What is WHOIS Privacy Service?
Table of Contents
- Why registration data is public
- What the service replaces
- Which TLDs support WHOIS Privacy
- What it costs
- How to enable it
- Have more questions?
WHOIS Privacy replaces the contact details in a domain’s public registration record with an anonymous proxy identity. Your email address is replaced with a proxy address, and your name, postal address, and phone number are replaced with those of a third-party privacy service. It is included at no cost on every DNSimple plan, for TLDs that support it. For setup steps and the full documentation index, see WHOIS Privacy at DNSimple.
Why registration data is public
Registering a domain requires providing contact information: a registrant name, email address, mailing address, and phone number. Registries and registrars collect this so there is a record of who is responsible for a domain if a dispute arises.
Historically that information was published in full through WHOIS, where anyone could read it. Today most of it is redacted by default for generic TLDs. See Domain privacy after GDPR for what is published now and how redaction differs from privacy protection.
What the service replaces
When WHOIS Privacy is enabled, the published record shows the privacy provider in place of your details:
- Your name and organization are replaced with the privacy service’s name
- Your postal address is replaced with the privacy service’s address
- Your phone and fax numbers are replaced with the privacy service’s numbers
- Your email address is replaced with a proxy address that forwards to you
The domain itself, its registration and expiration dates, and its name servers remain public.
Note
The WHOIS privacy protection service is not provided directly by DNSimple, and we are not associated with the company that operates it. This is why a lookup shows that company’s details rather than ours.
Which TLDs support WHOIS Privacy
Support is set by the registry, so it varies by TLD. To check a specific TLD, find it on the TLD pricing page and look at the WHOIS privacy column.
If a TLD does not support the service, the contact card on the domain’s Registration tab reads “WHOIS Privacy is not supported” and no enable button appears.
What it costs
Nothing. WHOIS Privacy is included on every DNSimple plan for domains registered with us. There is no separate purchase, no term, and no renewal charge. You can turn it on and off as often as you like.
How to enable it
See WHOIS Privacy Protection for the steps to enable or disable the service for a domain.
Have more questions?
If you have additional questions about WHOIS Privacy, just contact support, and we’ll be happy to help.