Domain Lock & Suspension Status Checker
Description, Best Practices & Example Output
What is Domain Lock Status?
Many domains have status flags in their WHOIS records, such as "clientTransferProhibited" or "serverTransferProhibited".
These indicate that the domain is locked for transfer or updates, serving as a security measure to prevent unauthorized changes or transfers.
Is my domain suspended?
A domain that suddenly stops resolving is often "on hold" rather than expired or deleted. The same WHOIS status
field this tool reads also carries the suspension codes clientHold and serverHold — if
either appears in your results, the domain has been suspended (typically by the registrar for non-payment or a
policy/abuse issue, or by the registry) and will not resolve until it's lifted.
How This Tool Works:
- It performs a WHOIS lookup for the given domain.
- It extracts the "status" field, which may contain one or more status flags (e.g., "clientTransferProhibited", "clientUpdateProhibited").
- It displays these flags for you to review.
Example Output:
Suppose you enter "example.com", and the WHOIS data returns:
clientUpdateProhibited
clientDeleteProhibited
This output indicates that:
- clientTransferProhibited: The domain cannot be transferred by the registrant without unlocking.
- clientUpdateProhibited: The domain's details are locked from changes.
- clientDeleteProhibited: The domain cannot be deleted by the registrant.
Best Practices:
- If you plan to transfer your domain, you will need to unlock it (typically by contacting your registrar).
- Keeping your domain locked is a good security practice to prevent unauthorized transfers.
- Regularly check your domain's status to ensure it aligns with your operational plans.
Domain Lock Status Reference
Domain lock checks are especially important for businesses that rely on search traffic, email, and paid acquisition. If a domain is transferred or updated without authorization, the outage can affect every monetized page on the site.
| Status | Meaning | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
clientTransferProhibited |
The registrar is blocking transfers away from the account. | Temporarily remove only when intentionally transferring the domain. |
clientUpdateProhibited |
Domain updates are restricted by registrar policy. | Review before changing nameservers or registrant details. |
serverTransferProhibited |
The registry is blocking transfers at a higher level. | Contact the registrar or registry if this blocks planned work. |
clientHold |
The registrar has suspended the domain — it will not resolve. | Contact your registrar; usually caused by non-payment or an abuse/policy report. |
serverHold |
The registry itself has suspended the domain — it will not resolve. | Contact the registrar, who will need to work with the registry to lift it. |
Continue the audit with WHOIS Lookup, Nameserver Consistency Checker, and Domain Trust Audit.