RDAP instead of WHOIS
RDAP replaces WHOIS with JSON answers and a uniform format for dates and statuses. Since 2025 ICANN no longer requires gTLD registries to run WHOIS, and some have turned it off. We find the zone's RDAP server in the official IANA list and ask the registry directly, not a third-party aggregator.
How not to lose a domain
Turn on auto-renew and keep a valid card and a working email at the registrar — not one on the same domain, since a renewal notice to an address in an expired domain will not arrive. Renew important domains for several years and check expiry together with TLS certificates.
FAQ
What happens if a domain is not renewed in time?
gTLDs usually have up to 45 days of grace period when the registrar can still renew at the normal price, then about 30 days of redemption (restore for a fee), after which the domain is deleted and anyone can register it. In .ru there are 30 days of priority renewal after paid-till, but delegation is removed at once — web and mail stop working on day one.
Why WHOIS for .ru instead of RDAP?
The .RU/.РФ registry does not publish an RDAP server in the IANA bootstrap, so .ru, .su and .рф are queried over WHOIS at whois.tcinet.ru. The paid-till field is the date the registration is paid until.
Can I check a subdomain?
Yes, but only the registered domain has an expiry date: for shop.example.com we check example.com. Two-label suffixes such as co.uk or com.au are taken into account.
What does clientTransferProhibited mean?
The registrar blocks transfers to another registrar until the lock is removed in the control panel. It is a normal anti-hijack lock. Worrying statuses are clientHold, serverHold, redemptionPeriod and pendingDelete: the domain does not work or is about to be deleted.