How Is Whois Changing
In light of the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, coming into force within the European Union in May 2018, many Registries and Registrars that operate within that region, or globally, are required to gain Registrant’s consent before disclosing Personally Identifiable Information to any third parties or the public. As a result of the implementation of the GDRP, much of the data historically found within WHOIS will no longer be included or be redacted. The absence of this information has a trickle-down effect throughout the domain industry, affecting WHOIS data output for domain names and Registrants that do not have an immediate or obvious nexus to the European Union
Check Domain Name Availability
Our tool checks domain availability by doing a DNS query to get search results as fast as possible. WHOIS domain lookups are much slower than DNS queries, but provide more information about who registered the domain name.
Red results mean the name is taken. Do aWHOIS lookup to see when the current domain registration expires.
Green results mean the name is available and you can register with one of our partners!
Blue results show names for sale. Buy them from one of our auction partners.
Search Features
How To Find Your Registrar
- It’s likely you have received invoices for your domain name by email it is best to search your email history for these emails to find out the registrar/company you are using. Try searching for your full domain name as a starting point. You should have an email from them with the original account creation and billing information which you can use to log in and gain access.
- Failing this you can do a WHOIS lookup, the easiest way to do this is through the lookup website , enter your top-level domain name, for example, “mydomain.com” and click search. Look for the Registrar information this shows the company that the domain is currently hosted with. If this looks foreign check the Admin, Technical and Billing contacts and email addresses for any company name that looks familiar. You may also find a colleague’s details which you can use to track things down further.
- Some WHOIS lookups don’t return the results you might be looking for, instead, they return a link to a provider website where you can then search for the specific details. For example, most Australian .au domain names are like this. In the public WHOIS results, you might receive a message like “Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web-based WhoIs” which requires you to go to that website to perform the search and get the full results. It just depends where your domain is registered and how much information they make publicly available.
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Use Whois Or Icann Lookup
In case you are unable to find your billing records, you can search for your domain registrar online. Simple WHOIS inquiries will tell you what the registrar knows about your domain name. The WHOIS domain database is a listing of all registered domains and is regularly used for various legal purposes.
Typically, public WHOIS records show the domain owners contact email, street address, phone, and fax numbers. Thats unless the owner is using a domain privacy feature such as IDProtect.
Additionally, a WHOIS service will also show the current registrar, DNS servers, and the domain names creation and expiration dates. To find out who your domain registrar is, you can use a WHOIS service such as who.is. Follow the steps below:
- Input your domain name in the bar above your displayed IP address
- On the results page, see the information in the Registrar Info block. You will find your domain registrars name, along with their website.
Alternatively, you can use ICANN Lookup to find your domain name registrar:
- In the search field, enter your domain name
- Click on Lookup
- On the results page, scroll down to Registrar Information:
GDPR WHOIS Specifics
The impact of GDPR is being felt not only by businesses and individuals. GDPR also has influence over security researchers, investigators, and those who offer security products and services that rely on WHOIS data. GDPR impacts everyone who processes EU personal data.
Country-Code Domain WHOIS Specifics
Domain Name Resellers
Check Your Billing Records
Checking your billing records is probably the easiest, and therefore, the first method you should use. Typically, your domain name registrar is who you bought your domain name from. If you dont remember who that registrar is, try searching your email archives for records regarding your domain name registration . The domain registrar should be listed on your invoice.
Its imperative that you keep your domain registrar up to date regarding changes to your email address and/or contact information. Registrars send renewal notifications to the email address they have listed.
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Administrative Technical And Billing Contacts*
*The registrant name and administrative and technical contact information of non-individual registrants, such as corporations, is displayed by default. The registrant name and administrative and technical contact information of individuals, such as Canadian citizens or permanent residents is not displayed in WHOIS per the CIRA Privacy Policy. Generally non-individuals are public and individuals are private.
Whats The Difference Between Domain Extensions
Arguably, the most popular domain extension is .com, but other TLDs include .net, .org, .edu and .gov. There are literally hundreds more from which you can choose, and the less popular extensions are usually less expensive, with a few exceptions. The popularity of .io and .co has skyrocketed recently, so theyre pricier.
Some extensions are restricted and you cant purchase them unless you meet certain requirements. Restricted extensions include .edu and .gov. Overall, all extensions work the same. The .com extension is preferable because its easy to remember.
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How To Update Your Whois Information
You should always keep your WHOIS information updated to comply with ICANN rules about domain ownership. That means providing accurate contact information through which you can receive correspondence from your domain registrars.
You can update the information about your domains easily on the Hostinger control panel. You only need to log into your hPanel account and update the Domains section.
Why Do Some Whois Queries Have More Information Than Others
With WHOIS now in a state of change due in part to privacy laws such as GDPR, the data displayed in a WHOIS lookup can vary to some degree as each of the Registrant, Registrar and Registry have a jurisdictional nexus with such laws.
Where a nexus with the EU’s GDPR is present, Personally Identifiable Information will often be removed or redacted from WHOIS output.
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Tips For Choosing A Domain Name
Because .com is so popular, you may have difficulty finding your business name available as a .com. You can try one of the more obscure extensions, such as .info, .store, .shop or any other of the hundreds available. If youre set on getting a .com, though, consider using modifications on your business name.
Lets assume ghostlycastle.com is not available, and then try these changes:
- Add articles, such as a the or an
- Try adding another word to your domain
- Possibly include a hyphen
Disclaimer: Its worth noting that many of the domain registrars we include in our list of the best domain name registrars are subsidiaries of Endurance International Group , including Bluehost, HostGator, Domain.com and BuyDomains. The fact that theyre all under one umbrella should not affect the service you receive for domain registration, but its good to know.
Verdict On Who The Best Domain Registrar Is
Naturally, theres no single best domain registrar across the board. Some companies are always going to be better than the other ones, depending on your individual needs and requirements.
Still, here are a couple of quick recommendations from the WebsiteSetup team based on the companies reviewed above:
Comparison Table
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Two: Check The Whois Directory
Every time someone registers a domain name, the domain registrar that processes the sale is required to collect basic contact information. In some cases, that information then gets submitted to the WHOIS directory, so that theres a record of who runs each website online.
The WHOIS directory is therefore our next stop for seeking out a domain name owner.
Put in the name of the domain youre looking for and scroll down to find all the data the WHOIS directory lists for it. In a few cases, that may contain the owners contact information. If so, you can skip the next step.
Even if not though, it will always include at least their domain registrar and domain expiration date. That lets you know if the domain will be coming up for renewal soon. If so, you may be able to snap it up for cheaper when it expires than if you buy it from them directly. But that only works if they dont renew, so youre taking a chance.
Either way, knowing the domain registrar enables you to take the next step.
How Do I Find Available Domains Through The Whois Database
You can check the availability of a domain name by searching for it on the Whois database. It will give you the status of whether the domain name that you are looking for is available or not. Doing this for multiple domain names over time can help you build a list of available domain names.
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Other Whois Lookup Tools
Other lookup tools can provide WHOIS information about domain name registrants, such as who.is.
Such lookup tools work similarly to the WHOIS lookup tool employed by ICANN. Simply enter the web address into the search bar and get the domain registration information about the person that owns the domain name you want.
How To Find Out Who The Domain Owner Is
Youve spent time brainstorming domain names. Youve tried different domain suggestion tools. And youve finally figured out the perfect name.
But when you go to register the domain name youre set on, you find that someone has already claimed it. What a disappointment.
Before you give up on that perfect name and start the whole process again from scratch, know there might still be hope.
Registered domain names are sometimes still availableif you know how to find the owner.
People invest in domain names for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, its to start their own website at that domain. Sometimes its purely for investment purposes. And in a few cases, it may be for a website idea that either never comes to fruition, or that falls off the owners radar over time.
If the website youre interested in isnt being actively used and updated, then the owner may be happy to hear from an interested buyer. And even if the owner is clearly using the domain name right now, if youre willing to spend enough to make a sale worth it to them you may still have a chance.
In both cases, you should anticipate spending more for the domain name than if you went with something no one else owns yet. But if youre really set on that domain name, its worth trying your chances.
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Visit The Website Directly
If youve checked the domain status to find out your wanted domain name is not available, the first thing you should do is visit the website directly.
Some domain names are bought out to be resold later for a higher price. In such cases, the site will state the domains availability for sale and provide contact information right away, like in the example below.
If you enter the domain name into the search bar and get taken to a proper website, see if there is a Contact Us page in the navigation bar or the sites footer.
There you will either find the contact details of the website owner or a contact form. Take the chance to reach out and offer to buy the domain name from the registrant.
How To Find Out Who Actually Owns A Domain Name
Last updated on June 2nd, 2021 by Editorial Staff | Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.
Do you want to find out who actually owns a domain name?
Looking up who owns a domain can help you find the owners contact information, so you can purchase the domain name.
In this article, well show you how you can find out who actually owns a domain name, step by step.
Why Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name?
Finding out who owns a domain name can tell you valuable information about the domain name owner.
Usually, this information will include an email address and other contact information, so you can get in touch to purchase the domain name.
It also shows you useful domain name information, like the last time it was registered, how many owners the domain has had, and more.
If you find that multiple people have owned a specific domain name, then this increases chances of the domain being used for spam.
When youre creating a WordPress website, one of the biggest decisions youll make is choosing the perfect business name and matching domain.
If youve found a great domain, but its already registered, then youll want to reach out to the owner to see if theyre willing to sell it to you.
Video Tutorial
If youd prefer written instructions, just keep reading.
Method 1: Search for a Domain With Domain.com WHOIS Lookup Tool
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One: Visit The Website
In cases where the owner bought the domain as an investment, theyll make it easy for you to contact them. So start by pulling up the website to see what shows up.
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They may say outright that the domain is for sale, and include contact information or a form you can fill out. Or in some cases where the domain is in active use, youll be able to find contact information on the websites Contact or About page.
If youre lucky enough that this step does the trick and you find the domain owner, you can skip the next two steps.
Why Whois Privacy Is Important
Without going too in-depth to what ICANN and WHOIS are, suffice to say its the nonprofit corporation that is responsible for keeping the internet secure and the naming structure of websites as it is. It requires anyone who registers a domain to provide accurate identifiable contact information, including name, address, email and phone number. Not everyone is comfortable with that information being public.
Domain registrars have found a way to keep your info safe and still provide ICANN with the info they need. These domain privacy features replace your information with the registrars info, at least publicly. Anyone can look up who registered a domain name, so having domain privacy can reduce spam for you, and keep you safe.
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How Is The Gdpr Applicable To Webnamesca
Under Recital 23 of the GDPR, Webnames.ca claims no nexus with the EU, EEA nor the citizens of either, and therefore claims non-applicability of the GDPR to any and all aspects of its business.
Despite this, many of the domain Registries that Webnames is partnered with to provide domain extensions must comply fully with the GDPR. The changes to policies and procedures required of these partners will affect what information is collected, shared and displayed, and may result in changes to agreements and terms.
Notwithstanding, many domain Registries with whom Webnames.ca contracts must fully comply with the GDPR, and therefore these Registries may implement policies or procedures relating to WHOIS data which result in changes. These changes may include, but are not limited to,?variations in what WHOIS data is included and how it is displayed via the Webnames’s WHOIS lookup page.
Therefore, in regards to WHOIS output:
Where the domain Registry is the sole source of Registrant WHOIS data for the queried domain, the WHOIS data will be displayed by Webnames in whatever form it is received from the Registry, without alteration of any kind. This may result in some fields, particularly those containing Personally Identifiable Information being absent, blank or redacted.
Why Would You Want To Look Up The Registrar Of A Domain Name
It can be useful to know who the registrar of a domain name is in order to manage the registration status of that domain name. Domain names typically need to have a renewal fee paid yearly so knowing who the registrar is important to know.
In many cases domain name registrars also manage for a domain name, so in order to make DNS changes you need to know who the registrar is.
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Why Is Whois Important And Who Can Use It
The Whois database makes it easy to find a website owner. This may be useful if you need to contact the domain name holder, or if youre a legal team wanting to clarify ownership for a trademark dispute.
Domain buyers and sellers can also benefit by using Whois to view site ownership details fast, which helps the domain purchasing process go smoothly.
If youre interested in acquiring a domain and want to find out if its already been registered, you can use our Whois search tool to check its availability.