Free RDAP Lookup – Structured Domain Registration Data
Instantly query the RDAP protocol (RFC 9083) for any domain. Get machine-readable JSON domain registration data — registrar, registrant, nameservers, expiry date, domain status, and DNSSEC — the modern structured replacement for WHOIS.
Registered
Domain Information
Events
Nameservers
Registrar Entity
Registrant Entity
Raw RDAP JSON Response
How to Perform an RDAP Lookup
- Enter a domain name in the search box above — e.g. example.com
- Click "Lookup" or press Enter to query the RDAP registry
- Review structured results: registrar, registrant, nameservers, expiry date, and domain status
- Inspect the raw RDAP JSON response at the bottom for full protocol-level data
- Share or bookmark the result URL — every lookup generates a shareable link (e.g.
/tools/rdap-lookup?d=example.com)
RDAP vs WHOIS — What's the Difference?
RDAP (RFC 9083)
Returns structured JSON with consistent, standardized field names across all registries. Served over HTTPS REST APIs with proper HTTP status codes, rate-limit headers, and support for internationalization (IDN) and access control.
Adopted by ICANN-mandated registries since 2019. The preferred method for programmatic domain data access.
WHOIS (RFC 3912)
Returns unstructured plain text in inconsistent formats that vary by registrar and registry. Runs over TCP port 43 with no authentication, encryption, or standardized field names, making parsing fragile and error-prone.
Still widely used for TLDs that haven't migrated to RDAP, especially older ccTLDs.
Who Uses RDAP Lookup?
Brand Protection
Monitor registrant and registrar data on domains similar to your brand. Detect unauthorized registrations or cybersquatting before they become a legal issue.
Developers & Automation
Integrate RDAP data into your apps via our free API. The structured JSON response is trivial to parse compared to WHOIS text — no regex scraping required.
Domain Research
Verify ownership, check expiry dates, confirm nameserver configuration, and validate DNSSEC status for any domain across all major TLDs.
Legal & Compliance
Retrieve authoritative registrar and registrant data for UDRP filings, trademark disputes, and regulatory compliance. RDAP data comes directly from official IANA-accredited registries.
Cybersecurity
Investigate suspicious domains — check registration age, registrar reputation, nameserver patterns, and domain status flags like serverHold that may indicate abuse suspension.
Domain Investing
Check expiry dates, registration history, and current registrant for expired or expiring domain opportunities. Use RDAP data to evaluate acquisition targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RDAP and why was it created?
RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) was standardized by the IETF (RFC 9083) as the modern replacement for the aging WHOIS protocol. WHOIS was designed in the 1980s and returns unstructured plain text with no authentication, encryption, or consistent field names. RDAP solves all these problems: it uses HTTPS, returns structured JSON, supports access control and internationalization, and provides standard HTTP status codes for error handling.
How is RDAP different from WHOIS?
WHOIS returns unstructured plain text in formats that vary by registrar — parsing it requires fragile regex patterns. RDAP returns structured JSON with consistent, machine-readable field names standardized across all registries. RDAP is also served over HTTPS (encrypted), supports rate-limiting via HTTP headers, and handles internationalized domain names (IDN) correctly.
Is RDAP available for all domain extensions?
Most major gTLDs (.com, .net, .org, .info, .io, .app, .dev, etc.) support RDAP. ICANN mandated RDAP support for all accredited registrars since 2019. Many country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) are still migrating — if RDAP is unavailable, our tool automatically falls back to WHOIS.
What data does an RDAP response include?
A standard RDAP domain response includes: domain handle (registry ID), registration date, last updated date, expiry date, domain status codes, nameservers, registrar entity (name, IANA ID, URL), registrant entity (organization, name, country — subject to privacy), and DNSSEC delegation status. Our tool also displays the complete raw JSON for full transparency.
What do RDAP domain status codes mean?
Common status codes: active — domain resolves normally; clientTransferProhibited — transfer lock is set by registrar; clientDeleteProhibited — deletion is locked; serverHold — DNS resolution is suspended (often due to abuse); pendingDelete — domain is in the deletion grace period. Multiple codes can appear simultaneously.
Why is registrant contact information hidden in RDAP results?
Since GDPR (May 2018), most registrars are required to redact personal contact information (name, email, phone, address) from public registration data. This applies to both RDAP and WHOIS. The domain is still registered and owned by someone — their identity is protected via privacy proxy. You can contact the registrar to report abuse.
Is this RDAP lookup tool free to use?
Yes, completely free with no account or signup required. You can also access RDAP data programmatically via our free developer API — see API Documentation for details.