How to hide your personal details from the public WHOIS database

Applies to: Domain Names

The WHOIS database shows who owns a domain, when it was registered and when it expires. It is a requirement for all domain names that this information be publicly available to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other laws. The Public Access to Data on Registered Names specify our obligations as a registrar.

.UK and .TEL domain names

The .UK and .TEL domain registry provide a service called WHOIS opt-out which will hide the address details but is only available to non-trading individuals. By default if a contact in the LCN system does not have the organisation field set then the contact will be set as an individual and opted out of the .UK and .TEL WHOIS.

EU domain names

WHOIS lookups for .EU domains do not return any registrant data, you are pointed to use the web-based WHOIS on the registry website. To get to the information you have to enter the text shown in a random capture code. If you have filled out the organisation field, the full registrant details will be displayed otherwise only the registrant email address is displayed.

All other domain extensions

There is no opt-out service provided by the registry, however you can buy our Domain Privacy Protector product. This stops your personal details from being displayed by replacing them with the details of our privacy service. Your details will remain on file as the legal domain owner and any enquiries for your domain will be forwarded on to you.

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