WHOIS Lookup
Look up domain registration details, registrar, nameservers, expiration date, and owner information. Powered by RDAP protocol for fast, accurate results.
Free WHOIS ToolWHOIS Domain LookupRDAP ProtocolPrivacy Detection
WHOIS & Domain Age Lookup
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What Is a WHOIS Lookup?
A WHOIS lookup queries public registration databases to retrieve detailed information about a domain name. Every domain registered on the internet has associated WHOIS records maintained by the domain registry and registrar. These records include the domain's registrar, registration and expiration dates, nameserver configuration, domain status codes, and — when not privacy-protected — the registrant's contact information.
The WHOIS system was created in the 1980s as part of ARPANET and has been the standard protocol for querying domain registration data ever since. DNS Robot's WHOIS lookup tool uses the modern RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) as its primary data source, with traditional WHOIS as a fallback for maximum TLD coverage. RDAP delivers structured JSON responses over encrypted HTTPS connections, replacing the legacy plain-text WHOIS format.
How to Do a WHOIS Lookup
Performing a WHOIS domain lookup with DNS Robot is straightforward. Our tool handles the complexity of querying the correct registry server for any TLD automatically.
1
Enter Domain
Type any domain name (e.g., example.com) — URLs are automatically cleaned
2
RDAP Query
Our tool queries the RDAP server for the domain's TLD and retrieves structured JSON data
3
View Results
See registrar, dates, nameservers, status codes, DNSSEC, and contact details instantly
What Does a WHOIS Lookup Reveal?
A comprehensive WHOIS domain lookup returns several categories of registration data. Understanding each field helps you assess domain ownership, security, and configuration.
Registrar Information
The company where the domain was registered (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare). Includes registrar name, IANA ID, abuse contact email and phone, and the registrar's WHOIS server URL.
Registration Dates
Three critical dates: when the domain was first registered (creation date), when it expires, and when the WHOIS record was last updated. The creation date is used to calculate domain age.
Nameservers
The DNS servers that resolve the domain to its IP address. Common nameservers include Cloudflare (*.ns.cloudflare.com), AWS Route 53 (*.awsdns-*.com), and Google Cloud DNS (ns-cloud-*.googledomains.com).
Domain Status & DNSSEC
EPP status codes that control what actions can be performed on the domain (transfers, updates, deletions). DNSSEC status indicates whether DNS responses are cryptographically signed for security.
RDAP vs Traditional WHOIS Protocol
DNS Robot uses the RDAP protocol (Registration Data Access Protocol) as its primary data source, which is the official ICANN-endorsed replacement for the legacy WHOIS protocol. Here's why RDAP is superior for modern WHOIS lookups.
| Feature | RDAP (Modern) | WHOIS (Legacy) |
|---|---|---|
| Data Format | Structured JSON | Unstructured plain text |
| Transport | HTTPS (encrypted) | Port 43 (unencrypted) |
| Standardization | IETF RFC 7480-7484 | No consistent standard |
| Internationalization | Full Unicode/IDN support | Limited ASCII |
| Authentication | HTTP auth, API keys | None |
WHOIS Lookup Use Cases
A WHOIS search serves many purposes across security, business, and technical operations. Here are the most common reasons professionals perform WHOIS lookups.
Cybersecurity & Fraud Investigation
Investigate phishing domains, identify the registrar used by threat actors, and check when suspicious domains were registered. Newly registered domains are often used for phishing.
Trademark & Brand Protection
Monitor domain registrations that infringe on your brand. WHOIS data helps identify the registrant behind cybersquatting or typosquatting domains for legal action.
Competitor Research
Discover which registrar and DNS provider competitors use, when their domains were registered, and how their nameserver infrastructure is configured.
Domain Acquisition
Check if a domain is available, when it expires, and find owner contact information for making purchase offers on registered domains.
Network Troubleshooting
Verify nameserver configuration, check DNSSEC status, and identify the authoritative DNS provider to diagnose domain resolution problems.
Due Diligence
Verify domain legitimacy before business transactions. Check domain age, registration history, and registrant details to assess trustworthiness of online businesses.
Understanding Domain Status Codes
When you perform a WHOIS lookup, the results include EPP (Extensible Provisioning Protocol) status codes. These codes control what actions can be performed on a domain and provide insight into its current state.
active / ok
Domain is functioning normally with no pending operations or restrictions.
clientTransferProhibited
Transfer lock set by the domain owner through their registrar to prevent unauthorized transfers.
serverDeleteProhibited
Registry-level protection preventing the domain from being deleted. Common for high-value domains.
pendingDelete
Domain has expired and passed the redemption period. It will be released for public registration soon.
WHOIS Privacy and GDPR
Since the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect in May 2018, most WHOIS records now show redacted personal information. Registrars are required to protect registrant data by default, replacing names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses with privacy-protected placeholders.
Even with WHOIS privacy enabled, a WHOIS search still reveals valuable data: the registrar name, registration and expiration dates, nameservers, domain status codes, and DNSSEC configuration. For legitimate purposes like trademark enforcement, registrars provide WHOIS disclosure request processes to contact domain owners through anonymized email forwarding.
WHOIS Lookup Best Practices
Verify nameservers
Confirm your domain points to the correct DNS provider after making changes
Monitor expiration dates
Set reminders before domain expiration to avoid losing your domain
Enable transfer lock
Keep clientTransferProhibited active to prevent unauthorized domain transfers
Use WHOIS privacy
Enable domain privacy to protect personal information from public WHOIS queries
Enable DNSSEC
Sign your DNS zone to protect visitors from DNS spoofing and cache poisoning
Audit regularly
Check your WHOIS records periodically to ensure contact information is accurate
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Frequently Asked Questions About WHOIS Lookup
A WHOIS lookup is a query to a public database that stores registration information for domain names. It reveals the domain registrar, registration and expiration dates, nameservers, domain status, and sometimes the registrant's contact information. DNS Robot's WHOIS lookup tool uses the modern RDAP protocol (Registration Data Access Protocol) for faster, more structured results compared to traditional WHOIS.