Domain privacy and domain lock

Every registered domain has a public record that shows who manages it and how it is set up, and every domain can be locked so it cannot be moved without your say. This guide explains what the public record contains, what privacy protection hides, and how the two kinds of lock work.

WHOIS and RDAP​

WHOIS is the long-standing service for looking up who a domain is registered to. RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) is its modern replacement: it returns the same kind of information in a structured format and can show different details to different users. For generic extensions such as .com, RDAP is now the official lookup service, although many tools still call the result "WHOIS".

You can look up any domain with ICANN's registration data lookup tool. A typical result includes:

• The registrar and the dates the domain was created, last updated and expires.
• The nameservers.
• The domain's status codes, such as clientTransferProhibited.
• Contact details for the owner (called the registrant) and other contacts, unless they are hidden.

What privacy protection hides​

Without privacy protection, the public record can show your name, organization, postal address, phone number and email address. That information can attract spam, sales calls and scams.

Privacy protection (also called WHOIS privacy or privacy service) replaces your personal details in the public record with the details of a privacy service or with a note that the data is redacted. You remain the legal owner of the domain. Messages sent to the contact address shown are usually forwarded to you or handled through a web form, so people with a genuine reason can still reach you.

Privacy protection does not hide:

• The registrar, nameservers, status codes and dates.
• Your domain's DNS records, which are public by design.
• Your details from the registrar and registry, which must keep accurate contact information.

Not every extension works the same way​

Registries set their own rules for contact data. Some extensions redact personal details by default, some do not allow privacy services at all, and some require extra information, such as proof of residence or a business connection. Check the rules for each extension you register before relying on privacy protection for it.

Domain lock​

A domain lock, also called a registrar lock or transfer lock, stops the domain from being transferred to another registrar. In the public record it appears as the status clientTransferProhibited. Some registrars also set clientUpdateProhibited or clientDeleteProhibited, which block changes and deletion.

The lock protects you if someone gets hold of your authorization code or tries to move the domain without permission. You switch it on and off yourself in the account where the domain is registered, so it should stay on almost all the time.

When to turn the lock off​

Turn the lock off only when you are about to transfer the domain to another registrar. Turn it back on as soon as the transfer is complete, or straight away if you change your mind. Transfer a domain to another registrar covers the full process.

You do not need to unlock a domain to change its nameservers or DNS records, unless your registrar has also set an update lock.

Registry lock​

A registry lock is a stronger protection set at the registry, the organization that runs the extension. It appears as serverTransferProhibited, serverUpdateProhibited and serverDeleteProhibited. While it is on, even your registrar cannot change the domain until the registry confirms a release through a separate, often manual, check.

Registry lock is not available for every extension, and registrars that offer it usually charge for it. The trade-off is that urgent changes, such as new nameservers, take longer.

Check your domain's status​

Look up your domain with the ICANN lookup tool and read the status codes. If you see clientTransferProhibited, your domain lock is on. If the contact fields show a privacy service or "redacted", privacy protection or redaction is in effect.

Related guides​

• Transfer a domain to another registrar
• Domain renewals and expiry
• Protect your hosting account