What this WHOIS lookup shows
WHOIS is the public record of who a domain is registered through and, for IP addresses, who a block of addresses belongs to. HostChecker asks the registry the way the whois command does, switches to RDAP (the newer, web-based replacement) for domains when WHOIS does not answer or its record cannot be read, or to RIPE’s public data service for IP addresses when WHOIS does not answer, and pulls out the fields that matter. What you see depends on whether you enter a domain name or an IP address.
For a domain name
Enter a domain and the lookup shows who it is registered through and when. The tiles are the registration date and the expiry date, and the details list the registrar, when the record was last updated, DNSSEC, the status codes, and the name servers. Here is an example, with what each part tells you:
Registration details
For an IP address
Enter an IP address and the lookup shows who the address block belongs to instead. The tiles are the country and, when the record includes one, the ASN (the network’s number on the internet; most records do not, so that tile is often missing). The details list the network name, the address range, and the organization. For most addresses that is a hosting company or an internet provider, not the owner of any one website. Here is an example, with what each part tells you:
Registration details
Either way, every field is read from the registry’s answer, and registries format their records differently, so a field can be missing even though the record exists. The complete, unedited record is always available under “Show complete raw command output” in the result, so nothing is hidden. For a quick health check of the site itself, run Host Check.
How to read the result
- Expires. Green with 30 or more days left, amber under 30, red once the date has passed. An expired domain is not always gone the same day: registrars usually give a grace period, then a redemption period where it can be recovered for a fee, before it is released. Do not count on that. Renew early.
- Registrar. Where the domain is managed. If you do not recognize the registrar for a domain you own, check old emails and old accounts, because that is where renewal notices are sent.
- Status. Codes such as
clientTransferProhibited,clientDeleteProhibited, andclientUpdateProhibitedare protective locks and are normal. A status ofokmeans no restrictions are set. See the next section for the ones that mean trouble. - Name servers. These should match where you think the domain’s DNS lives. If they do not, a DNS change is not going to take effect. Use DNS Lookup to see the records they serve.
- Updated. A recent date that you did not expect can mean someone changed the registration. Worth a look if a site suddenly stopped working.
Common WHOIS situations
The domain is expiring or expired
Renew it at the registrar shown in the result. If the status shows redemptionPeriod or pendingDelete, the domain has been deleted, usually because it expired, and is on its way to being released. Contact the registrar immediately, because recovery gets more expensive and then impossible.
The owner’s name and email are not shown
That is normal. Since privacy rules such as the GDPR took effect, most registries and registrars redact personal contact details by default, and many owners also use a privacy service. You will usually see the registrar and the dates, not a name. To reach a domain’s owner, use the contact method on the website, or ask the registrar to forward a message.
The status shows a hold
clientHold or serverHold means the domain has been suspended from DNS, so the site stops resolving. Common causes are an unpaid renewal, a billing problem, or an unanswered verification email. The registrar can tell you which and clear it.
You are checking before a transfer or purchase
The registered date shows how long the domain has been registered, the expiry date shows how soon it needs renewing, and a clientTransferProhibited status means it is locked until the owner unlocks it at the registrar.
Nothing was found
For a name that is not registered, the registry answers “No match” or similar, and the result says no WHOIS record was found and that the name does not appear to be registered. The registry’s own answer is under “Show complete raw command output”. Check the spelling, including the ending (.com, .net, and so on). A name can also be unregistered because it has just expired and been released, so it is worth checking again if you expected it to exist.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out who owns a domain?
Run the lookup above. The result shows the registrar and the registration dates, but the owner’s personal details are usually redacted or hidden behind a privacy service, so a name often will not appear. If you need to reach the owner, use the contact details on the website itself.
How do I check when a domain expires?
Enter the domain above. The Expires tile shows the date and how many days are left, and turns amber under 30 days and red once it has expired. Registrars send renewal reminders to the email on the account, so also make sure that address is one you still read.
What do the domain status codes mean?
Codes starting with “client” are set by the registrar and codes starting with “server” are set by the registry. clientTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited, and clientDeleteProhibited are protective locks and are normal. ok means no restrictions. clientHold and serverHold mean the domain is suspended and will not resolve. redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete mean the domain has been deleted, usually because it expired, and is on its way to being released. The owner may still be able to recover it during the redemption period, for a fee.
Can I look up an IP address?
Yes. Enter an IP address and the result shows the network name, address range, organization, country, and ASN where the registry provides them. That tells you who the address block belongs to, which is usually a hosting company or an internet provider rather than the website’s owner.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
RDAP is the modern, web-based replacement for the older WHOIS protocol, with structured data and better privacy handling. Since 28 January 2025, ICANN no longer requires generic top-level domain registries and registrars to run WHOIS, though they must run RDAP, so more of them are switching WHOIS off over time. This tool asks WHOIS first and falls back to RDAP for domains (or RIPE’s public data service for IP addresses) when WHOIS does not answer, so you get a result either way.
Why are some fields missing from the result?
Registries format their records differently, and not every record includes every field. The tool shows the fields it can read reliably, and when a registry’s WHOIS layout is one it cannot read, it asks RDAP, which is structured, instead. The complete, unedited record is always under “Show complete raw command output” in the result.
Is the WHOIS lookup free?
Yes. There is no signup, no account, and no limit on how many domains you check, apart from a per-visitor rate limit that keeps the service fast for everyone.