Domain Registration

Registration history and registrar information

What is Domain Registration?

Domain registration data reveals when a domain was first registered, who the registrar is, and when it expires. We look this up using RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol), which provides publicly available information from registries and registrars.

When you register a domain like example.com, the registration date, registrar, and expiration are recorded. This information helps understand the domain's history and ownership.

Why Does Domain Registration Matter?

Domain registration data is one factor that can help evaluate a website, but it's far from definitive:

  • Established domains have had time to build history, but this doesn't guarantee legitimacy
  • New domains are statistically more common in phishing attempts, but many legitimate businesses also launch with new domains
  • Expired domains can be re-purchased by new owners, so an "old" domain may have changed hands

Think of domain age as one data point among many, not a verdict on its own.

How to Interpret This Signal

Positive

Domain registered 1+ years ago

Attention

Domain less than 90 days old

Neutral

Registration data unavailable

Example Domains

See this signal in action:

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