Why is the WHOIS record for a domain redacted?

The GDPR took effect in 2018 and ICANN issued a Temporary Specification requiring registries and registrars to withhold personal data from public output. Most contact fields for private registrants are now replaced with a redaction notice and a forwarding address. Legitimate access requests go through the registrar or the RDAP tiered-access process.

What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?

WHOIS is a plain-text protocol from 1982 with no consistent format, no authentication, and no internationalisation. RDAP returns structured JSON over HTTPS, supports differentiated access, and is standardised in RFC 7480 through 7484. ICANN has required RDAP for gTLDs since 2019, and it is the source we prefer.

Can I find who owns an IP address?

You can find the organisation the block is registered to, which for a datacenter address is the hosting provider rather than the customer running the machine. Smaller allocations sometimes name the end customer in the netname. There is no public record linking a residential address to a person.

The domain looks unregistered but I cannot buy it. Why?

Check the status codes. redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete mean a previous registration expired and is still working through the deletion sequence, which takes about 75 days total. Some registries also reserve names or hold them at premium pricing without showing a registration.

Is a WHOIS lookup visible to the domain owner?

Not through the query itself. RDAP and WHOIS queries go to the registry or registrar, not to the domain holder. Registries log queries and rate-limit them, so heavy automated querying gets throttled or blocked.

WHOIS Lookup

Look up the registration record for a domain or an IP block, RDAP first, with port 43 WHOIS as the fallback.

AS recordAS1299

Structured RDAP from rdap.arin.net.

Allocation

Normalised from RDAP

AS number: AS1299
Netname: TWELVE99
Holder: Arelion Sweden AB
Country: Not published
Registry: RIPE — RIPE Network Coordination Centre
Block: Not published
Registered: 2002-09-19T08:19:14Z
Last changed: 2026-10-30T11:24:22Z
Abuse contact: abuse@twelve99.net
Status: active
Registry server: rdap.arin.net

Raw RDAP JSON

{
  "handle": "AS1299",
  "startAutnum": 1299,
  "endAutnum": 1299,
  "name": "TWELVE99",
  "status": [
    "active"
  ],
  "entities": [
    {
      "handle": "ORG-TCA32-RIPE",
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "Arelion Sweden AB"
          ],
          [
            "kind",
            {},
            "text",
            "org"
          ],
          [
            "adr",
            {
              "label": "Box 3095\n169 03\nSolna\nSWEDEN"
            },
            "text",
            [
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              ""
            ]
          ],
          [
            "tel",
            {
              "type": "voice"
            },
            "text",
            "+46771191170"
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "roles": [
        "registrant"
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/ORG-TCA32-RIPE"
        },
        {
          "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
          "rel": "copyright",
          "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
        }
      ],
      "objectClassName": "entity"
    },
    {
      "handle": "RIPE-NCC-END-MNT",
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "RIPE-NCC-END-MNT"
          ],
          [
            "kind",
            {},
            "text",
            "individual"
          ],
          [
            "org",
            {},
            "text",
            "ORG-NCC1-RIPE"
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "roles": [
        "registrant"
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/RIPE-NCC-END-MNT"
        },
        {
          "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
          "rel": "copyright",
          "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
        }
      ],
      "objectClassName": "entity"
    },
    {
      "handle": "TRR2-RIPE",
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "Twelve99 Routing Registry"
          ],
          [
            "kind",
            {},
            "text",
            "group"
          ],
          [
            "adr",
            {
              "label": "Arelion Sweden AB\nEvenemangsgatan 2C\nSE-169 79 SOLNA\nSweden"
            },
            "text",
            [
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              ""
            ]
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "roles": [
        "administrative",
        "technical"
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/TRR2-RIPE"
        },
        {
          "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
          "rel": "copyright",
          "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
        }
      ],
      "objectClassName": "entity"
    },
    {
      "handle": "Twelve99-IRR-MNT",
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "Twelve99-IRR-MNT"
          ],
          [
            "kind",
            {},
            "text",
            "individual"
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "roles": [
        "registrant"
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "self",
          "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/Twelve99-IRR-MNT"
        },
        {
          "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
          "rel": "copyright",
          "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
        }
      ],
      "objectClassName": "entity"
    },
    {
      "handle": "AR61450-RIPE",
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "Twelve99 Abuse-C Role"
          ],
          [
            "kind",
            {},
            "text",
            "group"
          ],
          [
            "adr",
            {
              "label": "Box 3095\nSE-169 03 SOLNA\nSweden"
            },
            "text",
            [
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              "",
              ""
            ]
          ],
          [
            "email",
            {
              "type": "abuse"
            },
            "text",
            "abuse@twelve99.net"
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "roles": [
        "abuse"
      ],
      "entities": [
        {
          "handle": "se-twelve99-1-MNT",
          "vcardArray": [
            "vcard",
            [
              [
                "version",
                {},
                "text",
                "4.0"
              ],
              [
                "fn",
                {},
                "text",
                "se-twelve99-1-MNT"
              ],
              [
                "kind",
                {},
                "text",
                "individual"
              ]
            ]
          ],
          "roles": [
            "registrant"
          ],
          "links": [
            {
              "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
              "rel": "self",
              "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/entity/se-twelve99-1-MNT"
            },
            {
              "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
              "rel": "copyright",
              "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
            }
          ],
          "objectClassName": "entity"
        }
      ],
      "objectClassName": "entity"
    }
  ],
  "remarks": [
    {
      "description": [
        "Arelion, f/k/a Telia Carrier",
        "------------------------------------------------------",
        "",
        "As of June 1 2021, Arelion and its affiliates are no",
        "longer part of or affiliated with Telia Company.",
        "Helpdesk/NOC: support@arelion.com",
        "Peering: peering@twelve99.net",
        "BGP COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR AS1299 TRANSIT CUSTOMERS:",
        "Community Action (default local pref 200)",
        "-----------------------------------------",
        "1299:50 Set local pref 50 within AS1299 (lowest possible)",
        "1299:150 Set local pref 150 within AS1299 (equal to peer, backup)",
        "1299:1y050 Set local pref 50 in region y",
        "1299:1y150 Set local pref 150 in region y",
        "Where y is:",
        "0= outside own continent",
        "2= Europe",
        "5= North America",
        "7= Asia Pacific",
        "Note!",
        "Not possible to increase LP only decrease. Not possible to have",
        "low LP in own continent and higher in other continents.",
        "We remove communities not possible to combine or communities that",
        "not have effect in certain combination.",
        "European peers",
        "Community Action",
        "--------- ------",
        "1299:200x All peers Europe incl:",
        "1299:253x Zayo/6461",
        "1299:254x Orange/5511",
        "1299:256x Lumen/3356",
        "1299:257x Verizon/702",
        "1299:258x AT&T/2686",
        "1299:259x Telxius/12956",
        "1299:263x TATA/6453",
        "1299:264x DTAG/3320",
        "1299:269x GTT/3257",
        "1299:270x Liberty Global/6830",
        "1299:273x Cogent/174",
        "1299:274x Telecom Italia/6762",
        "1299:284x Vodafone/1273",
        "1299:287x China Unicom/4837",
        "1299:288x China Telecom/4134",
        "North American peers",
        "1299:500x All peers North America incl:",
        "1299:552x NTT/2914",
        "1299:553x Zayo/6461",
        "1299:554x Orange/5511",
        "1299:556x Lumen/3356",
        "1299:557x Verizon/701",
        "1299:558x AT&T/7018",
        "1299:559x Telxius/12956",
        "1299:563x TATA/6453",
        "1299:564x DTAG/3320",
        "1299:566x Comcast/7922",
        "1299:569x GTT/3257",
        "1299:570x Liberty Global/6830",
        "1299:573x Cogent/174",
        "1299:574x Telecom Italia/6762",
        "1299:587x China Unicom/4837",
        "1299:588x China Telecom/4134",
        "Asia peers",
        "1299:700x All peers Asia incl:",
        "1299:754x Orange/5511",
        "1299:756x Lumen/3356",
        "1299:757x Verizon/703",
        "1299:758x AT&T/2687",
        "1299:763x TATA/6453",
        "1299:764x DTAG/3320",
        "1299:769x GTT/3257",
        "1299:774x Telecom Italia/6762",
        "1299:784x Vodafone/1273",
        "1299:794x PCCW/3491",
        "Where x is number of prepends (x=0,1,2,3) or do NOT announce (x=9)",
        "We are listening to community GRACEFUL_SHUTDOWN according to",
        "https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc8326/",
        "Route Flap Damping Policy is applied.",
        "AS1299 is matching RPKI validation state and reject",
        "invalid prefixes from peers and customers.",
        "Our looking-glass at https://lg.twelve99.net/ marks",
        "validation state for all prefixes.",
        "Please review your registered ROAs to reduce number",
        "of invalid prefixes."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-up",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-up/AS1299",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-up rdap-active",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-up/AS1299?status=active",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-down",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-down/AS1299",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-top",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-top/AS1299",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-top rdap-active",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-top/AS1299?status=active",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "rdap-bottom",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnums/rirSearch1/rdap-bottom/AS1299",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    },
    {
      "value": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms",
      "rel": "copyright",
      "href": "http://www.ripe.net/data-tools/support/documentation/terms"
    }
  ],
  "events": [
    {
      "eventAction": "registration",
      "eventDate": "2002-09-19T08:19:14Z"
    },
    {
      "eventAction": "last changed",
      "eventDate": "2026-10-30T11:24:22Z"
    }
  ],
  "rdapConformance": [
    "nro_rdap_profile_asn_flat_0",
    "rirSearch1",
    "autnums",
    "cidr0",
    "rdap_level_0",
    "nro_rdap_profile_0",
    "redacted"
  ],
  "notices": [
    {
      "title": "Filtered",
      "description": [
        "This output has been filtered."
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Whois Inaccuracy Reporting",
      "description": [
        "If you see inaccuracies in the results, please visit:"
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "inaccuracy-report",
          "href": "https://www.ripe.net/contact-form?topic=ripe_dbm&show_form=true",
          "type": "text/html"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Source",
      "description": [
        "Objects returned came from source",
        "RIPE"
      ]
    },
    {
      "title": "Terms and Conditions",
      "description": [
        "This is the RIPE Database query service. The objects are in RDAP format."
      ],
      "links": [
        {
          "value": "https://rdap.db.ripe.net/autnum/1299",
          "rel": "terms-of-service",
          "href": "http://www.ripe.net/db/support/db-terms-conditions.pdf",
          "type": "application/pdf"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "port43": "whois.ripe.net",
  "objectClassName": "autnum",
  "redacted": [
    {
      "name": {
        "description": "Personal e-mail information"
      },
      "reason": {
        "description": "Personal data"
      },
      "prePath": "$.entities[?(@.handle=='ORG-TCA32-RIPE')].vcardArray[1][?(@[0]=='e-mail')]",
      "method": "removal"
    },
    {
      "name": {
        "description": "Personal e-mail information"
      },
      "reason": {
        "description": "Personal data"
      },
      "prePath": "$.entities[?(@.handle=='TRR2-RIPE')].vcardArray[1][?(@[0]=='e-mail')]",
      "method": "removal"
    },
    {
      "name": {
        "description": "Personal e-mail information"
      },
      "reason": {
        "description": "Personal data"
      },
      "prePath": "$.entities[?(@.handle=='AR61450-RIPE')].vcardArray[1][?(@[0]=='e-mail')]",
      "method": "removal"
    }
  ]
}

Cached for six hours. The same record as JSON: /api/v1/rdap. Add &raw=1 for the unmodified registry document.

RDAP first, WHOIS as a fallback

RDAP gives us typed fields, so the normalised view on this page is a mapping rather than a guess. Classic WHOIS output has no schema at all; each registry invented its own labels, and parsing it reliably is a losing game. When a registry publishes no RDAP endpoint, usually an older country-code registry, we fall back to a port 43 query and show the raw text with only light normalisation. The result labels which path was used.

Reading the raw output

The raw response stays collapsed under the normalised view. Open it when a field looks wrong, when the registry publishes something we did not map, or when you need the exact text for a dispute or a transfer request. Registry text is authoritative; our normalisation is a convenience.

Caching

Results cache for six hours. WHOIS and RDAP data changes on the scale of days, registries rate-limit aggressively, and hammering them for a value that did not move helps nobody. If you need a fresh read after a change you just made, wait out the cache rather than retrying in a loop.

About this tool

Enter a domain or an address. We query RDAP first, the structured JSON successor to WHOIS, and fall back to port 43 WHOIS where a registry runs none. A domain returns the registrar, creation and expiry dates, nameservers, and EPP status codes, and an address returns the RIR, netname, organisation, country, and abuse contact. Personal details are usually redacted under privacy law, and results cache for six hours.

How to read the result

Registrar: The accredited company through which the domain was registered, which is where it was bought rather than who owns it. A transfer changes this field while the registrant stays the same.
Creation, updated, and expiry dates: Registry timestamps in UTC for when the domain was created, last changed, and paid through. The expiry date is the paid-through date, not the deletion date, and after it a domain usually passes through a renewal grace period, then redemption, then pending-delete, roughly 75 days in total.
Nameservers: The nameservers recorded at the registry as the delegation for this domain. They can differ from the NS records the zone itself serves, when a zone was changed without updating the delegation, which is a lame delegation.
EPP status codes: Registry and registrar locks that say what can be done with the domain right now. clientTransferProhibited is normal and prevents unauthorised transfers, serverHold means the domain is not published in the zone at all, and pendingDelete and redemptionPeriod mean an expired domain is moving toward deletion.
Registrant details or a redaction notice: For most generic and European domains the registrant name, address, and email are withheld under GDPR and ICANN Temporary Specification policy, leaving a registrar-operated forwarding address. Some country registries publish more, and business registrations often do.
For IP addresses, RIR, netname, org, and abuse contact: The Regional Internet Registry that allocated the block, the registered netname, the holding organisation, and the abuse mailbox to complain to. For a hosting provider the organisation is the provider rather than their customer, and that mailbox is where a complaint about the customer goes.

Questions people ask

Why is the WHOIS record for a domain redacted?: The GDPR took effect in 2018 and ICANN issued a Temporary Specification requiring registries and registrars to withhold personal data from public output. Most contact fields for private registrants are now replaced with a redaction notice and a forwarding address. Legitimate access requests go through the registrar or the RDAP tiered-access process.
What is the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?: WHOIS is a plain-text protocol from 1982 with no consistent format, no authentication, and no internationalisation. RDAP returns structured JSON over HTTPS, supports differentiated access, and is standardised in RFC 7480 through 7484. ICANN has required RDAP for gTLDs since 2019, and it is the source we prefer.
Can I find who owns an IP address?: You can find the organisation the block is registered to, which for a datacenter address is the hosting provider rather than the customer running the machine. Smaller allocations sometimes name the end customer in the netname. There is no public record linking a residential address to a person.
The domain looks unregistered but I cannot buy it. Why?: Check the status codes. redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete mean a previous registration expired and is still working through the deletion sequence, which takes about 75 days total. Some registries also reserve names or hold them at premium pricing without showing a registration.
Is a WHOIS lookup visible to the domain owner?: Not through the query itself. RDAP and WHOIS queries go to the registry or registrar, not to the domain holder. Registries log queries and rate-limit them, so heavy automated querying gets throttled or blocked.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05.