Quick answer
How do I check what my domain shows in WHOIS/RDAP?
Open ICANN Lookup, type your domain name and read the result. For .com, .net, .org and other gTLDs, RDAP replaced WHOIS on 28 January 2025. Check the registrant fields, the contact shown, the registrar and the status codes. At Sealname, a private domain name registration service paid in crypto, the record shows our privacy service's contact instead of yours. No ID, no KYC; a .com costs $12.99/year.
WHOIS/RDAP lookup at a glance
| Free lookup tool | ICANN Lookup: lookup.icann.org |
|---|---|
| Protocol for gTLDs | RDAP, since 28 January 2025 (WHOIS is no longer required) |
| Personal data in public RDAP | Redacted by default under ICANN's Registration Data Policy, in effect since 21 August 2025 |
| Country-code extensions | Each registry runs its own lookup service and sets its own publication rules |
| Transfer lock status | clientTransferProhibited: the domain cannot move to another registrar while it is on |
| A Sealname domain shows | Our privacy service's contact details instead of yours, where the registry allows it |
| Messages to that contact | forwarded to your verified email; we never forward spam or bulk mail |
How do you look up your domain in RDAP?
The lookup is quick, and it shows exactly what a stranger can see about your domain.
Open ICANN Lookup
Go to lookup.icann.org. It is ICANN's free public lookup for registration data.
Type the domain name
Enter the name with its extension, for example example.com, without http:// or www. Then start the lookup.
Read the contact fields
Look for your name, your postal address, your phone number and your email. With privacy on, these fields are redacted or show a privacy service's details.
Check the registrar, dates and status
The result names the registrar, the creation and expiry dates, the nameservers and the status codes. Note anything you do not expect.
How do you read an RDAP result?
Read it from top to bottom: the domain, the registrar, then the contacts. The first question is simple: does any field show your name, your home address or your phone number? If none does, your personal data is not public.
What each part of the result tells you
| Field | What you should see | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Registrant name, address, phone | Redacted, or the details of a privacy service | Your personal data is not in the public record |
| Registrant email | Redacted, or a contact address of the privacy service | People can still reach you, without seeing your address |
| Organization | Empty for a personal domain | If it is filled, that organisation is the registrant |
| Registrar | The company that manages the registration | Where transfers, renewals and abuse reports go |
| Registrar abuse contact | An email address and a phone number | The contact for reports of phishing, malware and other abuse |
| Created, updated, expires | Three dates | Check the expiry date so the domain never lapses |
| Nameservers | The DNS servers of the domain | Who answers for the domain's DNS records |
| Status | One or more status codes | Locks, holds or operations in progress (see below) |
What do the domain status codes mean?
- ok (active)
The standard status: no operation is pending and no lock is set.
- clientTransferProhibited
The registrar's transfer lock. The domain cannot move to another registrar while it is set. At Sealname, you can switch it off in My domains.
- clientUpdateProhibited
The registrar blocks changes to the domain, such as a contact or nameserver update, until the lock is removed.
- clientDeleteProhibited
The registrar blocks deletion of the domain.
- serverTransferProhibited
The registry, not the registrar, blocks transfers. It is uncommon and is often linked to a dispute or a legal process.
- clientHold / serverHold
The domain is not published in the DNS, so it does not resolve. Contact the registrar to find out why.
- pendingTransfer
A transfer to another registrar has been requested and is in progress.
- redemptionPeriod
The registration was deleted after expiry. It can still be restored for a short time through the registrar.
- pendingDelete
The domain will soon be removed from the registry and become available again.
How do you check a country-code domain (.de, .uk, .ca…)?
Use the lookup service of the registry itself. Country-code extensions follow the rules of their own registry, not ICANN's gTLD rules. The IANA Root Zone Database names the registry of every extension.
What the main registries publish:
- .de (DENIC): open worldwide; DENIC holds the holder's name and address and hides them from the public. DENIC may ask a holder outside Germany to name an authorised recipient in Germany.
- .uk (Nominet): Nominet does not publish names and addresses by default.
- .ca (CIRA): CIRA hides the data of individuals automatically.
- .eu (EURid): personal data of individuals is hidden by the registry. Since October 2024, EURid also verifies holders and suspends a domain whose holder does not answer.
- .us: privacy and proxy services are banned, so the registrant's data is public. Sealname does not sell .us: see the .us page.
The domain privacy index says, for every extension, whether one email is enough, with its source. Sealname sells .de and .uk registered in our name only; .ca and .eu, which need residence, are not sold.
What should you do if your name or address shows?
Act on the cause, then run the lookup again. These are the usual fixes:
- Check the Organization field. Under ICANN's Registration Data Policy, a filled Organization field makes that organisation the registrant. Leave it empty for a personal domain.
- Switch privacy on at your registrar. Many registrars offer a privacy service. Turn it on, or ask their support how.
- Check the extension's rules. Some extensions forbid privacy, such as .us. On those, the data stays public whatever the registrar does.
- Move the domain. Ask your registrar for the transfer code (auth code) and transfer the domain to Sealname. A .com transfer costs $12.99, the same as a registration. ICANN's Transfer Policy blocks a transfer for a short period after a registration or a previous transfer.
- Correct, do not falsify. Keep your real data with the registrar. False contact data can lead to suspension, and it works against you in a dispute.
A change today updates the current record only. It does not erase copies that other services may have saved before.
What does a Sealname domain show in RDAP?
Our privacy service's contact details, instead of your name, address and phone. This applies on every extension whose registry allows a privacy service. On .de, .uk, .ch and the other extensions we sell registered in our name only, WHOIS/RDAP shows our company as the holder.
You stay the registrant of record: the domain is yours, not ours. Messages sent to the contact shown in RDAP are forwarded to your verified email; we never forward spam or bulk mail. Your verified email is never published.
Your data is disclosed only in the cases listed in our disclosure policy, such as a valid court order or a UDRP complaint. Every request is counted in the quarterly transparency report. Read how it works for the full picture.
Why did WHOIS become RDAP?
Because ICANN replaced it. Since 28 January 2025, gTLD registries and registrars no longer have to run the old WHOIS service. RDAP, the Registration Data Access Protocol, is now the reference for .com, .net, .org and the other gTLDs.
RDAP returns structured data over HTTPS, so tools read it more reliably than old WHOIS text. Then, on 21 August 2025, ICANN's Registration Data Policy came into effect. Registrants' personal data is now redacted from public RDAP by default.
Many people still say "WHOIS". This site writes "WHOIS/RDAP" to cover both words.
Checking a WHOIS/RDAP record: FAQ
Is ICANN Lookup free?
Yes. ICANN Lookup at lookup.icann.org is a free public tool run by ICANN. You type a domain name and it shows the registration data that the registry and the registrar publish. It works best for gTLDs such as .com, .net and .org. For a country-code domain, also check the registry's own lookup.
Why are the registrant fields redacted?
Because ICANN's Registration Data Policy, in effect since 21 August 2025, redacts registrants' personal data from public RDAP by default. A redacted field means the data exists but is not public. With a privacy service, some fields show the service's contact details instead. Either way, your name and address stay out of public view.
Can someone still find out who owns my domain?
Yes, in specific cases. A court order, a UDRP complaint or a lawful request with evidence of harm can lead to disclosure. In ICANN's RDRS pilot, from November 2023 to November 2025, about one in four of 3,700+ disclosure requests were approved. Sealname's cases are listed in its disclosure policy.
What does clientTransferProhibited mean?
It is the registrar's transfer lock. While it is on, the domain cannot move to another registrar. It protects you against an unwanted transfer. At Sealname, you can switch it off in My domains when you want to leave. ICANN's Transfer Policy also blocks transfers for a short period after a registration or a transfer.
Where do I check a .de, .uk or other country-code domain?
On the lookup service of the registry, such as DENIC for .de, Nominet for .uk, CIRA for .ca or EURid for .eu. Country-code registries set their own publication rules. The IANA Root Zone Database names the registry of every extension, and our privacy index summarises each rule.
Is my email address shown in RDAP?
Not at Sealname. Your verified email is never published. ICANN requires registrars to verify it within 15 days for gTLDs, so it must work. People who write to the contact shown in RDAP still reach you: messages are forwarded to your verified email; we never forward spam or bulk mail.
My old WHOIS data is still online. Can it be removed?
Your registrar can only change the current record. Copies saved earlier by other services are outside its control. Turning on privacy now protects every lookup from today. If a site still shows old data, ask that site directly to remove it.
Sources (12)
- ICANN Lookup — ICANN (checked 2026-10-08)
- ICANN update: launching RDAP, sunsetting WHOIS — ICANN (2025-01-27)
- Registration Data Policy now in effect for contracted parties — ICANN (2025-08-21)
- ICANN's Registration Data Policy: key measures and impacts — Dreyfus (2025-10-28)
- EPP status codes: what do they mean, and why should I know? — ICANN (checked 2026-10-08)
- ICANN's RDRS two-year pilot: what we learned and where we go next — ICANN (2026-03-03)
- Root Zone Database — IANA (checked 2026-10-08)
- Authorised recipient for the service of documents — DENIC (checked 2026-10-08)
- Domain registration tips: CIRA WHOIS privacy — CIRA (checked 2026-10-08)
- EURid introduces new policies (NIS2) — EURid (checked 2026-10-08)
- usTLD privacy services policy — about.us (checked 2026-10-08)
- 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement and specifications — ICANN (checked 2026-10-08)
Keep your name out of WHOIS/RDAP
Register or transfer a domain with privacy included. A .com is $12.99/year, paid in crypto, with no ID and no KYC.