--- title: What is WHOIS? description: WHOIS is a query / service that provides information in relation to a registered domain name such as the domain registrant/technical/billing contact information, domain availability, domain registrar, nameservers used and key dates (being registration, latest update and expiration dates). --- [Skip to content](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/what-is-whois#main-content) English - United Kingdom Show submenu for translations [More support](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/kb-tickets/new) [Support Portal](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/support-portal) [![Blake Mark Digital Logo](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%205.png?width=200&height=57&name=Asset%205.png)](https://blakemarkproductions.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English - United Kingdom Show submenu for translations - [More support](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/kb-tickets/new) - [Support Portal](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/support-portal) - [Contact Support](https://help.blakemarkproductions.com/support-portal) [Contact Support](https://help.blakemarkproductions.com/support-portal) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/) 2. [Domains](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/domains) 3. [Domain Privacy](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/domains#domain-privacy) # What is WHOIS? WHOIS is a query / service that provides information in relation to a registered domain name such as the domain registrant/technical/billing contact information, domain availability, domain registrar, nameservers used and key dates (being registration, latest update and expiration dates). [Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers](https://www.icann.org/) (ICANN) policies require all domain registrants keep their contact information valid and up-to-date to help prevent fraud and identity theft. There are three main WHOIS search tools available online to which you may wish to use. Information on a WHOIS lookup will vary dependent on the registry of a domain. The three main websites you may wish to use for WHOIS lookups are: - [Who.is](https://who.is/) - [DomainTools](https://whois.domaintools.com/) - [ICANN Lookup](https://lookup.icann.org/) If your domain name is a UK domain (*i.e. .UK, .CO.UK, .ORG.UK, .ME.UK etc.*) you may instead wish to use the Nominet WHOIS tool as found [here](https://www.nominet.uk/whois/). Domain registrars such as ourselves typically allow their clients to change their domain contact information directly from their client accounts. Please do however be wary, updates to WHOIS information may take up to 24 hours (this would be due to some searches being cached). Some domain registries do allow domain owners to hide specific details on the WHOIS database replacing any information with random information (usually of the registrar, registry or hosting company). This feature would be named WHOIS privacy, but can also be referred to as ID Protection or domain privacy. At Blake Mark Productions, we provide WHOIS privacy by default on all domain names, for free! Information for your domain name will only show on the WHOIS database if you [reach out to our support team](https://knowledge.blakemarkproductions.com/how-to-contact-support-and-what-details-to-provide) and explicitly request your information is shown online. - [Getting Started](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/getting-started) - [Web Hosting](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/web-hosting#main-content) - [Elementor](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/web-hosting#elementor) - [WordPress](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/web-hosting#wordpress) - [Security](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/web-hosting#security) - [Email](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/email#main-content) - [Mail Clients](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/email#mail-clients) - [SpamExperts](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/email#spamexperts) - [MailChannels](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/email#mailchannels) - [Domains](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/domains#main-content) - [Domain Privacy](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/domains#domain-privacy) - [Billing](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/billing) - [cPanel](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/cpanel#main-content) - [JetBackup](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/cpanel#jetbackup) - [Softaculous](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/cpanel#softaculous) - [WordPress Glossary Terms](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/wordpress-glossary-terms#main-content) - [H](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/wordpress-glossary-terms#h) [![Blake Mark Digital Logo](https://help.blakemarkdigital.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%205.png?width=250&height=71&name=Asset%205.png "Blake Mark Digital Logo")](https://blakemarkdigital.co.uk/) Blake Mark Digital is a digital marketing agency supporting SMEs and non-profits with strategic branding, content, and campaigns that drive real results 124-128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX [support@blakemarkdigital.co.uk](mailto:support@blakemarkdigital.co.uk) +44 20 4578 9582 [mailto:support@blakemarkproductions.com](mailto:support@blakemarkproductions.com) Copyright © Blake Mark Productions Ltd