This free domain age checker shows when a domain was registered, when it expires and which registrar holds it, using the public RDAP registration record. It also lists the main DNS records, so one check covers age, expiry and setup.
- How to use the domain age checker
- How to read the registration results
- The DNS records the tool lists
- What domain age really tells you
- Checking a domain before you buy or move it
- Common mistakes
- FAQ
- Related tools
How to use the domain age checker
- Type a domain name such as example.com into the box. You can paste a full web address, and the tool uses the domain part.
- Press Check domain. The tool looks up the registration record and the DNS records on our server.
- Read the Domain age box first. It shows the age in years, months and days and the total number of days since registration.
- Check the Registration table for the dates, registrar, status and nameservers, then the DNS records table for addresses, mail servers and email records.
- Use the rankray.com and wikipedia.org example buttons if you want to see a result before you try your own domain.
If you enter a subdomain such as blog.example.com, the tool checks the registered domain, example.com, and tells you it did so. IP addresses, ports, localhost and private names such as .local are rejected with a clear message.
How to read the registration results
The registration section comes from RDAP, which is the modern replacement for the older WHOIS system, so this works as a WHOIS domain age lookup. It is run by the registries and registrars that manage domains.
| Field | What it tells you | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Registered | The date the domain was first created | A very recent date on a site that claims a long history |
| Expires | The date the registration ends, with days left | Under 30 days is marked as a warning |
| Last changed | The last time the record was updated | A change close to a sale or a hijack |
| Registrar | The company that holds the registration | Useful for knowing where to renew or transfer |
| Status | Locks and holds, such as transfer prohibited | Hold or pending delete statuses |
| Nameservers | The servers that answer for the domain | Check they match your host |
Some fields show Not published when the registry does not provide them. Personal details of the owner are normally hidden, so this tool does not show who owns a domain. If a registry has no RDAP record for a name, the tool tells you instead of showing a blank result.
The DNS records the tool lists
Under the registration data you get a table of DNS records read live for the domain. This covers the lookups most people want to run after a launch or a move.
| Record | What it is | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A and AAAA | IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of the site | They point to your current host |
| MX | Mail servers, with their priority | They match your email provider |
| NS | Nameservers for the domain | They match the registration data |
| SPF | An email record listing who may send mail | Shows Found or Not found |
| DMARC | A policy for mail that fails checks | Shows Found or Not found |
| TXT | Other text records, such as site verification | Lists what is set |
The tool reports whether SPF and DMARC records exist, not whether they are set up correctly. The tool does not check DKIM. If DNS lookups are not available on the server, the page says so.
What domain age really tells you
Domain age is the time since the registration date. It does not tell you how old the website is, how good the content is or how long the same owner has held the name. A domain can be registered years ago and sit empty. A name that expires and is bought again gets a new registration date.
Because of that, treat domain age as one clue. It is useful when you are buying a domain and want to check the story you were told. It is useful when you receive a message from an unfamiliar company and the domain was created a few days ago, which can be a warning sign. It is useful for checking your own portfolio, so no name expires by accident.
Domain age on its own is not a reliable ranking factor. A new domain with a good site can do well, and an old domain with weak pages can do badly. Quality, links and technical health matter more. If you are comparing sites, look at those too. For a deeper review, see our technical SEO services.
Checking a domain before you buy or move it
- Check the registered date and compare it with what the seller says. If the dates do not fit, ask why.
- Look at the expiry date and registrar so you know when and where it will need to be renewed.
- Read the status. A domain with a hold or a pending delete status may not be transferable.
- Search the web for the domain name and look at past pages. A name that was used for spam or adult content can carry that history.
- After a move, run the check again and confirm the A, NS and MX records point where you expect.
The tool shows the registration record and the DNS records, but it does not review a site's past content or links. Use it as the first step, not the only one.
Common mistakes
The first mistake is treating a young domain as a bad domain. New businesses start somewhere, and a recent date is only a reason to look more closely. The second is trusting a long age without checking the site, since old names are traded and reused.
The third is forgetting to renew. An expired domain can take a website and email offline, and someone else can register the name. Put the expiry date in your calendar and turn on auto renew at your registrar. The fourth is changing nameservers without copying the MX records, which can stop email. Check the DNS table before and after any change.
Also remember that DNS changes take time to spread. If you changed a record a few minutes ago, the lookup may still show the old value. For a redirect that looks wrong, the Redirect Checker follows each hop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check the age of a domain?
Type the domain name into the tool and press Check domain. The tool reads the registration date from the RDAP record and shows the age in years, months and days. It also shows the number of days since the domain was registered.
Is RDAP the same as WHOIS?
They do the same job, which is to publish who registered a domain and when. RDAP is the newer standard, and it returns structured data. The tool uses RDAP, so the fields you see are the ones the registry makes public.
Does domain age help SEO?
Not on its own. Domain age tells you about the registration, not the quality of the site. Good content, useful pages, links and a healthy technical setup matter more. An old domain does not make a weak site rank.
Why does the tool say Not published for some fields?
Some registries and registrars do not publish every detail, and many hide personal information on purpose. When a field is missing from the record, the tool shows Not published instead of guessing.
Can I see who owns a domain?
No. Owner contact details are usually hidden, and this tool does not show them. It shows the registrar, status, dates and nameservers, which are the details that are normally public.
How do I check domain expiry?
Run the check and read the Expires row. The tool shows the date and the days left. Under 30 days is shown in a warning colour, and a date in the past is shown as expired, with the number of days since.
Does it work for every extension?
It works for most, but a few registries do not offer an RDAP record, and in that case the tool says it found no registration data. The DNS records can still be shown for those names.
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