liminfoWHOIS Lookup
Free web tool: WHOIS Lookup
Open in WHOIS Service
Enter a domain to activate WHOIS service links.
What is WHOIS?
WHOIS is a protocol for querying registration information about internet resources such as domain names and IP addresses. Available information includes registrant, registrar, registration/expiration dates, and nameservers.
Due to privacy regulations such as GDPR, much registrant information is redacted.
Major TLD Registries
| TLD | Registry |
|---|---|
.com | Verisign |
.net | Verisign |
.org | PIR |
.kr | KISA |
.co.kr | KISA |
.io | Identity Digital |
.dev | |
.app | |
.me | GoMontenegro |
.xyz | XYZ.COM |
Note
- The WHOIS protocol cannot be accessed directly from a browser, so external services are used.
- URLs are automatically constructed when you enter a domain.
- For .kr domains, use KRNIC (Korea Internet & Security Agency).
About WHOIS Lookup
The WHOIS Lookup tool is a free, browser-based utility that lets you look up registration information for any domain name. Because the WHOIS protocol operates on port 43 and cannot be accessed directly from a web browser, this tool constructs pre-built URLs for six major WHOIS services and opens the selected service in a new tab with your domain pre-filled. Supported services include WHOIS.com (comprehensive general-purpose lookup), who.is (registration info plus DNS records), ICANN Lookup (official registry data from ICANN's own system), DomainTools (WHOIS plus historical ownership records), KRNIC (Korea Internet and Security Agency for .kr and .co.kr domains), and ViewDNS.info (WHOIS combined with a suite of DNS diagnostic tools).
WHOIS data contains domain registration information such as: the registrant name and contact details (though often redacted for privacy), the domain registrar (the company the domain was purchased through), registration date, expiration date, last update date, and the domain's authoritative nameservers. This information is used by network administrators for troubleshooting, by security researchers to investigate phishing or spam domains, by legal teams for domain dispute proceedings, and by developers to verify nameserver configuration before DNS changes.
The tool strips protocol prefixes (`https://`, `http://`) and path segments from any URL you paste, extracting the bare domain for use in WHOIS queries. A reference table of major TLD registries — including Verisign (.com, .net), PIR (.org), KISA (.kr, .co.kr), Identity Digital (.io), and Google Registry (.dev, .app) — is shown below the service buttons. A note explains the impact of GDPR and similar privacy regulations on WHOIS data availability, as most registrant contact information has been redacted in the RDAP/WHOIS system since 2018.
Key Features
- Pre-built WHOIS query links for 6 services: WHOIS.com, who.is, ICANN Lookup, DomainTools, KRNIC, ViewDNS.info
- Automatic URL cleaning: strips `https://`, `http://`, and trailing path segments before querying
- KRNIC (Korea Internet & Security Agency) integration for .kr and .co.kr domain lookups
- DomainTools integration for WHOIS history and historical ownership records
- ICANN Lookup link for authoritative RDAP data from the official registry database
- Copy button to copy the cleaned domain name to the clipboard
- TLD registry reference table: .com, .net, .org, .kr, .co.kr, .io, .dev, .app, .me, .xyz
- GDPR privacy note explaining why registrant contact data is redacted in modern WHOIS records
Frequently Asked Questions
What information can I find with a WHOIS lookup?
A WHOIS lookup can reveal: the domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap), registration date, expiration date, last updated date, authoritative nameservers, and sometimes registrant contact information. Since GDPR took effect in 2018, most registrant names and email addresses are redacted in WHOIS records for domains registered in the EU, and many registrars globally have adopted similar redaction policies.
Why does this tool open an external WHOIS service instead of showing results directly?
The WHOIS protocol runs on TCP port 43, which is not accessible from web browsers due to security restrictions (browsers cannot make raw TCP socket connections). Performing WHOIS lookups would require a server-side proxy. To keep this tool 100% client-side and private, it constructs WHOIS service URLs and opens them in a new tab instead.
Which WHOIS service should I use for .kr domains?
Use KRNIC (Korea Internet & Security Agency). KRNIC is the official registry for .kr and .co.kr top-level domains and maintains the authoritative WHOIS database for Korean domains. For foreign TLDs, WHOIS.com or ICANN Lookup are good general-purpose choices.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
WHOIS is the legacy protocol (RFC 3912) operating on port 43 that returns unstructured text. RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol, RFC 7480-7485) is its modern replacement, returning structured JSON data with better internationalization support and granular access control. ICANN's lookup tool uses RDAP. Most WHOIS web services query both and display the results in a unified format.
Why is the registrant information hidden or redacted?
After GDPR came into effect in May 2018, domain registrars began redacting personally identifiable information from public WHOIS records. Most .com, .net, and EU-registered domains now show "REDACTED FOR PRIVACY" or a privacy-protected proxy contact instead of the actual registrant details. Domain owners can request their information remain public, but most opt for privacy protection.
Can I check if a domain is available using WHOIS?
Yes, partially. If a WHOIS lookup returns no registration data or shows "NOT FOUND", the domain is likely unregistered and available for purchase. However, WHOIS availability results can sometimes be delayed (cached) and should be verified with a domain registrar's real-time availability check before placing an order.
What are nameservers and why do they appear in WHOIS records?
Nameservers are the DNS servers that hold the authoritative DNS records for a domain. When a browser needs to resolve a domain, it queries the root DNS system, which checks the TLD registry (e.g., Verisign for .com), which returns the domain's nameservers from the WHOIS/registry data. The nameservers then provide the actual IP address. WHOIS records include nameserver information because it is stored in the same registry database.
What is the purpose of the DomainTools service link?
DomainTools provides not just current WHOIS data but also historical records of who owned a domain in the past, what nameservers it used, and how its registration data has changed over time. This historical view is valuable for security researchers investigating malicious domains, brand protection teams tracking unauthorized registrations, and legal teams building evidence in domain dispute cases.