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RDAP

Domain Whois / RDAP Lookup

Fetch registration data through HTTPS RDAP instead of legacy whois.

Query domain RDAP

Discover the correct RDAP service and return structured registration data.

Results come from deterministic DNS APIs or HTTPS RDAP endpoints.

Results

Run a lookup to see structured results here.

Practical guide

How to use the Domain Whois / RDAP tool

RDAP is the modern, JSON-based replacement for legacy WHOIS. This page resolves the correct RDAP server for the TLD via the IANA bootstrap registry, queries it over HTTPS, and shows you structured registration data.

What this tool checks

Given a domain, the tool looks up the authoritative RDAP server from the IANA bootstrap registry, queries it, and parses the JSON response. You get the registrar, creation / updated / expiration dates, the current domain status codes, the nameservers on file, and any unredacted contact entities.

When to use it

Use this when you need to know who a domain is registered through, when it expires, what nameservers it points to from the registry's point of view (not just DNS), or what the current registration status is. It is the right tool for transfer questions, expiration audits, abuse reporting, and confirming that a domain you bought is actually under your registrar.

How to read the result

The events array gives you registration, last-changed, and expiration timestamps. The status array contains EPP status codes such as clientTransferProhibited or serverHold. nameservers lists the delegated nameservers. entities contains the registrar plus any unredacted contact roles (registrant, admin, technical, abuse). Personal contact data is usually redacted for privacy reasons.

Common errors and what they mean

A 404 from the RDAP server means the domain is not registered or has already been deleted. A response with status pendingDelete or redemptionPeriod means the domain expired and is on its way out — you can sometimes still recover it via the registrar's redemption process. A response with serverHold means the registry has suspended resolution, usually for an abuse or compliance reason. If the bootstrap registry has no entry for the TLD, the lookup returns no data — see the FAQ.

Example RDAP query for a gTLD

Example input
example.com
Example result
{
  "ldhName": "EXAMPLE.COM",
  "status": ["client delete prohibited", "client transfer prohibited"],
  "events": [
    { "eventAction": "registration", "eventDate": "1995-08-14T04:00:00Z" },
    { "eventAction": "expiration", "eventDate": "2026-08-13T04:00:00Z" }
  ],
  "nameservers": [
    { "ldhName": "A.IANA-SERVERS.NET" },
    { "ldhName": "B.IANA-SERVERS.NET" }
  ]
}

The events array gives you the dates that matter. The nameservers array is what the registry has on file — compare against an NS lookup to confirm they match.

Related tools

IP Registration Lookup

Same RDAP protocol, but for IPv4 / IPv6 allocations from the regional internet registries.

Open tool

DNS Lookup

Confirm the live NS records match what the registry says they should be.

Open tool

DIG Lookup

Run packet-level DNS queries against the nameservers RDAP returns.

Open tool

Related guides

RDAP vs WHOIS

What RDAP returns, why it replaced legacy WHOIS, and how to read the JSON event and status arrays.

Read guide

DNS Records Explained

Once you have the nameservers RDAP returned, this guide tells you what every record type they serve actually means.

Read guide

FAQ

What is the difference between RDAP and WHOIS?
WHOIS is the legacy registration-data protocol — text over port 43, no standard schema, server addresses you had to know in advance. RDAP is the modern replacement: JSON over HTTPS, a documented schema, and a bootstrap registry that tells you which server is authoritative for any given TLD. RDAP is what registries and registrars are required to expose today.
Why are some fields like the registrant name redacted?
After GDPR and the ICANN Temporary Specification, most generic TLDs redact personal contact information by default. You will typically see the registrar, dates, nameservers, and domain status, but the registrant, admin, and technical contacts are often replaced with privacy-service entries or redacted entirely. To reach the registrant you usually need to use the abuse contact or a registrar-provided web form.
How do I read the domain status codes?
Status codes describe what the registry will and will not allow on the domain. clientTransferProhibited means the registrar is blocking outbound transfers (a good default). serverHold means the registry has the domain suspended and it will not resolve. pendingDelete and redemptionPeriod mean the domain is on its way to being released. A clean active domain usually shows ok or clientTransferProhibited only.
Why does this tool fail for some TLDs?
Not every TLD operates an RDAP server, and a few country-code TLDs still only run legacy WHOIS. When the IANA bootstrap registry has no RDAP entry for a TLD, the tool returns an empty or not-found response. ICANN requires RDAP for gTLDs, so common ones (.com, .net, .org, .io, .dev, etc.) all work; some ccTLDs do not yet.
Does this tool show the registrant's actual email address?
Almost never for modern gTLDs. The vCard / jCard 'entities' array in the RDAP response usually includes a registrar abuse contact and sometimes a redacted-for-privacy placeholder, but the registrant's real email is hidden behind a privacy proxy at the registrar. The abuse contact is the supported channel for outreach.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-19.