Quick answer
How do I check who the registrant of a domain is?
To check who the registrant of a domain is, type the domain into lookup.icann.org, ICANN's free RDAP lookup, and read the Registrant section. RDAP has replaced WHOIS for generic extensions since 28 January 2025. As of October 2026, a domain held by NomineeName shows DomaineGoat LLC there, never the customer. Country codes may need the registry's own lookup.
Key facts
| Official tool | lookup.icann.org (RDAP), free, no account |
|---|---|
| RDAP replaced WHOIS | 28 January 2025, for generic extensions (.com, .net, .org, new gTLDs) |
| Data rules | ICANN Registration Data Policy, in effect since 21 August 2025 |
| Personal data of individuals | Usually shown as redacted |
| Country codes (.de, .uk, .io…) | Each registry sets its own lookup and rules |
| Time needed | About one minute |
| On a NomineeName domain | Registrant: DomaineGoat LLC (Panama) or redacted fields, never you |
How to look up a domain's registrant, step by step
Open the ICANN lookup
Go to lookup.icann.org. It queries the official RDAP server of the extension for you.
Type the bare domain
Enter the name only, such as
example.com: nohttps://, nowww, no path. Then run the search.Read the Registrar section
It names the registrar that manages the domain, with its IANA number and abuse contact. This part is never hidden.
Read the Registrant contact
Look for Organization, State or province, and Country. You will see a name, a privacy service, a company acting as holder, or the word REDACTED.
Check dates and status
Creation, update and expiry dates tell you the domain's age and renewal. Status codes show locks, holds and pending transfers.
Use the registry for country codes
If the lookup returns nothing for a country code, open the registry's own WHOIS or RDAP page. Some, like .to, run no public WHOIS at all.
What does the Registrant field tell me?
It tells you who holds the domain, or who stands in for the holder. In 2026, you will usually see one of four things.
| What you see | What it usually means | Who is the legal holder |
|---|---|---|
| REDACTED FOR PRIVACY, or empty fields | The registrar hides an individual's personal data, as ICANN's data policy allows | The person behind it; the registrar holds the real data, and so does the registry when it keeps contact data |
| A privacy service name, such as Withheld for Privacy ehf or Domains By Proxy, LLC | A privacy or proxy service replaces the contact details | Depends on the service: often the customer, sometimes the service |
| A company that holds domains for customers, such as DomaineGoat LLC | Nominee registration: the company is the registrant of record | The company; the customer is the beneficial owner |
| A person's or a company's own name | No privacy layer, or an organisation that chose to be shown | That person or company |
One rule matters for companies. Under ICANN's Registration Data Policy, when the Organization field is filled in, that organisation is the registrant. So an Organization value is the legal holder, not just a label. Who is behind each common privacy name is listed in our registrant-of-record index.
What do the status codes mean?
Status codes are short flags set by the registrar (client) or the registry (server). The ones you will meet most:
- clientTransferProhibited: the registrar lock is on. The domain cannot move to another registrar until the owner unlocks it.
- clientUpdateProhibited: contact and nameserver changes are locked.
- clientHold or serverHold: the domain is suspended and does not resolve.
- pendingTransfer: a transfer to another registrar is in progress.
- redemptionPeriod: the domain has expired and can still be restored by the holder, at a fee.
A lock is normal and protective. A hold means a suspension, by the registrar or the registry.
Can I check the registrant from the command line?
Yes. RDAP answers in JSON over HTTPS, so curl is enough. Each extension has its own RDAP server. IANA publishes the list in a bootstrap file. For .com, start with Verisign's server:
curl -s https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/example.com
# find the server of another extension
curl -s https://data.iana.org/rdap/dns.jsonVerisign runs a thin registry, so its RDAP answer for a .com lists the registrar only, with no registrant. Follow the links entry whose rel is related to the registrar's RDAP server. There, look at entities, then the object whose roles include registrant. Its vcardArray holds the visible contact data. A 404 response from the registry means it has no record: the name is not registered.
Why do country-code domains show different data?
Because country codes follow their own registry rules, not ICANN's contract for generic extensions. A few examples from our extension notes:
- .de: DENIC removed personal data from public WHOIS in 2018.
- .uk: Nominet redacts registrant contact data.
- .fi: the holder's name is shown, even for individuals.
- .nz: individuals can opt in to privacy, but the name stays public.
- .cc: address, phone and email are hidden; the name may remain visible.
- .to: the registry runs no public WHOIS database.
So the same person can be hidden on one extension and named on another. On a domain held in our name, each of these registries that keeps holder data holds our company's details.
Who can see more than the public record?
The registrar holds the full data, and so does the registry when it keeps contact data. Third parties can ask for it. Since November 2023, ICANN's Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) has routed such requests to registrars. During its two-year pilot it received more than 3,700 requests; about a quarter were approved.
For a domain held by NomineeName, the full registration data is our company's. Customer data goes out only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case. See our disclosure policy.
NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto. A .com costs $12.99/year (pricing).
Frequently asked questions
Is WHOIS still working in 2026?
For generic extensions, RDAP is the official service since 28 January 2025, when ICANN lifted the duty to run WHOIS. Some registrars and many country-code registries still answer WHOIS queries. lookup.icann.org uses RDAP and is the safest place to start.
Why does the lookup say REDACTED FOR PRIVACY?
Because the registrant is probably an individual, and the registrar hides personal data by default. The data still exists at the registrar, and at the registry when it keeps contact data. Redaction changes what the public sees, not who holds the domain.
Can I find the real owner behind a privacy service?
Not from the public record. You can contact the holder through the registrar's relay, send a request through ICANN's RDRS, or file a UDRP for a trademark dispute. Each service publishes its own disclosure rules. For our domains, data goes out only when Panamanian law requires it (a Panamanian court or prosecutor's order), or in a UDRP case.
How do I check that my own domain is in your name?
Look it up on lookup.icann.org. The Registrant should show DomaineGoat LLC or redacted fields, and never your name, address or phone. If your own details appear, contact support from your account so we can correct the record.
Does an expired domain show its old registrant?
During the grace and redemption periods, the record usually still shows the old holder, with a status such as redemptionPeriod. After deletion, the lookup returns no record, and the name can be registered again by anyone.
Is a lookup on lookup.icann.org visible to the domain owner?
No. A lookup reads public data and does not notify the holder. Command-line RDAP queries go straight to the registry's server, and the result is the same public record.
Sources (6)
- ICANN Lookup — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- ICANN update: launching RDAP, sunsetting WHOIS — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- Registration Data Policy now in effect — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- ICANN's Registration Data Policy: key measures and impacts — Dreyfus (checked 2026-10-19)
- ICANN's RDRS two-year pilot: what we learned — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19)
- RDAP bootstrap file for DNS — IANA (checked 2026-10-19)