WHOIS for domains
Search for domain name information with the WHOIS tool
What is the WHOIS search tool?
WHOIS is a service shared between registries (such as Nominet and AFNIC), and registrars (like OVHcloud). It enables users to search registry databases, and contains information on domain name owners, administrators and technical contacts.
As a registrar, OVHcloud has a long history of offering personal information masking options in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
With the WHOIS search tool, you can find all of the information available on a domain name registered with OVHcloud: registry, registrar, status, and so on. This can be useful if you want to check the availability of a domain name, or simply want to know more about one.
Checking the availability of a domain name
With the WHOIS search tool, you can check that a domain name is available for registration. If it is, you can register it for your business.
Find the domain owner
Find out the creation or expiry date
Contacting an OVHcloud-registered domain name holder
Due to recent changes to privacy laws, the email addresses of contacts associated with domains (domain name holder, administrative contact, etc.) cannot be shared. Please use the form below to send an email to the address listed in the file for the specified domain.
However, even if you send an email, we cannot guarantee that the contact will act on your request.
The advantages of our OVHcloud WHOIS tool
Confidentiality for your data
Get an automatically anonymised service, which is strictly GDPR-compliant. We take pride in protecting our customers’ personal data.
Ready to use
There is no need to configure anything — our WHOIS tool is a full turn-key feature.
Stay reachable
Your questions answered:
How do I carry out a WHOIS search?
To access the information associated with a domain name, simply enter it in the search bar at the top of the page. For example, type “ovhcloud.com” to find out its owner, IP address, registry, and so on.
What is WHOIS?
It is a protocol that allows users to access registrar databases to obtain information on a domain name. For example, you can check if a domain has already been registered. If it has, it will be possible to identify the person or company holding it, and possibly some of their contact details if they have been made visible by the owner.
By default, we hide personal information about domains registered with us, in compliance with all GDPR rules. Our WHOIS tool does not allow access to the physical addresses or email addresses, phone numbers or identities of domain name owners.
How do I configure a domain name’s WHOIS?
At OVHcloud, your WHOIS is automatically configured by default. You don’t have to worry about setting it up or managing it.
Why use WHOIS?
The WHOIS search tool offers several possibilities:
- If you own a domain name on the internet, you can identify the registrar and transfer it to another registrar of your choice.
→ Transfer a domain name - You can find the registration, expiry and therefore renewal dates of a domain. This can allow you to plan for your own renewal, or monitor the availability of a domain that is about to become public again. You can then register it for your own business or activity.
→ Renew your domain name - You can also determine if similar domain names exist and have already been registered. This way, you can choose the perfect domain name for your business, without risking any potential competition resulting from a domain name that is too similar to your own. Need more advice on choosing your online identity? Check out:
→ How to choose a domain name
How do I hide a domain name’s WHOIS?
Your personal information relating to your domain name is systematically protected at OVHcloud. If someone wants more information, you can still be reached via a generic email address.
How do I know where a domain name is registered?
The registrar is clearly indicated on WHOIS, so you can identify who the domain name has been registered with.
How do I read WHOIS?
The information relating to a domain name is set out in the form of a list. Simply browse this list to find the information you are looking for.
Here is the main information that can be useful in a WHOIS search result.
- Registrar: The registrar is the entity with which the domain name has been reserved. The owner must configure their DNS servers with their registrar.
- Name Server: These are the DNS servers (primary and secondary) configured with the registrar. They will contain the domain name’s DNS zones. If a change is made, it will take between 24 and 48 hours for it to be replicated worldwide.
- Updated Date: This is the last update made to the database with the registrar, usually the DNS servers.
- Registry expiry date: this information may be misleading, as some registrars extend expiry dates to protect their customers’ domain names for longer.
With this form, you can send a message to one of the contacts for a domain name registered with OVHcloud. Your message will be sent to the contact email address provided to OVHcloud by the domain name holder. Due to the uncertainties of networks and electronic communication solutions, we cannot guarantee that the recipient will receive your message. If you do not receive a response to your message, please follow the dispute resolution procedures offered by the registrar for the domain name concerned.
The information entered in this form is collected and used by OVHcloud solely for the purpose of sending your message to the contact for the domain name concerned. Your email address and the metadata used to send your message (such as the send date and time, contact type, domain) are stored for a period of one year, can be used in case of dispute or dispute, and can be provided to the authorities upon request.
You have the right to access the aforementioned personal data by completing the form provided for this purpose on the OVHcloud website, or by sending a letter to: OVH SAS, Data Protection Officer, 2 rue Kellermann, 59100 Roubaix. You also have the right to appeal to the competent data protection authority.