01What is a whois lookup for?
The whois is a domain name's civil registry: registries publish its registrar, creation and expiration dates, name servers and statuses. This tool queries that data live over RDAP, the standardized successor to the whois protocol, which returns structured, reliable information straight from each TLD's registry.
Common uses: check whether a domain is available before buying it, monitor an expiration date, identify the registrar to contact, or verify that the declared name servers match your zone — cross-check with our DNS lookup.
02Understanding domain statuses
- active / ok
- The domain is live, with no particular restriction.
- client transfer prohibited
- Transfer to another registrar is blocked — a standard anti-hijacking protection set by the registrar.
- client update / delete prohibited
- Updates or deletion blocked at the registrar. Often enabled as a security lock.
- server transfer prohibited
- The same lock, but set by the registry itself — typical of sensitive domains.
- pending delete / redemption period
- The domain has expired and entered the deletion pipeline: last chance to recover it before it returns to the market.
- add period / auto renew period
- Grace windows after registration or automatic renewal.
03From the command line
The JSON API returns the structured record with open CORS — handy to monitor your domains' expiry. As plain text, the same URL as this page answers in key-value format:
$ curl "its-my-ip.com/whois?q=exemple.fr" registrar: OVH expires: 2027-03-14T09:41:00Z $ curl "its-my-ip.com/api/whois?q=exemple.fr" { "registrar": "OVH", "expires": "2027-03-14T09:41:00Z", … }
04Frequently asked questions
What is RDAP and why does it replace whois?
RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) is the official successor to whois, progressively mandated by ICANN. Unlike legacy whois (free-form text, different format at every registry), RDAP returns structured, normalized JSON over HTTPS. The data is the same: only the access protocol changes.
Why can't I see the domain owner's name?
Since the GDPR (2018), registries redact registrants' personal data: name, address and email no longer appear publicly for individuals. The registrar, dates and name servers remain visible. To contact a registrant, most registrars offer an anonymized relay form.
How do I know if a domain is available?
If the lookup returns "not found in the registries", the domain is probably unregistered — you can then buy it from any registrar. Watch out for TLDs without RDAP (now rare) and for domains in "pending delete", which are technically not found but not yet purchasable.
What should I do if my domain expires soon?
Renew it at your registrar before the expiration date. Past that date, the domain goes through a grace period (often 30 to 45 days) where renewal is still possible, then a more expensive "redemption period", before being deleted and returned to the market — where drop-catchers watch for good names.
Are all TLDs supported?
The vast majority, yes: gTLDs (.com, .net, .org, .io…) and many national ccTLDs expose an RDAP service. A few TLDs, notably some ccTLDs, have not migrated yet or restrict public access — in that case the lookup may return nothing even for an existing domain.