RDAP (Domain Lookup) API

Free RDAP API with no key: structured JSON domain registration data — registrar, creation and expiry dates, nameservers and status. The modern WHOIS. Tested.

No API key requiredCORS enabledHTTPSFree tier

Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 20 Aug 2026

What is the RDAP (Domain Lookup) API?

RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) is the standardised, free replacement for WHOIS, returning domain registration data as structured JSON — registrar, creation and expiry dates, nameservers and status codes — with no API key.

WHOIS returns unstructured text that differs by registry and has to be scraped. RDAP is the IETF standard that replaced it, returning consistent JSON that you can actually parse reliably.

The rdap.org bootstrap service is the practical entry point: it looks up which registry is authoritative for a domain and redirects you there, so you do not need to maintain a mapping of TLDs to RDAP servers yourself. That redirect is expected behaviour, not an error.

Quick facts

Base URL: https://rdap.org
Authentication: No API key required. Some registries rate-limit by IP.
Rate limit: Varies by registry; the bootstrap service itself does not limit, but destination registries may.
Pricing: Free — it is an open internet standard.
CORS: Enabled — callable directly from browser JavaScript
Official docs: Read the docs

How to use the RDAP (Domain Lookup) API

Every request below was executed against the live API on 20 Aug 2026, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.

1. Look up domain registration data

GET https://rdap.org/domain/example.com

curl

curl 'https://rdap.org/domain/example.com'

JavaScript (fetch)

const res = await fetch("https://rdap.org/domain/example.com");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);

Python (requests)

import requests

res = requests.get("https://rdap.org/domain/example.com", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json())

Response — HTTP 200 (truncated)

{
  "objectClassName": "domain",
  "handle": "2336799_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN",
  "ldhName": "EXAMPLE.COM",
  "links": [
    {
      "value": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/example.com",
      "rel": "self",
      "href": "https://rdap.verisign.com/com/v1/domain/example.com",
      "type": "application/rdap+json"
    }
  ],
  "status": [
    "client delete prohibited",
    "client transfer prohibited",
    "client update prohibited"
  ],
  "entities": [
    {
      "objectClassName": "entity",
      "handle": "376",
      "roles": [
        "registrar"
      ],
      "publicIds": [
        {
          "type": "IANA Registrar ID",
          "identifier": "376"
        }
      ],
      "vcardArray": [
        "vcard",
        [
          [
            "version",
            {},
            "text",
            "4.0"
          ],
          [
            "fn",
            {},
            "text",
            "RESERVED-Internet Assigned Numbers Authority"
          ]
        ]
      ],
      "entities": [
        {
          "objectClassName": "entity",
          "roles": [
            "abuse"
          ],
          "vcardArray": [
            "vcard",
            [
              [
                "version",
                {},
                "text",
                "4.0"
              ],
              [
                "fn",
                {},
                "text",
                ""
              ],
              [
                "tel",
                {
                  "type": "voice"
                },
                "uri",
                ""
              ],

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`domain/<name>`	path	Required	Domain to look up. `domain/example.com`
`ip/<address>`	path	Optional	IP address allocation data. `ip/8.8.8.8`
`autnum/<asn>`	path	Optional	Autonomous system registration. `autnum/15169`

Response fields

objectClassNamestring: Type of object returned — `domain`, `ip network` or `autnum`.
ldhNamestring: The domain name in LDH (letter-digit-hyphen) form.
handlestring: Registry's internal identifier for the registration.
statusarray: EPP status codes such as clientTransferProhibited.
eventsarray: Registration, expiry and last-changed dates with event actions.
nameserversarray: Authoritative nameservers for the domain.
entitiesarray: Registrar and contacts, usually redacted for privacy.

What you can build with the RDAP (Domain Lookup) API

Check domain expiry dates and set renewal reminders
Verify domain ownership signals during onboarding
Build a domain research or due-diligence tool
Replace fragile WHOIS text scraping with structured data

Common errors and how to fix them

Redirect to a registry host

That is how the bootstrap works.

Fix: rdap.org resolves the authoritative registry and redirects — follow it rather than treating it as an error.

Contact details redacted

GDPR and registry privacy policies redact most personal data.

Fix: Expect registrant details to be withheld; registrar and dates remain available.

404 for some TLDs

Not every ccTLD operates an RDAP service.

Fix: Coverage is complete for gTLDs but patchy for country-code TLDs.

RDAP (Domain Lookup) API — frequently asked questions

What is RDAP and why not just use WHOIS?

RDAP is the IETF standard that replaced WHOIS. WHOIS returns unstructured text that varies by registry and must be scraped; RDAP returns consistent, parseable JSON.

Is RDAP free?

Yes, it is an open internet standard with no API key. Individual registries may rate-limit by IP.

Why can't I see the domain owner's name?

GDPR and registry privacy policies redact registrant contact details for most domains. Registrar, dates, nameservers and status codes remain public.

Why does my request redirect?

rdap.org is a bootstrap service that finds the authoritative registry for the domain and redirects there. Following the redirect is the intended behaviour.

Tools that pair with this API

JSON Formatter

Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.

Timestamp Converter

Convert timestamps to human-readable dates and dates back to timestamps. Auto-detects seconds vs milliseconds, shows local, UTC and ISO 8601 formats.

Alternatives to RDAP (Domain Lookup) API

If RDAP (Domain Lookup) does not fit, these business & commerce apis cover similar ground. Every one was called before publishing, and each links to its own reference page with a working curl command and the response it returned.

API	What it does	Auth	CORS	Last verified
Arbeitnow Job Board	Free job board API with no key: developer and tech jobs across Europe with company, location, remote flag, salary tags and full descriptions. Tested example.	No key	Yes	21 Aug 2026
Remotive	Free remote jobs API with no key: curated remote positions across software, design, marketing and support with salary, category and company data. Tested example.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
The Muse Jobs	Free job search API with no key for basic use: listings from vetted employers with company profiles, experience level and location filters. Tested curl example.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026
OpenHolidays	Free European holidays API with no key: public and school holidays for 25+ countries including regional variations, in multiple languages. Tested example.	No key	No	19 Aug 2026
Remote OK	Free remote work job feed with no key: current listings with company, position, tags, salary range and apply link, subject to a link-back requirement. Tested example included.	No key	Yes	21 Aug 2026
UK Bank Holidays	Free official UK bank holidays API from GOV.UK with no key. Holidays for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland with dates and bunting flags. Tested.	No key	Yes	19 Aug 2026

All Business & Commerce APIs

RDAP (Domain Lookup) is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 20 Aug 2026; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.