Domain age & WHOIS checker: how old is any domain?
See when a domain was registered, its exact age, registrar, expiry date, and status codes - pulled from modern RDAP records and explained in plain English. Free, no signup.
Looks up the registration date, age, registrar, expiry, and status codes from public WHOIS/RDAP records.
Domain age is the length of time since a domain name was first registered. This checker reads the public registration record - via RDAP, the modern successor to WHOIS - and reports the exact age, registrar, expiry, and status codes, with a plain-English read on what each result means for SEO, due diligence, and trust.
What this tool reports
Age & key dates
Exact age plus registration, expiry, and last-updated dates.
Registrar
The company that manages the domain's registration.
Status codes
EPP status codes (transfer locks, holds, pending delete) explained.
Nameservers
The authoritative nameservers on record for the domain.
How to check a domain's age
- Enter the domain and run the lookup.
- Read the age and dates shown at the top.
- Review the registrar and status codes, each explained.
- Use the context band to judge new vs. established for SEO or due diligence.
Why domain age matters
Domain age is overrated as a direct ranking factor but genuinely useful as context. When you're buying a domain, an aged, continuously-registered name carries less risk than one recently dropped and re-registered. When you're researching a competitor, age hints at how long they've had to build authority. And when you're vetting an unfamiliar site, a domain registered weeks ago is exactly the profile that throwaway and phishing operations use. The number itself is simple; the judgment it supports is where the value is.
Domain age & SEO/trust signals
| Age band | Typical signal |
|---|---|
| Under 30 days | Brand-new; rarely ranks fast; the bracket where throwaway/phishing domains cluster. |
| 1-6 months | Young; limited history; trust still being established. |
| 6-12 months | Building authority; past the riskiest window. |
| 1-3 years | Normal range for most legitimate businesses. |
| 3+ years | Aged; a long, continuous registration is a mild positive trust signal. |
Age is one input among many. Content quality, links, and history matter far more for rankings. See Google's guidance on helpful content.
Domain age vs. website age
These are not the same. Domain age is how long the name has been registered; website age is how long a live site has existed on it. A domain registered in 2008 but only built out in 2024 has a long domain age and a short website age. When a domain was dropped and re-registered, its "age" effectively resets in the eyes of the new owner. This tool reports the registration date on record - cross-check with an archive like the Wayback Machine if you need to know when content first appeared.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a domain age checker?
- A tool that reads a domain's public registration record and reports how old it is, plus registrar, expiry, and status codes.
- What's the difference between WHOIS and RDAP?
- Both return registration data; RDAP is the modern, structured JSON successor to the older free-text WHOIS protocol. This tool uses RDAP.
- Does domain age affect SEO?
- Only minimally. History, content, and links matter far more. Age is most useful as context for due diligence and research.
- Domain age vs website age?
- Domain age is how long the name has been registered; website age is how long a site has been live on it. They can differ greatly.
- Why check age before buying a domain?
- Age, registrar, and status codes are core due-diligence signals - an aged, continuously registered domain is lower risk.
- What does clientTransferProhibited mean?
- The domain is locked against transfers - a normal anti-hijack default. The tool explains each status code it finds.
- Why is there no data for some domains?
- Some ccTLDs don't publish RDAP, and some registries redact fields. The domain may also be unregistered or rate-limited.
- Is it free?
- Yes - free, no signup. It queries public registration data and returns the result instantly.
Related technical-SEO tools
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- Redirect & HTTP status checker - trace redirect chains and status codes.
- On-page SEO checker - audit a page's on-page SEO.
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