Verifying the ownership of a domain name is an essential step when considering buying a domain, transferring it, or simply confirming its rightful owner. The most reliable way to check domain ownership is by using a WHOIS search, which provides official registration details from a global database.
WHOIS records are maintained by domain registrars and regulated by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers). These records are publicly accessible and contain key information about domain ownership.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is WHOIS Search?
A WHOIS search queries a global database of registered domain names and displays publicly available information about a domain. This includes:
- The Registrant’s contact details (name, organisation, email, unless redacted for privacy).
- The domain’s registration date and expiry date.
- The domain Registrar that manages the domain.
- The nameservers and other technical information.
- This data is submitted by Registrars when a domain is created and is required by ICANN regulations.
How to Verify Domain Ownership with WHOIS
Navigate to WHOIS Search
1. Go to the Domain.co.za Whois Search page.
Search Your Domain Name
2. Type the full domain name you wish to check (e.g., exampledomain.co.za) and click Search or Lookup.
Verify Domain Ownership
3. Once the search completes, you’ll see the public registration details associated with the domain, including:
- Registrant name or organisation (if not protected by privacy settings).
- Registrar (the company through which the domain was registered).
- Creation and Expiry dates (helpful to determine if the domain is nearing renewal).
- Contact email (unless protected by privacy).
- Nameservers and DNS-related info.
If the Registrant is using domain privacy protection, ownership details may be hidden or anonymous. In such cases, you may see the proxy or Registrar’s contact information instead.
Additional Information
Understanding WHOIS data is a powerful way to verify domain ownership or investigate a domain’s status. Here are some helpful tips:
WHOIS Privacy Services
Many domain owners use WHOIS privacy to hide their contact details for security and anti-spam reasons. This is common, and is not a sign of illegitimacy.
WHOIS for Subdomains
WHOIS data is only available for root domain names (e.g., yourdomain.co.za), not subdomains (e.g., blog.yourdomain.co.za).
General Domain Verifying Information
- Expired Domains: If a domain has expired but is not yet deleted, the WHOIS record will still show the previous owner and expiry date. Once it is deleted and available for public registration, ownership details are removed.
- Registrar Differences: WHOIS records can look different depending on the domain extension (TLD) and the Registrar. Some country-specific domains (.co.za, .uk, .de, etc.) may limit or display data differently.
- Legitimacy & Contact: WHOIS data is useful when trying to contact a domain owner, confirm legitimacy before a domain purchase, or check if a domain is actively managed.
- ICANN Requirements: ICANN mandates that all Registrars collect and store specific information at the time of domain registration. This helps maintain transparency and accountability on the internet.
