Domain WHOIS Lookup
Enter a domain name to retrieve its WHOIS registration record. Discover who owns a domain, when it was registered, when it expires, and which nameservers it uses.
What you'll get: Registrar name, domain status, creation and expiry dates, WHOIS server, nameservers, and registrant contact information.
Understanding WHOIS Data
WHOIS (pronounced "who is") is a query-and-response protocol that stores registered information about domain names. When a domain is purchased, the registrant must provide details to their domain registrar — an ICANN-accredited company authorized to sell domain registrations. These details are stored in a central WHOIS database and are publicly accessible, unless the registrant has enabled WHOIS privacy protection (also called domain privacy or proxy registration).
Key Fields Explained
- Registrar: The company where the domain was purchased, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Cloudflare Registrar. The registrar is responsible for maintaining the domain record in the registry.
- Domain Status: ICANN-defined status codes that describe the current state of the domain. "clientTransferProhibited" is common and means the domain is locked against transfers. "pendingDelete" means it is about to be released.
- Creation Date: The date the domain was first registered. Search engines often treat older domains as more authoritative and trustworthy.
- Expiry Date: The date the registration lapses if not renewed. Domains in "grace period" after expiry can still be renewed by the original owner; after that they become available to the public.
- Domain Age: Calculated from the creation date to today. A domain registered ten years ago carries more credibility than one registered last week, which matters for both SEO and trust signals.
- Nameservers: The DNS servers that hold the authoritative records for this domain, controlling where web traffic, email, and subdomains are directed. Changing nameservers is how you move hosting providers.
- Registrant: The legal owner of the domain. Under GDPR, European registrants can redact personal details, so many records now show a privacy proxy (e.g., "Withheld for Privacy") instead of the real owner's name and email.
Common Use Cases
- Due diligence before purchasing a domain or website to verify true ownership
- Investigating phishing or scam websites to identify the registrant or registrar
- Checking a domain's age and history before building backlinks for SEO purposes
- Finding contact information for a domain owner to negotiate a purchase
- Monitoring competitor domain portfolios and expiry dates
- Verifying whether an email or link came from a legitimately registered domain