What WHOIS privacy hides and what stays public
| Data | With privacy on |
|---|---|
| Registrant name | Hidden |
| Postal address | Hidden, the country or state may stay visible |
| Phone number | Hidden |
| Email address | Replaced with a forwarding address or a contact form |
| Domain name, dates, status, nameservers | Public |
| Sponsoring registrar | Public |
People who need to reach you can still write to the forwarding address, and their messages reach your real inbox.
Turn WHOIS privacy on or off
1. Open the Privacy tab
Go to Dashboard, then Domains, select the domain and open the Privacy tab.
2. Flip the WHOIS privacy switch
The switch shows On by default. Turning it off publishes your registrant details in WHOIS for that domain.
3. Check the public record
Changes reach public WHOIS within a few hours. Read who owns a domain for how to look up a record.
Extensions with privacy limits
- .us does not allow privacy. The registry requires public contact details, so the switch is not shown.
- Some country code extensions limit privacy or publish only part of the data under their own rules.
- Many registries already hide personal data for individuals under data protection law, and privacy adds a further layer.
The .us domain page and the list of available domain extensions note the limits for each extension.
Does privacy change who owns the domain?
No. You stay the registrant and the legal owner. Privacy only changes what the public directory shows. Your real details stay with us and the registry.
Can someone still find out who owns my domain?
Only through a valid legal request, such as a court order or a UDRP case, or where law requires disclosure. Read the UDRP page and our privacy policy.
Does privacy block transfers?
Not at NameBest. Approval emails still reach you. See how to get an EPP code.