Domain Lookup

To check if a domain is available, look up its registration:

• an unregistered domain returns no WHOIS or RDAP record (generally free to register)
• a registered domain returns registrar and date details

Enter the domain in the tool above. Note that some registries reserve or premium-price certain names, and availability can depend on registrar promotions and TLD rules. If the domain is taken, the registration data shows when it expires, which is useful if you want to track it in case it is released later.

WHOIS and RDAP are two protocols for looking up registration data, and RDAP is the modern replacement for WHOIS:

• WHOIS returns plain text in a format that varies between registries, which is harder to parse
• RDAP returns structured JSON with a consistent format and built-in access control

Most registries now offer RDAP and many are phasing out WHOIS. The tool above uses RDAP or WHOIS, selected automatically per TLD based on what each registry supports. The registration details themselves, such as registrar and expiry, are the same regardless of which protocol served them.

When a domain expires it does not become available immediately; it moves through several stages:

• Grace period: a few weeks where the owner can renew at the normal price
• Redemption period: recovery is still possible but with a steep fee
• Released: the name returns to general registration, often 30 days or more after expiry

During expiry the domain often stops resolving, so sites and email break before the name is actually lost. To avoid surprise expiry, WebPixie domain monitoring tracks the date and alerts you well in advance.

Domain status flags (EPP status codes) describe what can and cannot be done to a domain. clientTransferProhibited means the registrar has locked the domain against transfers to another registrar, a normal security default that prevents unauthorized moves. Related codes:

• clientUpdateProhibited blocks changes
• clientDeleteProhibited blocks deletion
• pendingDelete or redemptionPeriod signal a domain moving toward expiry

Server-prefixed versions of these codes are set by the registry rather than the registrar. The tool above lists the active flags for any domain so you can confirm a transfer lock or understand why a change is refused.

WHOIS contact information is often hidden because of privacy rules and registrar privacy services. Since GDPR took effect, most registries redact the personal details of individual registrants, showing only the registrar and technical fields. Many registrars also offer a privacy or proxy service that replaces the owner contact with a forwarding address. This is normal and does not mean anything is wrong with the domain. You can still see the registrar, important dates, status flags, and nameservers, which are the fields that matter for most checks. The tool above shows whatever the registry publishes.

Domain registration and DNS are separate layers that work together:

• Registration is your ownership of the name, recorded with a registrar and visible through WHOIS or RDAP, with an expiry date to renew
• DNS is the set of records that point the name to servers, such as A and MX records

A domain can be registered but have no working DNS, and DNS only functions while the registration is valid. The tool above covers the registration side. To inspect the records a domain publishes, use the DNS Lookup tool.