Domain Privacy is an optional service that provides an additional layer of privacy for eligible domain names by replacing registrant information with Webnames Privacy Service information and managing communications intended for the registrant.

This article explains how Domain Privacy works, how to manage it, and how it relates to modern Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) publication requirements and privacy protections applied by Webnames.

When a domain name is registered, certain registration information is collected by the registrar and may be published through public Registration Data Directory Services (RDDS), commonly accessed using the Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP).

Historically, this information was published through the WHOIS system. The domain industry has largely transitioned from WHOIS to RDAP, which is the modern standards-based method for accessing domain registration information.

Webnames supports two registrant classifications:

For Individual Registrants, personal information is redacted from public RDAP responses and replaced with a contact mechanism that allows third parties to communicate with the registrant without disclosing registrant information.

For Organizational Registrants, organizational registration information may be published through RDAP where publication is appropriate and permitted.

Depending on the registrant type and applicable privacy requirements, publicly available registration data may include information such as:

Domain Privacy is an optional service that provides registrant identity substitution and communications management beyond the privacy protections automatically applied to Individual Registrants.

For eligible domain extensions, Domain Privacy replaces registrant information with Webnames Privacy Service information in registry and RDAP records and manages communications through the Privacy Registrant Contact Form.

For eligible domain extensions, Domain Privacy:

It is important to understand that there are two separate privacy mechanisms.

Individual Registrants automatically receive privacy protections that prevent personal information from being published through RDAP.

For Individual Registrants:

These protections are applied automatically and do not require the purchase of Domain Privacy.

Domain Privacy is a separate add-on service that provides additional protection beyond standard redaction.

Where supported by the applicable registry and domain extension, Domain Privacy:

The selected registrant type affects how registration information is published through RDAP.

Domains registered to an Individual Registrant receive privacy protections designed to prevent public disclosure of personal information.

Registrant names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses are not published through RDAP.

Where contactability is required, a Registrant Contact Form is provided instead.

Domains registered to an Organizational Registrant may publish organizational registration information through RDAP, including registrant email addresses, where publication is appropriate and permitted.

Organizational registration information is intended to identify and facilitate communication with the organization associated with the domain name.

Where Domain Privacy is enabled, Webnames Privacy Service information is substituted for registrant information in both registry and RDAP records.

Communications are managed through the Privacy Registrant Contact Form.

Privacy+ includes all Domain Privacy functionality and also supports an optional anonymized email forwarding feature.

By default, Privacy+ uses the Privacy Registrant Contact Form.

Where a Privacy+ forwarding address has been enabled, a Privacy+ email address may be displayed in RDAP instead of the Privacy Registrant Contact Form. Messages sent to the Privacy+ email address are automatically forwarded to the registrant's designated destination address without exposing the registrant's actual email address.

To enable Domain Privacy:

Domain Privacy is applied at the registrant level rather than individually for each domain.

If Domain Privacy is enabled for a registrant profile, all eligible domains assigned to that registrant will include the privacy service.

To remove Domain Privacy:

Any future registrations, transfers, or renewals associated with that registrant will no longer include the privacy service.

Future registrations and renewals using that registrant will not include the privacy service.

If all domains associated with a registrant have Domain Privacy enabled, the privacy service will normally be included when those domains are renewed.

To renew a domain without Domain Privacy:

ICANN policy requires registrars to provide a mechanism through which interested parties can communicate with domain registrants.

Where registrant email addresses are not publicly displayed, Webnames provides a Registrant Contact Form.

Messages submitted through the Registrant Contact Form are automatically forwarded to the registrant's email address without disclosing the registrant's personal information.

No Webnames account is required to use this form.

Domains protected by Webnames Domain Privacy and certain Privacy+ configurations use a Privacy Registrant Contact Form.

The Privacy Registrant Contact Form is designed to promote sender accountability and discourage abuse by requiring:

Messages are automatically forwarded to the registrant without disclosing the registrant's personal contact information.

Webnames does not disclose registrant information through this process.

Privacy+ subscribers may optionally enable an anonymized forwarding address.

When enabled:

This feature allows direct email communication while maintaining registrant anonymity.

Domain Privacy is available only for supported domain extensions and may not be available for all TLDs due to registry policies or technical restrictions.

If Domain Privacy is not available for a particular extension, Individual Registrants may still receive privacy protections that prevent personal information from being published through RDAP. Organizational registration information may continue to be published where appropriate and permitted.