Domain History Checker

How this works

1. 1

   Pull the registry log

   The RDAP record carries every event the registry keeps for the current registration: creation, transfer, last change and expiry.

2. 2

   Read today's DNS

   SOA, NS, A and MX answers show the current setup, and a date-style SOA serial reveals when the zone was last edited.

3. 3

   Point to archives

   What registries do not keep (old owners, old sites, old nameservers) we route to the Wayback Machine and certificate logs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see who owned a domain before?

Not from live registry data. RDAP and WHOIS only show the current record, and registrant names have been redacted since 2018 anyway. Historical WHOIS archives exist as paid services (DomainTools, WhoisXML), and the Wayback Machine often shows the previous owner's business on the site itself.

How can I tell if a domain was dropped and re-registered?

Compare the RDAP creation date with the earliest Wayback Machine snapshot or the earliest certificate on crt.sh. If archives show a live site years before the registry's creation date, the domain expired, dropped and was registered again, and its backlinks may be from an unrelated previous life.

Why does domain history matter before buying?

A domain that previously hosted spam, malware or adult content can carry search penalties, blocklist entries and a poisoned email reputation. Ten minutes in the archives can save you from inheriting someone else's problems.

What does the SOA serial tell me?

Many DNS hosts use a YYYYMMDDnn serial, so 2026101402 means the zone was edited on 14 October 2026 (second change that day). Others use Unix timestamps or counters. It only reflects the current DNS provider's zone, not earlier ones.

Does a transfer between registrars change the owner?

Not by itself; many owners move registrars for price or features. But sales are usually followed by a transfer or a registrant change, so a transfer plus a new website is a good hint of new ownership.