registrar abuse email and phone shown in the report. Registrars accredited by ICANN must have an abuse contact and investigate reports. For hosting issues such as phishing pages, also contact the hosting provider, which the hosting checker can identify.
Is my lookup stored?
The domain is sent from our server to the registry's RDAP service, and for some domains to the registrar's. The public record is cached on our server for 6 hours so repeated lookups do not hit the registry again, then deleted. A hashed, temporary copy of your IP address is used for rate limiting. Like any website, our server may keep normal access logs, as described in our privacy policy.