Do any domain registrars allow you to make the registration date private?

Question

I'd like to register a private domain name so that my name and address are not revealed to anyone who does a whois lookup.

But something I can't find is whether it's possible to hide the registration date - the date when I registered the domain.

Does anyone know if it's possible to also make this information private?

According to Godaddy's Private Registration FAQ:

You can purchase our private domain registration services, and we will list the Domains By Proxy name, postal address, and phone number on the Whois directory. Although Domains By Proxy is the name on the registration, you retain the full benefits of domain registration.

That seems to suggest the registration date is not published. But perhaps they simply assume no one cares about the registration date being published.

Update: Found this link with a private registration example from Domains By Proxy. It does indeed show the registration date - this is the private registrar for Godaddy.

Answer 1

Hiding the created, last updated and expiration dates is not possible where the registry publish this for the relevant TLD (not all do this via whois, e.g. .eu). The creation date is, though, not changed if a domain is taken over by a different registrant so it does not necessarily say when a domain was first used for its current purpose or by its current owner.

Hiding information is usually done through a proxy service, as you describe with GoDaddy in your question. The proxy contact information is displayed with a unique identifying string added and any enquiries they receive are forwarded to your domain contact details: if you look on account information page for the domain at your registrar's website you can see both of these and amend the domain contact details when necessary. All the other information (last updates, renewal information and so on) is shown normally. This service will often be chargeable.

Not all TLDs (top level domains) accept showing third-party information but many of these allow hiding of (some) details for private registrants. For example, .org.uk optionally does not show contact details for private registrants but does show a name. The .eu TLD should display a valid phone number (IIRC) but only when using their website tool, not using whois.

You can, of course, put a level of indirection on some of the contact methods yourself (e.g. use an email address that works but that you don't use for other purposes); use fax->email and phone->email services for fax and phone services rather than your normal numbers.

Answer 2

Almost any Registar will allow you to have your information hidden, but do notice that this can get you sometime in trouble. However, usually this is quite acceptable practice.

Registration and registration expiration date cannot be hidden in any way.