ccTLD
Registry System

1. Introduction

WHOIS is a tool used to look up records in the registry database. This database is a comprehensive, centralized database of all the .ag, .gi, .hn, .la, .sc, and .vc domain names that are registered. You can access WHOIS on this site; advanced users can also access the port 43 WHOIS server at: whois2.afilias-grs.net

Each record within the database has the domain name's ID (a unique identifier assigned to it), at least one contact name, a record type, and various other information.

To search for a domain name, simply type in the domain name you are looking for.
This domain can be a second-level domain of the form "example.[TLD], or a third-level domain, of the form "another.example.[TLD]"
Do not enter the beginning of the domain URL, such as "http://www"
If the domain you are searching for is not contained within the WHOIS database, it is probably available for registration. Please contact an authorized registrar to register the domain name.

2. Searches, Keywords, and Modifiers

Searches are case-insensitive. (Except for the Registrar search, in which you must capitalize the word "Registrar" and then capitalize the registrar's name.) You may search for ASCII alphanumeric characters and hyphens; other characters are not accepted for use in domain names. A search will return a maximum of 50 results.

Afilias' WHOIS server will support the lookup of four types of objects: Domain, Name Server, Contact, and Registrar.

Keywords

The default action for WHOIS is to only search for domain name records. However, you can perform other types of searches by using specific keywords. Keyword searches are helpful because they can yield fewer, closer matches. The following keywords will help you narrow your search.

To search by Domain, simply type in the domain name, including the "[TLD]" part. You may also type " domain example.[TLD]"
To search by Contact ID, type "contact P-RJL23-213737"
To search by IP Address, type "host 121.23.2.7"
To search by Host or Nameserver name, type "host NS01.AFILIAS.INFO". At this time, host name lookups can only be performed on hosts within the above ccTLDs, and not hosts related to other TLDs outside the system.
To search by Registrar, type "Registrar Registrar's Name"

Modifiers

Use the following modifiers to further tailor your searches. You can use modifiers in conjunction with keywords.

ID	Search ID fields. This applies to Contact IDs and Registrar IDs. Example: "contact C100000-LRMS"
FULL or =	Always show detailed results, even for multiple matches. Example: "= domainnam%"
summary	Use "summary", "SUM" or "$". Always show summary results, even for multiple matches. Example: "summary name smith, john". This control can be used in combination with an ID query.
%	Partial String Search. Use the "%" symbol as a suffix on name or ID searches; this will produce all records that start with that string. For example: a search for "Registrar domain%" will return a list or registrars which includes the names "Domain Bank, Inc.", "Domain Registry.com Inc.", etc. Note: the use of the wildcard character cannot be combined with use of the "Domain" keyword (see above), and is not allowed in the ".info" or "-LRMS" portion of the input string. If ".info" or ELRMSEis not included in the input string, it will be implied at the end of the string except for IP Address and Registrar Organization queries.
_	Use the underscore symbol as a suffix, to produce all records that start with that input string and have one and only one additional character. Example: a search for "brand_" will return "brands.info", "brandy.info, etc. Note: If ".info" or ELRMSEis not included in the input string, it will be implied at the end of the string except for IP Address and Registrar Organization queries.

3. Terms Found in the WHOIS Database

Domain Status: Normally operating domains have a status of "OK"." Other status values detail pending operations and restrictions regarding the domain.

OK: This is the normal status value for a domain object at all times, whether or not the domain has pending operations or prohibitions.
Hold: The domain will not be published in a zone for DNS resolution. Names without at least two nameservers are placed on Hold status. In this case, submit nameserver data through your registrar.
Pending Delete: A delete request has been received for the domain. The domain has been removed from the zone, but has not yet been purged from the registry database. The domain cannot be renewed, deleted, transferred, or updated while in this state.
Pending Transfer: A transfer request has been received for the domain, and completion of the request is pending. The domain cannot be deleted or updated while in this state. A domain that has pending transfer status MAY be autorenewed.

ID: Each database record has a single field (its "ID") that uniquely identifies it. The ID is shown in parenthesis following the record's name.

For example: Doe, John (C100000-LRMS)
The "C100000-LRMS" is the ID.

There is an ID associated with each "object" in the registry. An object can be a domain, host, or contact. For example, you can use the ID modifier (see above) to search for contact and registrar IDs. An individual will have multiple domain IDs if they own different domain names. They may have one or more contact IDs depending on how the registrar system creates this information in the registry.

Sponsoring Registrar: The registrar that currently administrates the name on behalf of the registrant. If the domain name was registered by a reseller, the reseller's name will not appear in the Sponsoring Registrar field. Instead, you will see the reseller's registrar.

Perform a WHOIS search

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