WHOIS Lookup

WHOIS Checker

Look up complete domain registration information: registrar, contacts, nameservers, and status flags.

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What is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a query and response protocol used to retrieve registration information about domain names, IP addresses, and autonomous systems. It was originally created in the early days of the internet to help network administrators identify the owners of internet resources.

What Information Does a WHOIS Record Contain?

A typical WHOIS record includes:

  • Registrant Information: Name, organization, and contact details of the domain owner
  • Registrar: The company through which the domain was registered
  • Registration Dates: Creation, last update, and expiry dates
  • Nameservers: DNS nameservers currently assigned to the domain
  • Domain Status: Current status flags (e.g., clientTransferProhibited)
  • DNSSEC: Whether DNS Security Extensions are enabled

WHOIS Privacy Protection

Many domain owners use WHOIS privacy protection (also called WHOIS redaction or proxy registration). When enabled, the registrant's personal information is replaced with the proxy service's contact details. This is very common and is a legitimate privacy measure.

Since GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) came into effect in 2018, European registrars are required to redact personal information from public WHOIS records, making privacy protection the default for many domains.

Understanding Domain Status Codes

Domain status codes tell you what actions are currently allowed or restricted on a domain:

  • clientTransferProhibited: Cannot be transferred to another registrar without unlocking
  • clientUpdateProhibited: Registrant data cannot be changed
  • clientDeleteProhibited: Domain cannot be deleted
  • serverTransferProhibited: Registry-level transfer lock (common on new registrations)
  • pendingDelete: Domain is in redemption/deletion period

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WHOIS data always accurate?

ICANN requires domain registrants to provide accurate contact information, but enforcement varies. With WHOIS privacy services now common, much contact information is legitimately redacted.

Can WHOIS tell me who owns a domain?

For unprotected domains, yes. For privacy-protected domains, you'll see the proxy service's information. To contact the owner of a privacy-protected domain, use the proxy service's forwarding contact form.