RDAP domain lookup

Shows a domain's registrar, creation date, expiry and status from RDAP, the replacement for WHOIS.

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What the RDAP lookup does

Enter a domain and the lookup queries the registry over RDAP, the Registration Data Access Protocol. It returns the registrar, the creation, update and expiry dates, the domain status codes and the nameservers, and works out the domain's age from the creation date.

RDAP replaced WHOIS as the official source for generic TLDs like .com in January 2025. It returns structured JSON over HTTPS instead of free text, so results look the same whichever registry answers.

How to read it

The creation date is when the domain was first registered. A recent date on a domain that claims a long history is a red flag.
The expiry date is when the registration runs out. An expired domain stops resolving, and every inbox on it stops working.
clientTransferProhibited is a normal registrar lock. clientHold or serverHold mean the domain doesn't resolve. pendingDelete means it's about to be released.
The nameservers show where the domain's DNS is hosted.

Owner names and contact details are usually redacted, as they have been in WHOIS since GDPR.

Why it matters for cold email

Filters treat newly registered domains with more suspicion. A domain registered last week that starts sending on Monday looks like a throwaway. Check a sending domain's age before you warm it, and register new domains a few weeks before you need them.

Expiry matters too. Put renewals for every sending domain on auto-renew, because a lapsed domain takes its inboxes, its warmup history and any replies in transit with it.

Questions

What is RDAP?

The Registration Data Access Protocol, defined in RFC 9082 and RFC 9083. It returns domain registration data as JSON over HTTPS and has replaced WHOIS for generic TLDs.

How do I check how old a domain is?

Enter it here and read the creation date. The lookup shows the age in years and months. A domain that expired and was registered again shows the newer date.

Why is the domain owner's name hidden?

Registrars redact personal contact data by default since GDPR took effect in 2018. Companies can choose to publish their details, but most records show only the registrar and a redacted or privacy contact.

What is the difference between RDAP and WHOIS?

WHOIS returns free text in a format that varies by registry, over an old protocol with no standard way to control access. RDAP returns structured JSON over HTTPS, supports redaction, and is now the official source for generic TLDs. Some country-code registries still run only WHOIS.

What does clientTransferProhibited mean?

A lock set by the registrar so the domain can't move to another registrar until it's unlocked. It's normal and protects you. It has no effect on DNS or email.