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RDAP Domain Lookup (modern WHOIS)

The modern replacement for WHOIS — structured, and honest about redaction.

The domain to look up

Queries go straight from your browser to public resolvers and registry services. Nothing about the domain you look up passes through this site.

How this check works

RDAP is the protocol that replaced WHOIS: the same registration data, returned as structured JSON with proper authentication and rate limiting instead of a plain-text format every client had to guess at. The query goes from your browser to the registry that runs the top-level domain. What comes back is the registrar, the key dates, the delegated nameservers, whether the zone is signed, and the status codes — which are the part worth reading, and which this tool explains rather than listing.

What the results mean

Expiry date
When the registration lapses. Within 60 days is worth confirming the renewal and the payment method on file.
Nameservers
Where DNS for the domain is delegated. None means the domain is registered and cannot resolve anything.
Status codes
EPP codes describing locks and pending operations. The transfer lock is the one to look for.
Redacted contacts
Standard since GDPR. Registries publish the registrar and withhold the registrant.

Common problems and fixes

The registry did not answer
RDAP coverage is uneven — some registries are rate-limited, slow, or have not implemented it. That is a gap in the protocol's rollout rather than a fact about the domain.
No contact details are shown
Expected. Registrant details are redacted by default; the registrar is published and is the route to a contact for a legitimate request.
The dates look wrong
Registries report in UTC and some report the last database update rather than the last change to the domain. Compare with your registrar's own record before acting.

Frequently asked questions

What is RDAP and how is it different from WHOIS?

RDAP returns the same registration data as structured JSON rather than free-form text, with defined authentication, rate limiting and internationalisation. WHOIS output differed by registry and had to be parsed by guesswork; RDAP does not. It is the protocol registries are required to serve, and it is what any modern lookup uses underneath.

Why can I not see who owns a domain?

Registrant details have been redacted by default since GDPR came into force. The registrar is still published, and legitimate requests go through them. Anything claiming to reveal a redacted registrant is either showing stale pre-2018 data or guessing.

Is my lookup logged?

Not by this site — the query goes from your browser straight to the registry. The registry itself sees it, as it would for any lookup.

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