How to Check Domain Registration

Check domain-name registration in a few easy steps.

Learn the registration status of domain names by following a few quick steps. You can find out which domain names are available, the expiration dates of registered domains and, in some cases, obtain contact information for domain owners.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access

Instructions

Check Domain Registration

1. Visit the Check Domain website (see Resources).

2. Locate the empty box that comes after the sentence, "Check this domain."

3. Type the name of a website that you are researching into the box and press "enter." Be sure to include the appropriate domain ending, such as .edu, .mil, .com or .net.

4. Examine the domain's registration status. If the name is registered, checkdomain.com will tell you the type of domain you are viewing, such as commercial, government or organization. You have the option of clicking a link to search for similar but available domain names at register.com. If the name for which you searched is available, the site will offer a link to register.com to purchase the domain.

5. Obtain ownership information for some registered websites by scrolling down on the search results page. For websites with published ownership details, you will see the name of the registrar, the date of the domain name's creation and the expiration date, contact names, addresses and phone numbers, and what DNS servers are hosting the domain.

Tips & Warnings

• Some domain-name owners pay their registrar a fee to keep their contact information private.

• Pay attention to the expiration date for domain names you are interested in purchasing. Some owners forget or decide not to renew their domains, giving you an opportunity to buy the same domain.

References

• Checkdomain.com: Home

Resources

• Entrepreneur; Do's and Don'ts of Securing a Domain Name; Jane Porter; 2011
• Checkdomain.com: Home