A WHOIS record tells you who manages a domain, when it was created, when it expires and which nameservers are set. Essential fields: Registrar, Creation Date, Expiration Date, Domain Status and Name Server.
Use WHOIS Online to look up any domain in your browser. This guide complements the DNS and SSL checklist — WHOIS confirms ownership and validity; DNS lookup confirms where traffic goes.
| Field | Meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Name | The queried domain | Confirm you looked up the right name (apex vs subdomain) |
| Registrar | Company where the domain is registered | Renewals, transfers and support go through here |
| Creation Date | First registration date | Very new domains may signal risk when buying brands |
| Updated Date | Last change to registration data | Recent updates may mean transfer or NS change |
| Expiration Date | Registration expiry | Renew before this date or risk losing the domain |
| Domain Status | Protection flags (e.g. transfer prohibited) | Indicates transfer locks or suspension |
| Name Server | Authoritative nameservers | Should match your DNS panel (Cloudflare, Route53, etc.) |
| Registrant / Admin | Owner contact (often redacted) | Privacy protection is common under GDPR |
clientTransferProhibited — transfer locked (protection)clientUpdateProhibited — updates temporarily blockedserverHold — suspended by registry (site may be offline)pendingDelete — deletion in progress after expiryA lookup protocol for public registration data. It does not replace DNS lookup or SSL checker.
Expiration Date field. Renew weeks ahead, not hours.
Registrar privacy (GDPR). Registrar and dates remain visible.
Transfer lock — protection, not a misconfiguration.
Most TLDs supported; field format may differ. Same WHOIS Online tool.
WHOIS = registration record. DNS = how traffic and mail resolve.