Before registering a domain name or making a purchase offer, it is good to know who owns the domain and whether it is taken at all. In this guide we go through how to check a domain name's details across different extensions.
Is the domain free? Check availability first
The fastest way is to enter the name in the domain search, which tells you straight away whether the name is free or taken. A free name can be registered right away. Check domain availability here.
Who owns a taken .fi domain?
The register of Finland's .fi names is maintained by Traficom, and the details are publicly searchable in Traficom's domain search at tunnus.traficom.fi. From the search you can see:
- the name holder's name (for companies and organisations)
- the registration date and the expiry date of validity
- the name servers in use and the domain registrar
Private individuals' contact details are not shown in the public search for data protection reasons. You can, however, see that the name is taken and when its validity expires.
What about .com and other international extensions?
Details of international names are found with whois searches, for example in ICANN's lookup service (lookup.icann.org). Nowadays most owner details are, however, hidden for data protection reasons, so usually only the registrar, the dates and the name servers remain visible. You can often reach the owner through the contact form mentioned in the whois details or through the registrar.
The domain I want is taken, what now?
- Look at the expiry date of validity. If the name is not renewed, it is released and can be registered again. Expiring .fi names can be tracked in Traficom's search.
- Make an offer to the owner. If the domain is in active use, the only route is to buy it from the current holder.
- Choose a variation. Often the most sensible solution is a slightly different form: another extension, a combination of the company and the industry, or an abbreviation.
Check and register
When you find a free name, registration takes a few minutes. Search for a free domain name or first read our guide to choosing a company domain name.