Domain availability checker
Already have a name in mind? Type it in and see straight away whether the .co.uk, .uk and .com domains are free to register or already taken.
Just the name is fine. Any ending, www. or web address is ignored, and all three endings are checked. No name yet? Find ideas
Register links go to Fasthosts and are affiliate links: if you buy, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes the results. Fasthosts opens on its domain search, so copy the name first and paste it there.
Only the three domain names are sent to our server, which asks the official registries and passes back the answer. Nothing is kept.
How this tool works
It tidies up what you type into a single name: it removes any https://, www., page address or ending such as .co.uk, and makes it lower case. It then adds .co.uk, .uk and .com and asks the official registry for each ending (Nominet for .co.uk and .uk, Verisign for .com) whether that domain is registered, using the public RDAP service. If the registry has no record of it, it's shown as available. If it does, it's shown as taken, with a link to see when it expires.
Availability can change at any moment, and some names are reserved or sold at a premium price, so always confirm at a registrar before you buy.
Tips before you register
- Register the endings you care about together. If your .co.uk is free, the .uk often is too, and owning both stops someone else using the other.
- Taken isn't always the end. Use the expiry link to see when a taken domain is due to renew. A few are left to lapse, but most are renewed, so don't count on it.
- Check trade marks. Search the UK trade mark register before you commit, so you don't step on an existing brand.
- Say it out loud. If you'd have to spell it out on the phone, try a simpler name. The domain name finder can suggest some.
- Don't wait too long. Good names go quickly, and checking a name doesn't reserve it.
Frequently asked questions
Does "available" mean I can definitely buy it?
Usually, but not always. The registry may have reserved a name, a registrar may charge a premium price, or someone may register it between your check and your purchase. Your registrar will confirm.
Which endings can I check?
.co.uk, .uk and .com, the three most people in the UK want. They're always checked together. If you type another ending, such as .net, it's ignored and the name is checked with these three.
What characters can a domain name use?
Letters a to z, numbers and hyphens, up to 63 characters, and it can't start or end with a hyphen. Spaces, underscores and symbols aren't allowed. Names with accented letters exist but aren't checked here.
The domain I want is taken. What now?
See when it expires with our domain expiry checker, try another ending, or use the domain name finder to find a close alternative that's free.
Why couldn't a name be checked?
Registries limit how fast they answer lookups. If a check times out, we say it couldn't be checked rather than guess. Try again in a few seconds.
Do you earn money from the Register links?
Yes, a little. The Register buttons are Fasthosts affiliate links, so if you buy a domain or hosting after clicking one, Fasthosts pays us a small commission. The price you pay is the same. The results are the same whichever registrar you choose, and you can register the name anywhere.
Do you store the names I check?
No. Only the three domain names are sent to our server, which asks the registries and passes back the answer. Nothing is kept.