beginnerGeneral
WHOIS
A public database showing who registered a domain name and when it expires.
By DomainGlossary EditorialLast updated Mar 25, 2026
WHOIS is a query-and-response protocol used to look up registration data for domain names. A WHOIS record typically includes the registrant's name and contact details, the registrar, registration date, expiration date, nameservers, and domain status codes. Since GDPR, most registrant contact information is redacted for privacy, replaced by proxy or privacy service contact details.