Whois lookup

Every registered domain has a public record in the registry database. A whois lookup retrieves that record, showing you the registrar managing the domain, when it was first created, when it expires, what nameservers it points to, and its current EPP status codes. For domain investors, this is the starting point of any acquisition research.

Our tool uses the RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol), the modern successor to the legacy whois port-43 protocol. RDAP returns structured JSON directly from the authoritative registry servers — Verisign for .com and .net, PIR for .org, and the respective ccTLD operators for .io, .ai, and .co. When available, we also follow the registrar-level RDAP link to retrieve additional details like registrant organization and abuse contact information.

Domain age is one of the most important factors in valuation. A .com registered in 2005 with a clean history carries significantly more weight than the same name registered last month. Expiration dates matter too — domains nearing their renewal deadline sometimes become available if the owner decides not to renew, creating opportunities for watchful buyers.

If the domain you look up is not found in the registry, it means it's genuinely available for registration. You can claim it instantly through our Dynadot partnership at standard pricing.