WHOIS Domain Lookup

What is a WHOIS lookup?

Every domain name is registered through a registrar, and the registry of its extension (.com, .net, .org…) keeps a public record of it. A WHOIS lookup reads that record: who the domain is registered with, when it was created, when it expires, its status and the nameservers it uses.

This tool queries the registries directly through RDAP, the modern replacement for the old WHOIS protocol, so the data is always current.

Why are the owner's details hidden?

Since the GDPR came into force, most registrars hide the personal details of domain owners (name, email, address) by default. You'll usually see the registrar and dates, but the registrant shows as redacted. To contact an owner, use the registrar's contact form or the abuse contact for reports.

When does a domain become available again?

An expired domain usually goes through a grace period (about 30 to 45 days), then a redemption period (30 days) during which the owner can still restore it, and finally a pending-delete period of 5 days before anyone can register it.