WHOIS Domain Lookup
A WHOIS lookup shows who registered a domain, when it was created, and when it expires, along with its current name servers and registrar. This is different from a DNS check: WHOIS covers registration records, while DNS covers what the domain currently resolves to.
Examples: google.com, wikipedia.org, aculix.com
Domain Information
Domain Name:
aculix.com
Registrar:
NameCheap, Inc.
Registered On:
2015-12-07
Expires On:
2026-12-07
Updated On:
2025-11-10
Status:
clientTransferProhibited
Name Servers:
adi.ns.cloudflare.com, kip.ns.cloudflare.com
Registrant Contact
Organization:
Privacy service provided by Withheld for Privacy ehf
Street:
Kalkofnsvegur 2
City:
Reykjavik
State:
Capital Region
Postal Code:
101
Country:
IS
Phone:
+354.4212434
Email:
Administrative Contact
Organization:
Privacy service provided by Withheld for Privacy ehf
Street:
Kalkofnsvegur 2
City:
Reykjavik
State:
Capital Region
Postal Code:
101
Country:
IS
Phone:
+354.4212434
Email:
Technical Contact
Organization:
Privacy service provided by Withheld for Privacy ehf
Street:
Kalkofnsvegur 2
City:
Reykjavik
State:
Capital Region
Postal Code:
101
Country:
IS
Phone:
+354.4212434
Email:
What each field means
- Registrar
- The company the domain was bought through, like GoDaddy or Namecheap. They manage the registration on the registry's behalf.
- Registered on
- When the domain was first registered. A domain that has existed for years reads very differently from one registered last week.
- Expires on
- When the current registration runs out. Miss the renewal and the domain can lapse, then drop for anyone to take.
- Updated on
- The last time a registration detail changed: a renewal, a nameserver switch, a transfer. Not the same as the website changing.
- Status
- The EPP codes that say what can and can't happen to the domain right now, such as whether it is locked against transfer. Covered below.
- Name servers
- The servers that answer for the domain's DNS. Change these and you move the domain's DNS to a new host, whoever holds the registration.
- Registrant
- The person or organisation the domain is registered to. Since 2018 this is usually redacted, so a blank here is normal, not an error.
How WHOIS works
Every domain sits under a registry, the operator of the whole .com or .org zone, and is sold to you through a registrar. WHOIS pulls together what those two publish about the registration.
WHOIS tells you who registered a domain and when. DNS tells you where it points today. A domain can have clean WHOIS and resolve nowhere, or the other way around.
The old text-based WHOIS protocol is being replaced by RDAP, which returns the same facts in a structured, standard form. You will see both names around; they answer the same question.
Why the owner is usually hidden
Since GDPR took effect in 2018, registrars mask personal contact details on most domains. A registrant that reads 'Redacted for Privacy' is the norm now, not a sign of anything shady.
Many registrars also sell privacy that swaps the owner's details for the service's own. So even a domain owned by a real company can show a forwarding contact instead of a name.
Registrar, dates, status, and name servers are still public. You lose the person's name and address, not the shape of the registration.
Common domain status codes
clientTransferProhibited- The registrar has locked the domain against transfers to another registrar. Common and healthy — it blocks unauthorised transfers.
clientHold- The registrar has told the registry to stop resolving the domain, so the site goes dark. Often an unpaid renewal or a dispute.
clientUpdateProhibited- Changes to the registration are blocked, usually a security lock the owner turned on.
pendingDelete- The domain is on its way out of registration and will soon be released. Renewing may no longer be possible.
redemptionPeriod- The grace window after expiry where the owner can still recover the domain, usually for a higher fee, before it drops.
ok- No restrictions are set. The domain can be updated, transferred, or deleted normally.
What you can use WHOIS for
Check the expiry and status before paying for a domain. One in redemptionPeriod or pendingDelete is not really for sale, whatever a listing says.
The registration date is a rough read on how established a domain is. Handy when you are weighing a partner, a backlink, or a sender you don't recognise.
The registrar and its abuse contact stay listed even when the owner doesn't. That is who you report a phishing or spam domain to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information does a WHOIS lookup show?
A typical result includes the registrar, the creation, expiration, and last-updated dates, the domain's status codes, and its assigned name servers. It may also include registrant, administrative, and technical contact details when the registry or registrar makes them public.
Why is the registrant's contact information often hidden?
Most registrars now redact personal registrant data by default to comply with privacy regulations such as GDPR, or offer a paid privacy service that substitutes proxy contact details. Organizational registrations are more likely to show real contact information than those made by individuals.
What is the difference between WHOIS and DNS?
WHOIS reports administrative facts about a domain's registration: who registered it, with which registrar, and until when.
DNS reports what the domain actually resolves to right now, such as its A or MX records.
A domain can have accurate, current WHOIS data while its DNS records point somewhere unexpected, or vice versa.
Why is the registrant hidden?
Privacy rules. Since 2018 registrars redact personal contact details on most domains by default, and many owners add paid privacy on top. The registrar and dates stay visible; the person usually does not.
Can I find out who owns a domain?
Rarely by name these days. WHOIS shows the registrar and sometimes an organisation. For a masked domain the registrar's abuse contact is your way in, and only a legal request unmasks the real owner.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
Same information, newer format. RDAP is the structured, standard replacement for the old free-text WHOIS protocol. Registries are moving to it, but the facts you get are the same.
How do I check when a domain expires?
The expiry date shown here is it. Keep in mind the domain usually stays recoverable for a grace period after that date, so a lapsed domain is not immediately free to register.
What does clientTransferProhibited mean?
The registrar has locked the domain so it cannot be transferred to another registrar until that lock is removed. It is a standard anti-hijacking measure, not a problem.