Looking up…
How Hivex knows.
- DNS first: a name with name servers in its parent zone is registered. That answer is final and fast.
- The registry next, through RDAP, the registries' JSON lookup that IANA lists for over 1,200 extensions. Hivex also uses the RDAP servers of .de, .us, .ch, .li, .io and a few others that IANA does not list yet, each tested before use.
- WHOIS on port 43 for about 30 country registries without RDAP, such as .co, .eu, .se and .nz, read the way each registry words a free name.
- Otherwise: unknown. A name missing from DNS is not proof that it is free.
Free is not always the normal price.
Registries keep some names back (reserved) and price others higher (premium), and those names often show no record anywhere. The registrar's checkout is the final word on whether and for how much you can register a name. A name that expired recently can also sit in a redemption period before it is released.
If the name you want is taken.
- Look at the other extensions in the result, or add a short word: get, try, app, hq.
- Read its WHOIS record to see the registrar and dates, and the expiry date if you want to wait for it.
- Many taken names are for sale: a parked page or a marketplace listing usually says so.
Questions people ask.
How do I check if a domain name is available?
Type the name with its extension, or without one to compare 16 extensions at once. Hivex asks DNS first, then the registry itself (RDAP, or WHOIS where a registry has no RDAP), and says which one answered.
Does available mean I can register it at the normal price?
It means the registry has no record of the name. Some names are reserved or sold at a premium price; the registrar's checkout shows the final price before you pay.
Will checking a domain make someone register it first?
Hivex does not store, sell or share the names you check with this tool. Each answer comes straight from DNS and the registry.
Why does it say unknown for some extensions?
A few registries, such as the one for .es, offer no public lookup. When a name is missing from DNS but its registry cannot confirm it is free, Hivex says unknown rather than guess.
What can I do if the name I want is taken?
Try another extension or add a short word. To approach the owner, look up the WHOIS record; to wait for it, check when it expires. Hivex also lists premium names for sale.
Hivex market
The name you want is taken?
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The same lookup is a free JSON API, with no key and open CORS, and a tool any AI assistant that speaks MCP can call.
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Sources
- RFC 9224: Finding the authoritative RDAP service (the bootstrap)
- RFC 9082: RDAP query format
- RFC 3912: The WHOIS protocol (port 43)
- IANA: RDAP bootstrap file for domain names
- ICANN: registration data lookup
By Hivex. Updated 10 October 2026. Each answer comes live from DNS and the registry (RDAP, or WHOIS where a registry has no RDAP), kept up to an hour; the names you check are not stored or shared.