WHOIS

TWNIC WHOIS: look up .tw domain registration records

Enter a complete .tw domain name in the search field to see its public registration record: the registrar, creation and expiry dates, and any registrant details the disclosure settings allow.

Key facts

  • .tw is a country-code top-level domain managed by the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC).
  • Name types include direct .tw registrations, category domains such as .com.tw and Chinese names; .台灣 and .台湾 are also top-level domains.
  • Lookups are available through TWNIC’s official WHOIS website, WHOIS server and RDAP service.
  • The public record includes the registrar, creation and expiry dates, and registrant details where the disclosure settings allow.

What is TWNIC?

The Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC) is a nonprofit foundation and the manager of .tw. Domain registrations are handled through accredited registrars; see TWNIC’s official registrar directory.

.tw, .com.tw and Chinese domain names

Names can be registered directly at the second level under .tw. Category domains such as .com.tw have their own eligibility requirements. Check TWNIC’s domain FAQ and technical registration rules before applying.

  • Generic English .tw names: lawfully registered domestic and foreign companies, businesses, legal persons and individuals may apply.
  • .com.tw: for registered, tax-registered companies, businesses, limited partnerships, other commercial organisations and practising professionals. Foreign companies, limited partnerships and other organisations registered under their home-country law also qualify.
  • .net.tw: for qualifying telecommunications operators, applicants with approved network establishment plans and network-permit holders.
  • .org.tw: for lawfully registered or established Taiwanese nonprofit organisations and administrative corporations, and foreign nonprofits registered under their home-country law.
  • .edu.tw, .gov.tw and .mil.tw: respectively for registered educational and academic institutions, legally established government agencies, and legally established defence and military institutions.
  • .idv.tw is for individuals; .game.tw, .ebiz.tw and .club.tw impose no applicant-qualification restrictions.
  • Chinese second-level labels can be registered under .tw and .台灣. These labels are distinct from the top-level domain itself.

IANA lists two Chinese top-level domains managed by TWNIC: .台灣 (xn--kpry57d) and .台湾 (xn--kprw13d, using the simplified character 湾).

Three ways to look up a .tw domain

The examples below use twnic.tw. You can also check the record on TWNIC’s official WHOIS website.

  1. Use the search field on this page

    Enter the complete domain name, or open the twnic.tw lookup below.

    twnic.tw

  2. Run a WHOIS command

    IANA lists whois.twnic.net.tw as the .tw WHOIS server. The WHOIS protocol uses TCP port 43. In a terminal with the whois command installed, run:

    whois -h whois.twnic.net.tw twnic.tw

  3. Open an RDAP URL

    The IANA RDAP bootstrap maps .tw to https://ccrdap.twnic.tw/tw/. Following TWNIC’s RDAP documentation, append domain/ and the complete domain name to that base URL:

    https://ccrdap.twnic.tw/tw/domain/twnic.tw

WHOIS to RDAP: transition in progress, no announced date

TWNIC’s transition from WHOIS to RDAP is in progress, with no announced timetable. Its official RDAP documentation explains queries but gives no WHOIS shutdown date.

ICANN’s general requirement to provide gTLD WHOIS services ended on 2025-01-28, with .com, .name and .post explicitly listed as exceptions. This changed a service obligation; it does not mean every WHOIS service shut down. .tw is a country-code top-level domain.

How to compare results from different tools

WHOIS and RDAP provide public registration information; contact fields also depend on disclosure settings. Distinguish registration records from contact fields when comparing results. A missing personal name alone does not show that a record is wrong.

  • Check that both queries use the same complete domain name, especially the ending: .tw, .台灣 or .台湾.
  • If a recently renewed domain still shows an old expiry date, check TWNIC’s official WHOIS and confirm the renewal record with the current registrar.

Which registrant details are public?

Under TWNIC’s contact-disclosure notice, WHOIS contact information for .tw and .台灣 has defaulted to non-disclosure since 2023-06-01. Registrants can request changes to disclosure settings through their registrar.

  • Under non-disclosure settings, company or organisation names can still appear. Personal names, street addresses, cities, states, postcodes, telephone numbers and fax numbers are not disclosed.
  • Review each contact field and its disclosure setting rather than assuming that all contact information is public or all of it is hidden.

Chinese labels and name-length rules

The general technical rules allow labels of 1–63 characters, measured after punycode conversion for internationalised domain names. Release of one- and two-character names is controlled separately; the technical minimum does not establish registration availability.

  • Chinese labels must include at least one Chinese character within Big5. They may also include case-insensitive English letters, digits and hyphens.
  • Chinese labels must not mix traditional and simplified characters. Hyphens cannot appear at the beginning or end, or consecutively.

See TWNIC’s Chinese-domain registration notice for the corresponding application rules.

How to read a .tw registration record

  1. Check the complete domain name

    Using twnic.tw as an example, check the spelling and ending. For Chinese domains, distinguish .台灣 from .台湾.

  2. Submit the lookup

    Enter the domain name in this page’s search field, or use the WHOIS command or RDAP URL above.

  3. Read the public registration details

    Check the registrar and registration timing. Apply the contact-disclosure rules when interpreting registrant fields.

  4. Verify any disputed fields

    If the record does not match a renewal, check TWNIC’s official WHOIS and confirm the details with the current registrar.

Frequently asked questions

What is TWNIC, and how is it related to .tw?

TWNIC is the Taiwan Network Information Center, a nonprofit foundation that manages the .tw country-code top-level domain.

How do I find a .tw domain’s registrar and expiry date?

Look up the complete domain name and review the registrar and date fields. If the expiry date does not match a renewal record, check TWNIC’s official WHOIS and confirm with the current registrar.

Why can’t I see the registrant’s name?

WHOIS contact information for .tw and .台灣 has defaulted to non-disclosure since 2023-06-01. Personal names are not shown under non-disclosure settings, while company or organisation names can still appear. Registrants can change disclosure settings through their registrar.

How does eligibility differ between .tw and .com.tw?

Generic English .tw names are open to lawfully registered domestic and foreign companies, businesses, legal persons and individuals. .com.tw is for commercial organisations and professionals meeting registration and tax-registration requirements, and foreign companies, limited partnerships or other organisations registered under their home-country law.

How do I look up a .台灣 or .台湾 domain?

Use the complete domain name and check the ending. .台灣 maps to xn--kpry57d; .台湾, with simplified 湾, maps to xn--kprw13d. Refer to TWNIC’s official WHOIS form and RDAP documentation. IANA lists https://ccrdap.twnic.tw/taiwan/ as the RDAP base URL for .台灣.

When will TWNIC stop providing WHOIS?

The transition is in progress, with no announced timetable; TWNIC’s RDAP documentation gives no WHOIS shutdown date. ICANN’s 2025-01-28 change concerns gTLD WHOIS service obligations, with .com, .name and .post listed as exceptions. It is not a .tw shutdown timetable.

References

Related guides

WHOIS.net.twPublished Updated