Live registration data via RDAP (the modern, structured WHOIS). Try .
What a WHOIS record actually tells you
Every registered domain has a public registration record. A WHOIS lookup reads it and tells you four things that matter in practice: who controls the domain (the registrar), when it expires (so it never lapses under you), where its DNS lives (the nameservers), and how well it’s protected (transfer lock and DNSSEC). This tool turns the raw record into a clear, graded summary.
The domain lifecycle — and why the expiry date is the field to watch.
Why expiry is the field that bites
The single most common WHOIS-related disaster is a domain quietly expiring. When it does, the website and — worse — all email for that domain stop, often without warning. After expiry a domain enters a grace period, then an expensive redemption phase, then it’s released for anyone to register. This tool grades the expiry date and flags anything inside 90 days, so you can renew and switch on auto-renew before it’s a crisis.
Transfer lock and DNSSEC — the protections to check
Two status signals are worth confirming. A transfer-prohibited lock (clientTransferProhibited) blocks anyone moving the domain to another registrar without your say-so — a basic anti-hijacking control every business domain should have. DNSSEC cryptographically signs your DNS so attackers can’t forge responses. The tool reports both and tells you how to enable them if they’re missing.
RDAP, not 1990s WHOIS
Classic WHOIS was free-text that every registrar formatted differently, which made it painful to read and parse. We query RDAP (RFC 9083) — the standardised, JSON-based successor — so the registrar, dates, nameservers and status come back clean and consistent across .com, .co.uk and most modern TLDs. Note that since GDPR, personal registrant contact details are redacted by most registries; the registry-level facts shown here are the ones that remain public and actionable. To inspect the live DNS those nameservers serve, pair this with the DNS Lookup; to check the certificate on the site, use the SSL checker.
🛡️ Never lose a domain again: Servnet manages domains, DNS and renewals for UK businesses — locked, DNSSEC-signed and auto-renewing. Talk to us →
WHOIS lookup — common questions
What is a WHOIS lookup?
A WHOIS lookup returns the public registration record for a domain: who it’s registered through (the registrar), when it was first registered, when it expires, its nameservers, its status flags and whether DNSSEC is enabled. It’s how you confirm ownership details, check an expiry date, or research a domain before buying or trusting it.
What is RDAP, and why do you use it instead of classic WHOIS?
RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol, RFC 9083) is the modern, standardised replacement for the old port-43 WHOIS protocol. It returns clean, structured JSON instead of free-text that varied by registrar, so the results are more accurate and consistent. This tool queries RDAP and falls back gracefully where a registry hasn’t adopted it.
Why is the registrant’s name and contact hidden?
Since GDPR (2018) and ICANN’s temporary specification, most registries redact personal registrant details (name, email, address) from public records, replacing them with privacy or “REDACTED FOR PRIVACY” values. Registry-level facts — registrar, dates, nameservers, status and DNSSEC — remain public, which is what this tool focuses on.
What do the status codes (EPP statuses) mean?
EPP status codes describe protections and states on a domain. clientTransferProhibited / serverTransferProhibited mean a registrar lock is set to block unauthorised transfers (good). pendingDelete, redemptionPeriod or autoRenewPeriod indicate a domain near or past expiry. clientHold means the domain has been deactivated. This tool flags whether a transfer lock is present.
How do I check when a domain expires?
Enter the domain and read the Expires date and the “days left” marker on the timeline. We grade it: under 30 days is flagged red (renew now), under 90 amber. Set auto-renew at your registrar so a forgotten renewal never takes your site and email offline.
Can I see the domain’s age and nameservers?
Yes — the registration date shows how old the domain is (useful for trust and SEO research), and the nameservers show which DNS provider is authoritative for it. To see the actual DNS records those nameservers serve, use our DNS Lookup tool.
Is this WHOIS lookup free and private?
Yes — it’s free with no sign-up, and we don’t store the domains you look up. The query runs server-side against public RDAP/WHOIS data and returns the result.