# WHOIS and RDAP: The Public Domain Record

> What WHOIS and RDAP are, which domain data is publicly visible, how RDAP differs from the old protocol and how to look up any domain's record.

- Language: en
- Published: 2026-11-01 · Updated: 2026-11-01
- HTML: https://rikidomains.at/en/glossary/whois-rdap/
- Markdown: https://rikidomains.at/en/glossary/whois-rdap/index.md
- RU version: https://rikidomains.at/ru/glossary/whois-rdap/

**WHOIS** is the historical protocol and service through which anyone could request data about a domain: the owner, contacts, registrar, nameservers and dates. **RDAP** (Registration Data Access Protocol) is its replacement: the same data, but structured, over HTTPS and with the ability to hide fields depending on who is asking.

## What the record shows

- The registrar and the registry, the registration, update and expiry dates.
- Domain statuses: clientTransferProhibited, clientHold and others.
- Nameservers.
- The registrant, administrative and technical contacts: name, organisation, address, phone, email. These are the fields privacy services hide and GDPR restricts.

## How RDAP differs from WHOIS

The old WHOIS returned free-form text and could not differentiate access. RDAP returns JSON, supports authorisation and field redaction: a public query sees less, law enforcement on request sees more. In 2025 ICANN completed the gTLD transition from mandatory WHOIS to RDAP, but the word "WHOIS" stayed in everyday use.

## How to look up a record

Any domain lookup service, a registrar's lookup page or the registry's RDAP server. At Riki Domains the client's data does not enter the public record if the privacy option is enabled in a standard zone, and in Platinum and Titan zones the registration is done with the service's details.

> [Open the bot](https://t.me/riki_domains_bot?start=d12)

## FAQ

**Can I remove my data from WHOIS?**

From the current record, yes, through privacy or a change of contacts. From WHOIS archives kept by third-party services, no: they store old versions of records.

**Why does my domain's record show someone else's data?**

That is how privacy works: the public record carries the contacts of the privacy service or the registrar, while yours are kept by the registrar privately.