How do I check WHOIS for a domain?

At https://subs.gr/tools/domains/whois enter the domain to see registrar, registration/expiry dates, nameservers and domain status. For .gr domains personal details are always masked.

What does clientTransferProhibited mean in WHOIS?

The domain has a transfer lock — it cannot be moved to another registrar without first removing the lock. It is protective and common. To transfer the domain, go to the current registrar and remove the lock.

How long do I have to renew a domain after it expires?

For .com/.net: ~45 days Redemption Period + ~5 days Pending Delete. For other TLDs the rules vary — check with your registrar. Don't let it expire.

What is the difference between registry, registrar and registrant?

Registry: the organisation that manages the TLD (e.g. Verisign for .com). Registrar: the company that sold you the domain (e.g. GoDaddy, Namecheap). Registrant: the owner — you.

DNS & Domains 4 min read

How to Read a WHOIS Result

What information a domain WHOIS contains, what each field means and how to check expiry, registrar and nameservers.

What Is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a protocol (and database) that contains information about domain owners. Every registered domain creates a WHOIS record with contact details, dates, registrar and nameservers.

There are three distinct roles in WHOIS that are often confused:

Registry: The organisation that manages a TLD — e.g. Verisign for .com, Nominet for .uk. It holds the "master list" of NS records for every domain under that TLD.
Registrar: The company through which the domain was registered — e.g. GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare Registrar. Manages the relationship with the owner.
Registrant: The domain owner — the person or company that purchased it.

Note for .gr domains: The Greek registry (ΕΕΤΤ) does not publish public WHOIS data for .gr domains. You can only see whether the domain is registered and its nameservers.

What a WHOIS Result Contains

Field	What it means
Registrant	The domain owner (name, email, phone — often masked for GDPR)
Registrar	The company through which the domain was registered (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
Created Date	When the domain was first registered
Expiry Date	When it expires — after this it enters a grace period before being released
Updated Date	Last WHOIS record update
Name Servers	The DNS servers serving this domain
Status	Domain status (clientTransferProhibited, redemptionPeriod, etc.)

Domain Status Codes — What They Mean

The status code in WHOIS tells you a lot about the current state of the domain:

clientTransferProhibited — The domain cannot be transferred to another registrar (common, protective)
clientDeleteProhibited — Cannot be deleted — typically for premium/critical domains
clientUpdateProhibited — WHOIS details cannot be changed without removing the lock
pendingTransfer — Transfer in progress (takes 5–7 days)
redemptionPeriod — Domain has expired but is in a grace period (30–90 days, renewal with extra cost)
pendingDelete — Being prepared for release — cannot be renewed

⚠️ Watch out: If your domain shows status redemptionPeriod, renew it immediately — once it enters pendingDelete there is no recovery.

The Domain Life Cycle

It is worth understanding what happens after a domain expires:

Active: Normal operation.
Expired: The expiry date has passed. The domain stops working. The owner can renew at the standard price for ~30 days (varies by TLD).
Redemption Period: ~30–45 days. Renewal with extra cost (€50–200 additional). Still possible but expensive.
Pending Delete: ~5 days. Nothing can be done — the domain is being deleted.
Available: The domain is released and can be registered by anyone.

How to Use WHOIS Results

Checking if a domain is available

If no WHOIS record is returned, the domain is probably available. Always confirm availability with a registrar as well.

Tracking when a competitor's domain expires

Many people monitor domains they want to acquire — if they expire and are not renewed, you can register them. There are also "domain backorder" services that do this automatically.

Finding the registrar for a transfer

If you purchased a website or business and want to transfer the domain, WHOIS tells you where it is and who to contact. For a domain transfer you also need the EPP/Auth code (authorization code) — request it from the current registrar.

Checking nameservers

Especially useful when changing DNS providers — you confirm that the new nameservers appear in the registry. Note: updating nameservers in WHOIS/registry and DNS propagation are two separate things.

Check WHOIS data for any domain:

→ Domain WHOIS Checker

GDPR and WHOIS Privacy

Since 2018 (GDPR), personal details in WHOIS are automatically hidden for domains owned by Europeans. Many registrars also offer WHOIS Privacy (or Domain Privacy) service that replaces your details with a proxy email/address.

Important: WHOIS privacy does not hide the domain from WHOIS — it only hides contact details. The domain still appears as registered, with registrar, dates and nameservers visible.

When to Use WHOIS

Practical uses of WHOIS:

Buying a domain: Check whether it's available and when it expires if taken
Changing DNS: Confirm that the new nameservers appear in the registry
Security audit: Verify that a domain actually belongs to who claims to own it
Domain monitoring: Watch domains you are interested in for changes
Anti-phishing: Check if a suspicious domain was recently registered (typosquatting indicator)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are the owner details hidden in WHOIS?

GDPR — since 2018 registries no longer display personal details publicly. You can see registrar, dates and nameservers, but the owner's email/phone is masked.

How do I know when my domain expires?

From WHOIS (the "Expiry Date" field) or from your registrar's control panel. For automatic notifications before expiry, use the Domain Monitor at https://subs.gr/monitors.

What is the Grace Period after expiry?

For most TLDs, after expiry comes the Redemption Period (~30 days) — you can renew with extra cost. Then Pending Delete (~5 days) — nothing can be done. After that the domain is released.

How often does WHOIS data change?

Immediately after changes: transfer, renewal, nameserver update. WHOIS registries have updated information within minutes, but caching services may show old data.

What is the EPP/Auth code and when do I need it?

The EPP code (or AuthInfo code) is a security code you need to transfer a domain to another registrar. Your current registrar generates it — request it from your control panel or support. Do not share it with third parties.

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