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RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) is now the primary protocol for accessing registration data for generic top-level domains (gTLDs), replacing WHOIS as the standard lookup method. Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are not subject to the same requirement, so their registries may use RDAP, WHOIS or both.
Either way, a WHOIS lookup still gets you a domain's registration details, and with RDAP that data arrives in a structured format over a secure connection.
Secure your perfect domain in just a few clicks with Wix. Get everything you need in one place: business email, reliable hosting, SSL protection and WHOIS privacy options. With 24/7 support, getting your site live is simple and worry-free.
TL;DR: RDAP vs. WHOIS
WHOIS returns domain registration data as unstructured text, while RDAP delivers standardized JSON responses over HTTPS and supports tiered access to registration data.
Since January 28, 2025, RDAP has replaced WHOIS as the primary lookup protocol for most generic top-level domains (gTLDs), though some extensions and many country code domains still use WHOIS.
You'll learn:
What RDAP and WHOIS are and how they work
How they differ in format, security and data access
Why ICANN replaced WHOIS with RDAP
What redacted data means and how it differs from private registration
How to run an RDAP lookup and manage your domain with Wix
What is WHOIS?
WHOIS is the original protocol for looking up domain registration records. It dates back to the early 1980s and was formally described in RFC 3912 in 2004. A WHOIS query returns the registration record a server holds for a domain, which may include the registrar, key dates and registrant details when they're available.
The protocol is simple by design. Your client opens a connection on port 43, sends the domain name and gets back a block of plain text. The connection isn't encrypted, there's no standardized way to log in and there's no agreed response format, so every registry and registrar could label and order the fields their own way.
That simplicity kept WHOIS running for decades. It also made results hard to automate and left no standard way to control who sees which data, which became a real problem once privacy laws tightened.
Read more
What is RDAP?
RDAP stands for Registration Data Access Protocol. It's the successor to the WHOIS protocol, built by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and first published as a set of standards in March 2015.
Today the RDAP protocol is an Internet Standard (STD 95). RFC 9082 and RFC 9083 (2021) define its query format and JSON responses, and RFC 9224 (2022) covers how clients find the right server.
Instead of plain text, RDAP sends answers as JSON over HTTPS, the same secure web connection your browser uses. Every RDAP response follows the same structure, so apps, scripts and lookup tools can read results from any compliant registry without custom parsing.
RDAP changes how registration data is delivered, not the data itself. ICANN required registries and registrars of generic top-level domains to offer RDAP by August 2019, and it became the definitive source for their data in January 2025. As of December 2024, ICANN estimated more than 10 billion RDAP queries per month.
RDAP vs. WHOIS: key differences
Both protocols serve the same purpose, but they work very differently under the hood.
01. Data format
WHOIS returns a free-form text block. One registry might call a field "Registrant Organization" while another calls it "Owner" and a third leaves it out, which forces tools to maintain fragile parsers for each source.
RDAP replaces that with JSON objects that use the same field names and structure everywhere. The result is data that people can read and software can process reliably, from security dashboards to domain portfolio tools.
02. Security and transport
WHOIS travels over an unencrypted connection on port 43, so anyone watching the network could see what you looked up and what came back. RDAP uses HTTPS to encrypt requests and responses and to authenticate the server through TLS.
This protects lookup data while it travels across the network and reduces the risk of interception or tampering in transit. It doesn't guarantee the registration data itself is accurate, since that still depends on what the registrar and registrant provided.
03. Standardization and internationalization
Because WHOIS never had a fixed response format, even basics like date formats varied between servers. RDAP defines standard query paths, error codes and response fields, so a lookup behaves the same way across registries.
It also uses standardized UTF-8 encoding and supports internationalized domain names, which matters for names and contact details written in non-Latin scripts like Arabic, Chinese or Hebrew.
04. Access control and privacy
WHOIS has no standardized authentication or differentiated access, so any limits on what a server shows had to be built case by case. RDAP supports authentication and differentiated access, meaning a registry or registrar can show basic data to the public and fuller records to authorized users.
The protocol provides the mechanism, but privacy laws and ICANN's publication rules decide which fields are actually visible.
05. Finding the right server
With WHOIS, your client needed to know which server held the data for each extension, often through hardcoded lists that went stale. RDAP uses a bootstrap registry published by IANA that maps supported namespaces to their authoritative RDAP services. A client checks that list, finds the right source and sends the query there automatically.
Extensions that haven't deployed RDAP don't appear in it.
06. Where each protocol works today
All contracted gTLD registries and registrars must provide RDAP, so it covers generic extensions such as .org, .net, .shop and .xyz. WHOIS is no longer generally required for gTLDs, but ICANN kept the WHOIS requirement for .com, .name and .post, which offer RDAP as well.
RDAP vs. WHOIS: How the two protocols compare
Feature | WHOIS | RDAP |
Data format | Unstructured plain text | Structured JSON |
Connection | Port 43, unencrypted | HTTPS, encrypted in transit |
Standard responses | No, each server differs | Yes, defined by IETF standards |
Access control | No standardized authentication or differentiated access | Supports authentication and differentiated access |
Finding the right server | Manual or hardcoded lists | IANA bootstrap registry for supported namespaces |
International characters | No standardized internationalization support | Standardized UTF-8 and internationalized domain name support |
Status for gTLDs | No longer required since January 2025, except for .com, .name and .post | Required for all gTLDs and the definitive source since January 2025 |
How ccTLDs handle RDAP and WHOIS
Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) follow the policies of their own registries rather than ICANN's gTLD requirements. As a result, each registry decides which registration data protocol to support: RDAP, WHOIS or both.
This means lookup processes and the information available can vary between country code domains. For example, a .com domain follows ICANN's registration data policies, while a .de domain follows the policies of DENIC, the German domain registry. As a result, the two domains may return different types of registration data and use different lookup methods.
Find the domain owner and registration details with a WHOIS domain lookup.
How RDAP and WHOIS differ from a DNS lookup
RDAP and WHOIS cover registration data. They tell you which registrar manages a domain, when it was registered and when it expires, which nameservers it uses and any registrant details that are public.
A DNS lookup answers a different question. It shows the DNS records that control how a domain works, like A and AAAA records for a website's IP address, MX records for email and TXT records for verification. If you want to know where a site is hosted or which service handles its email, a DNS lookup is the right tool.
Why WHOIS was replaced
The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) prompted ICANN to adopt its Temporary Specification for gTLD registration data in May 2018, which let registrars stop publishing personal contact details. That's when lookups started filling up with "REDACTED FOR PRIVACY" entries, years before RDAP took over.
The bigger shift came on January 28, 2025. From that date, ICANN made RDAP the definitive source for gTLD registration data and stopped requiring WHOIS, except for .com, .name and .post. The permanent Registration Data Policy took effect on August 21, 2025, and ICANN revised it on May 12, 2026 to require responses within 24 hours to urgent data requests.
Discover more
What RDAP means for domain owners and researchers
For most people, the switch is invisible. You type a domain into a lookup tool and get results, and many modern tools now query RDAP first, though their fallback to WHOIS varies. What you'll notice more is how little personal data shows up. A record may include the registrar, registration and expiration dates, nameservers and status codes, but the exact fields vary by registry, extension and domain.
Redacted data vs. private registration
These two often get mixed up. Redaction means a registry or registrar withholds certain fields from public responses because publication rules or privacy laws require it. It can happen even when the owner hasn't paid for anything extra.
Private registration is a service the owner chooses. The registrar's privacy service replaces the registrant's details with its own contact details in the public record, so personal information stays out of view even where redaction rules wouldn't hide it.
How to reach a domain owner
Contact options vary by record. Many records include a relay email address or web form that forwards your message, and the registrar listed in the record may pass requests along.
People with a legitimate interest, including legal professionals and cybersecurity researchers, can request nonpublic gTLD registration data through ICANN's Registration Data Request Service (RDRS). Requests go to participating registrars, which review each one individually and decide if the information can be disclosed.
Registration data is still a key tool for spotting phishing and cybersquatting, which is why brands keep a close eye on who registers names close to theirs.
Expert tip from Rob Gold, VP of Marketing Communications at Intermedia:
“Investing in a premium domain reduces the risk of phishing, cybersquatting and brand confusion, which can damage customer trust and impact revenue. This was a top priority for us, considering the line of work we do.”
What RDAP can't tell you
RDAP is a registration lookup protocol, not a full ownership check. The registrar listed in a record manages the registration but isn't the domain owner. Redacted fields don't mean a domain has no registered owner, and registration data alone doesn't prove who operates the website.
For questions about hosting or email setup, you still need a DNS lookup.
Explore more: What is domain hijacking
When to use RDAP or WHOIS
You rarely need to pick a protocol by hand, but it helps to know which one fits the job.
Use RDAP: for modern registration lookups, structured data and automated queries across gTLDs.
Use WHOIS: for country code extensions or registries that still rely on it.
Use a tool that supports both: when you check many extensions and don't want to track which protocol each one uses.
Developers feel the change most. Scripts built to parse WHOIS text can break or return nothing for registries that shut down port 43, so they need to move to RDAP endpoints and JSON. The upside is that one parser now works across every compliant registry.
How to run an RDAP lookup
You don't need special software to try RDAP. Pick the method that fits how often you look up domains.
01. Use ICANN's lookup tool
ICANN runs a free lookup tool at lookup.icann.org. Enter a domain and it finds the right RDAP server automatically, then shows the registration data in a readable format.
02. Send an RDAP query to a registry server
Every RDAP server answers standard web addresses that end in /domain/ followed by the domain name. For a .com domain, the RDAP query looks like https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/example.com.
Paste it into a browser and you'll see the raw JSON response. Other extensions use different RDAP servers, which the IANA bootstrap file or ICANN's lookup tool can find for you.
03. Use a command-line client
If you check domains often, an open source RDAP client lets you run lookups from your terminal and pipe the JSON into other tools. This is the easiest path for developers replacing old WHOIS scripts.
04. Read the results
An RDAP response groups information into a few standard parts. Dates like registration and expiration sit in an events array rather than as standalone fields.
RDAP field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
Registrar | The company managing the domain registration |
Events | Important dates, such as registration, last update and expiration |
Nameservers | The authoritative DNS servers associated with the domain |
Status | The domain's registration and transfer status, such as clientTransferProhibited |
Entities | Organizations or people linked to the registration, where available |
Redacted | Information withheld from public results under publication rules |
How to look up and protect your domain with Wix
Wix handles both protocols for you, so you can check any domain and keep your own registration under control from one place. As an ICANN-accredited registrar, Wix pulls lookup data straight from registry records.
01. Look up any domain
The free WHOIS lookup tool from Wix supports both RDAP and WHOIS, so you can check registration information across supported generic and country code extensions without choosing a protocol yourself. Results can show the registrar, key dates and nameservers, plus owner details when they're public.
02. Register your domain
Found a name that's available? Complete your domain registration in a few clicks, with 400+ domain extensions to choose from. Your domain connects to your Wix site and business email without any manual DNS setup.
03. Protect your registration information
Wix offers WHOIS privacy as an option you can add when you register or transfer your domain, which replaces your personal details with Wix's details in the public record. Private registration is available for supported domain extensions, and some endings like .de, .ca and .uk don't support it.
Wix also offers DNSSEC in combination with private registration. It's available for all .com domains and in all non-EU countries.
04. Manage your settings in one place
Your DNS records, transfers and privacy settings all live in your Wix account, along with a free SSL certificate for your site. If you get stuck, 24/7 support is there to help.
RDAP vs. WHOIS FAQ:
Is WHOIS still available?
Yes, in some places. ICANN no longer requires WHOIS for gTLDs apart from .com, .name and .post, and many gTLD registries and registrars have shut their WHOIS servers down. Many country code registries still run WHOIS, so it remains part of the picture for those extensions.
What does "the RDAP server redacted the value" mean?
It means the registry or registrar withheld that field from the public response, usually because publication rules or privacy laws protect it or the owner added private registration. The information still exists in the registrar's records. People with a legitimate interest can request it, and the registrar decides each request individually.
Does .com still support WHOIS?
Yes. ICANN's January 2025 change kept the WHOIS requirement for .com, .name and .post. These extensions also support RDAP, which returns the same registration data in a structured JSON format.
Do country code domains use RDAP?
Some do and some don't. Country code registries aren't bound by ICANN's gTLD contracts, so each one chooses its own lookup service. A growing number offer RDAP, while many still rely on WHOIS.
Can RDAP show who owns a domain?
Sometimes. If the registrant's details are public, an RDAP response lists them under entities. For most personal registrations those fields are redacted or replaced by a privacy service, so the record shows the registrar and dates instead.
Do I need to change anything as a domain owner?
No. Your registrar handles RDAP on your behalf. It's still worth keeping your contact details accurate so your registrar can reach you about renewals and transfers. You can also check which privacy options your extension supports.
