WHOIS is the internet's domain registration database, containing ownership and contact information for domains. Our WHOIS lookup tool queries this database to reveal detailed registration information for any domain.
What Is WHOIS?
When you register a domain, your information is stored in a public database maintained by registrars and registries. WHOIS (pronounced "who is") is the protocol used to query this database. It was created for accountability but is now commonly used for research and verification.
Information Included
A WHOIS record typically contains:
- Registrant - Domain owner's name and contact
- Admin/Tech Contact - Responsible parties
- Registrar - Company managing the registration
- Nameservers - DNS servers for the domain
- Important Dates - Created, updated, expires
- Domain Status - Active, locked, pending transfer
WHOIS Privacy
Many registrars offer WHOIS privacy (or proxy) services that replace your personal information with the registrar's contact details. This protects against spam and unwanted contact. Look for "Domains By Proxy" or similar privacy service names.
Use Cases
WHOIS lookups help identify website owners for business inquiries, verify legitimate businesses, research competitors, investigate suspicious sites, check domain availability details, and find contact information for partnership outreach.
GDPR and WHOIS
Since GDPR, many registrars redact personal data from public WHOIS to comply with privacy regulations. You may see "REDACTED FOR PRIVACY" in EU-related records. Some information is only available through official channels.