WHOIS Lookup
Look up domain registration info, expiry date and nameservers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information does a WHOIS lookup show?
A WHOIS record typically contains: registrar name and contact (e.g. Namecheap, GoDaddy), registration date, last updated date, expiry date, domain status codes (e.g. clientTransferProhibited), nameservers (DNS), and registrant contact details. Since GDPR (2018), most .com/.net registrant details are now redacted or replaced with privacy proxy information.
Why does WHOIS sometimes show no registrant name or email?
Most registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection (also called domain privacy or GDPR compliance), which replaces the registrant's personal name, email, and address with proxy contact details. For gTLDs (.com, .net, .org), ICANN's 2018 Temporary Specification following GDPR made privacy redaction the near-universal default. Country-code TLDs (.uk, .de) have their own policies.
How accurate is the domain expiry date shown?
The expiry date is fetched in real-time from a third-party WHOIS API that queries the authoritative registry. It is generally accurate but can have a delay of a few hours after a renewal. Always verify with your registrar's control panel before making billing-critical decisions like domain transfers or renewals.
What do WHOIS domain status codes mean?
Common status codes: clientTransferProhibited — domain cannot be transferred to another registrar (standard security lock). clientUpdateProhibited — registrant details locked. serverHold — domain suspended, not resolving. pendingDelete — recently expired, in deletion queue. redemptionPeriod — can still be recovered by registrant for a fee. Status codes are set by the registrar or registry.
Can I use WHOIS to find out who owns a website?
You can see the registrar and sometimes the registrant organisation, but since GDPR most personal details are hidden. For businesses, the registrant organisation name is often still visible. For determining who operates a site, WHOIS alone may not be sufficient — combined with SSL certificate details, DNS records, and web archive data, you can often identify the owner.