How Do I Find Out Who Owns a Domain?
It can be disappointing when you find out that the perfect domain you’ve thought about is already taken by someone else. Choosing a domain name that completely represents your brand identity is crucial. Owning the right one makes all the difference when you want people to remember your site and get good search engine rankings.
So how do you find out who owns a domain? We’ll walk you through the steps you can take to find out who owns the domain you want.
Why do I need to find out who owns a domain?
You might want to know who owns a domain to address a trademark issue, resolve website problems, or protect content rights. However, one of the main reasons you might need to find out who currently owns a domain is to negotiate buying it.
How do I find out who owns a domain?
Domain names are owned by whoever first registered the web address with an accredited registrar. To look for a domain name’s owner, you’ll need to look it up in the WHOIS database, which contains all the information about registered domain names.You can use a WHOIS look up tool for convenience. When you enter a domain on the tool, it pulls up its owner’s details, such as the following:
- Registrant name
- Registrant contact information
- Registrant mailing address
- Domain status
- Name servers
Steps:
- First, use a trusted WHOIS search tool like Domain.com’s WHOIS lookup. Go to our website and hover over ‘Domains,’ then click ‘WHOIS Lookup.’
- Next, you’ll be redirected to a page where you can enter the domain name. Make sure to tick the reCAPTCHA box before doing a search.
- The results will display a long list of information, including the registrant’s name and contact info. You’ll also find the domain registrar, the creation date of the domain, and its registration expiration date on the list.
- Other data you can find in the results include the domain status. In the example below, the status codes read “clientTransferProhibited” and “clientUpdateProhibited.” The former means that currently, the domain can’t be transferred to another registrar. Meanwhile, the latter instructs the registry to decline all domain updates requested unless the code is removed. These serve as safety measures to prevent unauthorized access to the domain.
What do I do if the domain owner’s information is hidden?
If you scroll down and find that the domain owner’s contact details aren’t available, it means they’re using privacy protection services. In this case, there are a few options you can use to access the information.
Option 1: Contact the domain registrar. Go to the registrar’s website and find their email address. Send them a message indicating that you’re interested in buying the domain name from the owner.
Option 2: Use the forwarding email address. You’ll find this information in the ‘Registrant Email.’ Send an email to that address, and the domain privacy service provider will forward it to the owner.
Option 3: Go to the domain owner’s website. The last option you can try is to contact the owner directly through their website. Look for a ‘Contact Us’ section on the site to find their phone number or email address.
Why does domain privacy exist?
Registrars like Domain.com offer domain privacy protection to owners who want to keep their personal information undisclosed. With this service, providers mask their registrant’s personal information on the WHOIS database with their own business information. This way, they can prevent threats like identity theft and malware while helping owners avoid unwanted spam and solicitations.
Register the domain name you want with Domain.com
Finding out that the domain you want is unavailable can be discouraging, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. You can look for alternative domain names or consider a different domain extension.
Whether you get the domain you want or you get a new one, register your domain name with Domain.com. We provide powerful tools and reliable services to support your online journey. Choose Domain.com today!
