WHOIS Lookup

WHOIS is a publicly available protocol used to query databases that store registration information about domain names. When you register a domain, your contact information and registration details are stored in a WHOIS database maintained by your registrar and the registry.

A WHOIS lookup typically reveals the domain registrar, registration and expiry dates, nameservers, domain status codes, and registrant contact information (though this is often redacted for privacy). It can also show the last update date and technical contact details.

WHOIS privacy protection (also called domain privacy or WHOIS guard) is a service offered by registrars that replaces your personal contact information in the WHOIS database with the information of a proxy service. This prevents your name, address, phone number, and email from being publicly visible.

The WHOIS record includes an expiration date for the domain registration. This tells you when the current registration period ends. If the domain is not renewed before this date, it may become available for others to register after a grace period.

A registry is the organization that manages a top-level domain (like .com, .org, or .net) and maintains the master database of all domains under that TLD. A registrar is a company authorized to sell domain names to the public and manage registrations on behalf of the registry. You buy domains from a registrar, which then registers them with the registry.