When a domain misbehaves, changes hands, or simply needs its expiry checked, the registration record is the first document to read: it shows the registrar, the creation and expiry dates, the status locks, and the nameservers. The modern source for that data is RDAP, the structured successor to WHOIS, served by registries over HTTPS. This tool queries the public RDAP service for a domain and presents the record in readable form. Some registries and country-code domains do not answer RDAP from a browser, and this tool says so honestly instead of inventing data, because a missing record is not the same as an unregistered domain.
Quick Answer: Enter a domain and click Look Up. Registration, expiry, registrar, status, and nameservers are shown when RDAP answers.
Free Online Tool
Domain WHOIS Lookup
Show domain registration data via the public RDAP endpoint, with graceful failure where registries do not answer.
How to Use the Domain WHOIS Lookup
- Type the domain name, with or without www.
- Click Look Up.
- Wait while the public RDAP service is queried.
- Read the registrar, dates, status locks, and nameservers.
- If the lookup fails, read the explanation and try the registrar site directly.
- Use the expiry date to set a renewal reminder before it lapses.
Key Features
- Queries the public RDAP endpoint from your browser.
- Shows registrar, creation, expiry, and update dates.
- Lists status locks such as transfer prohibitions.
- Lists the domain nameservers.
- Explains gracefully when a registry does not answer RDAP.
- No proxy server: your browser talks to RDAP directly.
What the Result Means
A record with a future expiry date and active status locks is a normally registered domain. An expiry date in the past plus a redemption status means the domain is lapsing and may soon be released. No result does not mean the domain is free: it usually means that registry does not serve RDAP to browsers, or the domain sits under a registry with restricted data. The registrar name tells you who to contact for transfers and renewals, and the nameservers tell you where the DNS is actually hosted.
Worked Example
Looking up example.com returns a record held by a registrar, created in 1995, with nameservers at a.iana-servers.net and b.iana-servers.net, and status locks preventing unauthorised transfer or deletion. That is a healthy, long-lived registration. Looking up a newly bought domain should show your registrar, a recent creation date, and an expiry a year out; if the registrar differs from the one you paid, the purchase may have gone to a reseller, which is worth knowing before renewal time.
Best Practices and Tips
- Check expiry dates quarterly for every domain you care about, not just at renewal time.
- A clientTransferProhibited lock is normal protection; it is removed only during a transfer.
- Compare the nameservers here with your DNS provider to catch hijacked or stale delegation.
- Do not publish full WHOIS details you find; much of it is redacted for privacy by law.
- For country-code domains, use the national registry site when RDAP does not answer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming no RDAP answer means the domain is available to register.
- Treating a registrar name as proof of ownership; registrant data is usually redacted.
- Ignoring the expiry date until the domain stops resolving.
- Confusing the RDAP record with DNS records; registration and DNS are separate systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RDAP?
The Registration Data Access Protocol: the structured, HTTPS-based replacement for the old WHOIS protocol, returning JSON instead of free text.
Why do some domains return nothing?
Their registry may not offer public RDAP, may block browser requests, or may restrict data for privacy reasons.
Can I see who owns a domain?
Usually only the registrar and organisation, if published. Individual registrant details are redacted under privacy rules.
Is this the same as a DNS lookup?
No. DNS shows how a domain is wired; RDAP shows how it is registered. Both are useful, for different questions.