WHOIS Lookup

Run a free WHOIS lookup to see a domain's registrar, age, creation and expiry dates, status and nameservers, straight from the official registry. Works for IP addresses too.

Data comes directly from the official registry for the domain extension or IP range, via RDAP (the modern replacement for WHOIS).

What this WHOIS lookup shows

Enter a domain name to see its public registration record. The data comes directly from the official registry for that domain extension, such as Verisign for .com or Nominet for .uk, using RDAP, the standardised successor to WHOIS that ICANN made mandatory for gTLDs. You'll see:

  • Domain age: how long ago the domain was first registered.
  • Expiry date, with a countdown, so you can spot a domain at risk of lapsing.
  • Registrar: the company the domain is registered through, with its IANA ID, website and abuse contact.
  • Status codes, explained in plain English (transfer locks, holds, redemption period and so on).
  • Nameservers registered with the registry, and whether DNSSEC is enabled at the registry level.
  • Registrant organisation and country, where they are published.

For thin registries such as .com and .net, the tool also follows the registry's link to the registrar's own RDAP server for extra details. For the few extensions without RDAP, it falls back to classic WHOIS and shows the raw record.

You can also enter an IP address to see who it is allocated to: network name, organisation, address range, country and abuse contact, from the regional internet registry (ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, LACNIC or AFRINIC).

Why the registrant's details are often hidden

Since GDPR came into force in 2018, registries and registrars redact personal data such as the owner's name, email address and phone number. Many registrars also offer privacy services that replace the owner's details with their own. So "Not public" for the registrant is normal and doesn't mean anything is wrong. To contact the owner of a domain, use the registrar's abuse contact or the website's own contact page.

Common uses for a WHOIS lookup

  • Checking your own domains: confirm the expiry date and that a transfer lock is on (client transfer prohibited).
  • Judging if a website is trustworthy: a shop or bank site registered a few days ago is a common sign of a scam.
  • Before buying a domain: see who it's registered with and when it expires.
  • Reporting abuse: find the registrar's abuse contact for phishing or spam domains.
  • Troubleshooting DNS: compare the registry's nameservers with the ones in your DNS zone using the NS Lookup.

Understanding domain status codes

A status like client transfer prohibited is good: it protects the domain from being transferred away without authorisation. Watch for client hold or server hold (the domain is suspended and won't resolve), redemption period (expired and deleted, but still recoverable by the owner) and pending delete (about to be released for anyone to register).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?

Both give registration data. WHOIS is the original plain-text protocol with no standard format. RDAP is its modern replacement: structured, secure (HTTPS) and consistent across registries. Since 2025, ICANN requires RDAP for all generic top-level domains.

Does "not registered" mean I can buy the domain?

Usually, but not always. Some names are reserved by the registry or sold as premium domains. Availability is confirmed when you try to register it with a registrar.

How accurate is the domain age?

It's the creation date recorded by the registry. If a domain expired and was re-registered by someone else, the age counts from the new registration.

Why is the expiry date different from my registrar's dashboard?

Registries often auto-renew a domain for a year at expiry, while the registrar gives you a grace period to pay. The registry date can be ahead of the date in your account.