How to check whether a domain name is available

Before launching a website, an online shop, or even a simple professional email address, one question always comes up first: is the domain name you have in mind still available? The good news is that checking takes only a few seconds. However, properly understanding what “available” actually means, and knowing what to do if it is not, requires a little more explanation. That’s exactly what this article covers.

What does domain name availability mean?

A domain name is unique: it can only be held by one person or entity at a time, for a given extension. This follows the “first come, first served” rule. This means that mycompany.fr and mycompany.com are two entirely separate domain names, each of which may be free or already registered independently of the other.

A domain name is never registered permanently: it is “leased” for a renewable one-year period, through a registrar such as Netim accredited by ICANN, the international organisation that regulates domain names, or by the registries responsible for each extension (Afnic for .fr, Nominet for .uk, for example). As long as the current holder renews their domain name, it remains unavailable to everyone else!

Would you like to find out more about the domain name industry and the players involved? 👇 This article might interest you:

How to check domain name availability

There are several ways to check whether a domain name is available:

1. Use Netim’s search tool

This is the quickest and most reliable method. Go to the website of a registrar such as Netim, enter the domain name you want in the search bar, with or without an extension, and run the search.

Two outcomes are possible:

• The domain is available: you can add it straight to your basket and proceed with registration.
• The domain is unavailable: in this case, the tool will suggest alternative extensions or similar options.

2. Try several extensions

A domain name may already be registered as .com yet be perfectly free under .fr or other extensions. So don’t stop at just one extension: widen your search according to your business and geographical area. A local business might do well to favour a regional or national extension, whereas a brand with international ambitions will more naturally turn to a .com or another, more general extension.

Could extensions organised by business sector help with your thinking?

👇 This article might interest you:

3. Confirm with a Whois search

If you want to go further, particularly to find out how long a domain has been registered or when it is due to expire, a Whois search is designed exactly for that. It queries the public database associated with each extension and, where the information is available, shows you the holder, the registrar, and the key dates for the domain in question.

The ideal domain name is already taken: what should you do?

It often happens that the name you had your heart set on is already registered, particularly as a .com. Several options are then open to you:

• Change extension: If your ideal domain name isn’t available as a .com, it may well be as a .fr, .shop, .tech, or one of the more than 1,300 existing extensions. Choosing the right extension can even become a communication asset depending on your business sector.
• Add a prefix or suffix: A keyword linked to your business, your city, or your flagship product may be all it takes to unlock an available variation while staying consistent with your brand: for example, mycompany-paris.fr or shop-mycompany.com.
• Buy the domain from its current holder: A Whois search can sometimes help identify the holder of a domain so that you can contact them directly to propose a purchase, provided the contact details are public and the domain is not actively in use.
• Wait for it to potentially become available: An expired, unrenewed domain name eventually becomes available for registration again, after a latency period specific to each extension.

Checks not to forget before making your decision

Technical availability is only part of the equation. Before committing to a domain name, also remember to:

• Check registered trademarks: A name that is technically free may still correspond to a protected trademark, which exposes you to a risk of legal dispute. A search with the INPI or an equivalent trademark register is recommended.
• Check its availability on social media: For the best brand consistency, it’s preferable for the name to also be free on the main social platforms. This avoids inconsistency for your target audience…
• Reserve closely related spelling variants: Common typos, hyphens, plurals or singulars: securing these variants helps prevent cybersquatting and protects your traffic. But stay sensible about it! It’s impossible to protect everything: doing so would be counterproductive and very expensive…

Would you like to register your domain name and check its availability?
Run your availability search directly with Netim!

In summary

Checking a domain name’s availability takes only a few seconds using a registrar’s search tool. But correctly interpreting the result, and knowing how to react if the name is already taken, makes all the difference for the rest of your project.

Test your domain name with Netim right now, and find out in one click whether it’s available among more than 1,300 extensions.

🖊️ Discover all our articles on domain names.
📧 Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter from your Netim Direct client area to receive all our news and promotions!

FAQ