DNS Raven

RDAP WHOIS & domain lookups

EPPRFC 5731 · RFC 3915 · RFC 8056 · RFC 9083

EPP status codes

What clientHold, serverTransferProhibited, redemptionPeriod and the rest mean for a domain, and what its owner can do about each.

Every status code

Standard states

ok

Fine

RDAP: active

OK, no restrictions

The normal state of a registered domain with no locks and nothing pending. RDAP writes it as “active”; for IP networks and AS numbers, “active” means the resource is allocated or assigned for use.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

inactive

Check

RDAP: inactive

No nameservers

The domain is registered but has no nameservers (no delegation), so it does not resolve on the internet.

What the owner can do: If the domain should work, add nameservers at your registrar.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

Set by the registrar (client…)

clientTransferProhibited

Lock

RDAP: client transfer prohibited

Registrar transfer lock

Requests to move the domain to another registrar are refused. Most registrars switch this on by default to stop domain hijacking.

What the owner can do: To transfer, turn off the transfer lock (often called “domain lock”) in your registrar account first.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

clientUpdateProhibited

Lock

RDAP: client update prohibited

Registrar update lock

Changes to the domain, such as new nameservers or contacts, are refused until the registrar removes this status.

What the owner can do: Unlock the domain in your registrar account before changing nameservers or contacts.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

clientDeleteProhibited

Lock

RDAP: client delete prohibited

Registrar delete lock

Requests to delete the domain are refused. A routine protection against accidental or malicious deletion.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; your registrar removes it if you really want to delete the domain.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

clientRenewProhibited

Check

RDAP: client renew prohibited

Registrar blocked renewal

The registrar has blocked renewal. This is unusual and typically happens during a dispute, legal action or an account problem.

What the owner can do: Ask your registrar why; the domain can't be renewed until it is removed.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

clientHold

Act now

RDAP: client hold

Registrar hold: not in DNS

The registrar told the registry not to publish the domain in DNS, so it does not resolve. Common causes are an unpaid renewal, an unverified registrant email address, a dispute or an abuse report.

What the owner can do: Contact your registrar: verify your contact details or settle the issue so they remove the hold.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

Set by the registry (server…)

serverTransferProhibited

Lock

RDAP: server transfer prohibited

Registry transfer lock

The registry refuses transfers to another registrar. Typical with a paid registry lock service or during a legal or UDRP dispute.

What the owner can do: Only the registry can remove it; ask your registrar to request that.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

serverUpdateProhibited

Lock

RDAP: server update prohibited

Registry update lock

The registry refuses changes to the domain. Usually part of a registry lock service that protects high-value domains.

What the owner can do: Changes go through your registrar, who asks the registry to unlock (often with an out-of-band verification).

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

serverDeleteProhibited

Lock

RDAP: server delete prohibited

Registry delete lock

The registry refuses to delete the domain, for example under a registry lock service or a dispute.

What the owner can do: Only the registry can remove it; ask your registrar.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

serverRenewProhibited

Check

RDAP: server renew prohibited

Registry blocked renewal

The registry has blocked renewal, for example during a dispute or because of a registry policy.

What the owner can do: Contact your registrar, who can ask the registry why.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

serverHold

Act now

RDAP: server hold

Registry hold: not in DNS

The registry is not publishing the domain in DNS, so it does not resolve. Typical reasons are legal orders, abuse, policy violations or a domain on its way to deletion.

What the owner can do: Contact your registrar; they can find out from the registry what is needed.

RFC 5731, RFC 8056

Pending operations

pendingCreate

Info

RDAP: pending create

Registration in progress

The registry has received the registration but has not completed it yet.

What the owner can do: Wait for the registry to complete or reject it.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

pendingRenew

Info

RDAP: pending renew

Renewal in progress

A renewal has been requested and is being processed.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it completes on its own.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

pendingUpdate

Info

RDAP: pending update

Update in progress

A change to the domain has been requested and is being processed.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it completes on its own.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

pendingTransfer

Check

RDAP: pending transfer

Transfer in progress

A transfer to another registrar has been requested. For gTLDs the losing registrar has five days to approve or reject it before it completes automatically.

What the owner can do: If you did not ask for this transfer, contact your registrar immediately to reject it.

RFC 5731, RFC 9083

pendingDelete

Act now

RDAP: pending delete

About to be deleted

The domain is being removed from the registry. Shown with a redemption period it can still be restored; shown on its own it is in the final days (typically five) before it is purged and can be registered again.

What the owner can do: If redemption period is also shown, ask your registrar to restore it now. Otherwise it can no longer be restored.

RFC 5731, RFC 3915, RFC 9083

pendingRestore

Check

RDAP: pending restore

Restore in progress

A restore out of the redemption period has been requested. The registrar must send the registry a restore report, usually within seven days, or the domain falls back into the redemption period.

What the owner can do: Make sure your registrar completes the restore.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

Grace periods

addPeriod

Info

RDAP: add period

New registration grace period

The domain was registered in the last few days (commonly five). If the registrar deletes it during this window it gets a refund.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it ends on its own.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

renewPeriod

Info

RDAP: renew period

Renewal grace period

The domain was explicitly renewed in the last few days (commonly five); deleting it now refunds the renewal.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it ends on its own.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

autoRenewPeriod

Check

RDAP: auto renew period

Auto-renew grace period

The registration reached its expiry date and the registry renewed it automatically. The registrar has a grace period (up to 45 days for gTLDs) in which it may still delete the domain for a refund, which is what happens if you don't pay.

What the owner can do: Renew with your registrar now if you want to keep the domain.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

transferPeriod

Info

RDAP: transfer period

Transfer grace period

The domain moved to a new registrar in the last few days (commonly five).

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it ends on its own.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

redemptionPeriod

Act now

RDAP: redemption period

Deleted, still restorable

The registrar has deleted the domain. It no longer resolves, but for a limited time (30 days for most gTLDs) it can be restored, usually for an extra restore fee.

What the owner can do: Contact your registrar immediately and ask for a restore.

RFC 3915, RFC 8056

Other RDAP status values

validated

Fine

Validated

The data has been checked and found accurate; usually seen on contacts.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083

transfer prohibited

Lock

Transfer prohibited

Transfers to another registrar are not allowed (without saying who set the block).

What the owner can do: Ask your registrar how to lift it before a transfer.

RFC 9083

update prohibited

Lock

Update prohibited

Changes to the object are not allowed.

What the owner can do: Ask your registrar to lift it before making changes.

RFC 9083

delete prohibited

Lock

Delete prohibited

Deleting the registration is not allowed.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do unless you want to delete it.

RFC 9083

renew prohibited

Check

Renew prohibited

Renewing or re-registering the object is not allowed.

What the owner can do: Ask your registrar why.

RFC 9083

locked

Lock

Locked

No changes can be made, including linking other objects to it. Some country-code registries use it for their domain lock service.

What the owner can do: Unlock it through your registrar (or the registry's lock procedure) before making changes.

RFC 9083

linked

Info

RDAP: associated

Associated

Linked to other objects in the registry, such as a nameserver used by domains or a contact attached to a domain. EPP calls this “linked”.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083, RFC 5732

proxy

Info

Registered by a proxy

The registration was made by a third party on someone's behalf; mostly seen on contacts that belong to a privacy or proxy service.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083

private

Info

Private

The information is not meant for public consumption.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083

removed

Info

Some data removed

Some information has been withheld from the response, typically for privacy.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083

obscured

Info

Some data obscured

Some information has been altered so it does not reveal the real data.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

RFC 9083

administrative

Info

Administrative allocation

An IP block or AS number allocated administratively, not for the holder's own use in operational networks.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do.

IANA RDAP JSON Values

reserved

Info

Reserved

An IP block or AS number allocated to one of IANA's special-purpose registries, not to an operator.

What the owner can do: Nothing to do; it is not registered to anyone.

IANA RDAP JSON Values

Reading status codes

A domain usually carries several statuses at once. Codes starting with client are set by the registrar, often by default or from your account; codes starting with server are set by the registry, and only the registry can lift them. WHOIS prints them in EPP form (clientHold), RDAP spells them out (client hold); this page accepts both.

Transfer, update and delete locks are protections, not problems. Holds, redemption and pending delete mean the domain is not working or is about to be lost, and its owner should contact the registrar quickly.

Questions

How do I remove clientTransferProhibited?

Turn off the transfer or domain lock in your registrar account. Some registrars also require a waiting period after registration or a change of owner details.

Why is my domain on clientHold?

Most often the registrant email address was not verified in time, a renewal went unpaid, or the registrar received a complaint. Your registrar can tell you which and lift it.

What does a status without the client or server prefix mean?

RDAP also defines plain values such as locked, active and associated, used mostly by country-code registries and by IP address registries.