Free WHOIS Lookup

A WHOIS lookup retrieves registration data for a domain name from the global WHOIS database. This data includes the registrar, registration date, expiry date, nameservers, and sometimes registrant contact details. Modern lookups use the RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) standard, which replaced traditional WHOIS for most TLDs.

Many registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection, which hides registrant contact details. Some TLD registries also restrict access to expiry dates. Our checker uses RDAP (the modern WHOIS successor) which provides structured data — if your registry supports RDAP, expiry data is generally available.

We recommend renewing at least 30 days before expiry. Most registrars offer auto-renewal, but it can fail due to expired payment methods. If a domain expires, there is typically a 30-day grace period before it enters redemption (expensive to recover) and then deletion. CertNotify monitors and alerts you before any of these stages.

RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) is the modern, structured replacement for traditional WHOIS. RDAP uses JSON responses over HTTPS, supports authentication, and provides more consistent data. ICANN has been transitioning TLDs to RDAP since 2019. Our checker uses RDAP for accurate, structured domain data.

Yes — CertNotify continuously monitors domain expiry for all domains in your account and sends alerts 60, 30, 14, and 7 days before expiry via email or WhatsApp. Add your domain to your dashboard to start monitoring for free.