WHOIS lookup
Look up who registered a domain and until when, how old it is, whether it is locked, and which servers answer for it. Type an IP address to see who holds it.
- How oldWhen it was registered and when it expires
- Who runs itRegistrar, name servers and abuse contact
- How safeTransfer lock, DNSSEC and every status code explained
Related tools
See all toolsHow to use the WHOIS lookup
Type a domain such as github.com and press Look up. The WHOIS lookup asks the domain's registry directly and shows when the name was registered, when it expires, which company it was bought through, whether it is locked against theft, and which servers answer for it. A link or a subdomain works too: shop.example.com is looked up as example.com, the name that was registered.
Type an IP address such as 8.8.8.8 instead and the tool shows who holds the address block, how big it is and which regional registry handed it out: ARIN for North America, RIPE NCC for Europe and the Middle East, APNIC for Asia Pacific, LACNIC for Latin America and AFRINIC for Africa.
What the domain lookup tells you
- Domain age. When the domain was first registered. A domain that is only days old is a common sign of a scam or phishing site, so the lookup warns you before you pay or sign in anywhere new.
- Expiry. The date the registration runs out. If it is close, the owner should renew, or the site and its email stop working.
- Registrar and abuse contact. The company the domain was bought through, and where to report phishing, spam or a stolen domain.
- Status codes in plain words. Registries mark domains with codes such as "client transfer prohibited". Each one is explained: that one means the domain is locked, so nobody can move it to another registrar with a stolen password.
- Name servers and the DNS provider behind them, and whether the registry signs the domain with DNSSEC.
Who owns a domain?
Since the 2018 privacy rules, most registries hide the owner's name and address, and the record says so. That is normal and not suspicious in itself. To reach the owner, use the registrar's contact form or the site itself; for abuse, use the registrar's abuse contact shown in the results.
RDAP: the modern WHOIS
This domain expiry checker reads RDAP, the open, structured replacement for the old WHOIS protocol that registries now offer. It runs straight from your browser through rdap.org to the registry, so the lookup never passes our servers. A few country registries, such as those for .pk and .de, do not offer RDAP to other websites yet. For those, the tool links to the registry's own WHOIS search.
Questions
Is a WHOIS lookup legal?
Yes. Registration data is published by registries precisely so that people can check who is behind a domain and how to reach them.
Can I see when a domain becomes free?
The expiry date and status codes show it. A domain marked "redemption period" or "pending delete" has expired and may soon be released.
What should I check next?
The lookup is one section of the website checker, so the same check also answers whether the site is up and safe: see the summary at the top or the Security section. To see whether the domain's email can be faked, open the Email section, which is also the DMARC checker.