WHOIS Privacy and RDAP: Who Can See Your Domain Details?

When you register a domain you have to provide a name, email, address and phone number. In the past most of this was plainly visible in WHOIS records anyone could look up. Today things are different, but not "completely private" either.

From WHOIS to RDAP

WHOIS was the protocol used for decades to look up domain details. On 28 January 2025 ICANN ended the WHOIS requirement for generic extensions (.com, .net, .org and so on) and replaced it with RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol).

RDAP answers the same question: who holds this domain, when was it registered, which nameservers does it use? The difference is that answers come in a standard, machine-readable format over a secure connection, and access to each piece of data can be controlled better.

What does everyone see today?

Since GDPR took effect in Europe in 2018, most personal data is hidden from public lookups for generic extensions. A public lookup typically shows:

• The domain's registration, update and expiry dates.
• The registrar and the domain's status (e.g. transfer lock).
• The nameservers it uses.
• Sometimes the registrant's country or organisation name.

Personal name, address and phone are usually shown as "redacted". Instead of a direct email address, a contact form or forwarding address may be given.

What does a WHOIS privacy service do?

Some registrars offer a privacy or proxy service that shows the details of a proxy service instead of yours. The rules depend on the extension: some country-code extensions don't allow it, or show organisation registrations in full.

Privacy doesn't mean giving false details

Giving a fake name or an unreachable email when registering is a serious mistake:

• Registrars must verify contact details; domains that aren't verified can be suspended.
• When you need to prove you own the domain (for a transfer or a dispute, say), the registration details are what count.
• Expiry reminders go to this email. See what happens when a domain expires.

The right way to protect your privacy is to give your real details and let the privacy rules keep them out of public view.

Looking up domain details yourself

To see whether a domain is registered or when it expires, you can use ICANN's lookup tool or an RDAP client. To check availability for a new domain, use our domain search. For choosing a memorable name, see this guide.