Free WHOIS & DNS Lookup
Enter any domain to see its registration record and live DNS records side by side — instantly, and with no signup.
What this tool shows
Every domain has two layers of public information, and this tool reads both in one query:
- Registration (WHOIS / RDAP)— who the domain is registered through, when it was created and when it expires, its EPP status codes, the nameservers on record, and whether the zone is DNSSEC-signed. We read this from the domain's RDAP record, the modern successor to WHOIS.
- Live DNS records — the
AandAAAAaddresses,MXmail servers,NSnameservers,TXTentries (SPF, verification tokens and more),CNAMEaliases and theSOA, queried live from DNS the moment you look them up.
All of it is public data, so you can inspect any domain — yours or not — without logging in. To go deeper on the expiry side specifically, see how to check when a domain expires.
Why it matters
A WHOIS/DNS lookup is how you confirm the things that quietly break a site: a domain drifting toward expiry, nameservers pointing somewhere unexpected, a missing or malformed TXT record breaking email deliverability, or a status code that leaves a domain unlocked and transferable. Checking once tells you the state right now — but the two dates that actually take a site offline, domain and SSL certificateexpiry, creep up months later, long after you've looked away.
That's what DomainChest is for: add a domain once and it watches both the registration and the live certificate, emailing you well before either lapses.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
They answer the same question — who registered a domain and when it expires — but RDAP is the modern, structured replacement for the older text-based WHOIS protocol. This tool queries RDAP, which registries and registrars now serve as the authoritative source, and presents the registrar, key dates, status codes, nameservers and DNSSEC state.
What are the domain status codes (like 'client transfer prohibited')?
These are EPP status codes set by the registry or registrar. Codes like 'client transfer prohibited' and 'server delete prohibited' are protective locks that help prevent unauthorized transfers or deletion. Seeing them is normal and usually a good sign; a domain with no locks at all is more exposed.
Why do the registry nameservers differ from the NS records?
The 'Nameservers (registry)' come from the domain's registration record, while the NS records come from a live DNS query. They usually match, but a recent nameserver change can show up in one before the other while DNS propagates.
Why is some WHOIS data missing or redacted?
Since GDPR, most personal registrant contact details are redacted from public records. Some country-code TLDs also omit fields like the expiration date entirely. The lookup still works — there's simply less to show for those domains.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free and no account needed. If you'd like to be emailed before a domain or its SSL certificate expires, you can track it with a free DomainChest account (up to three domains).
Related tools: Domain & SSL Expiry Checker, SSL Certificate Checker, and SPF & DMARC Checker for email authentication.
Look up once, then never think about it again
Store your domains in a chest, so you never forget one again.
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