These Terms of Service govern access to and use of the RDAP service (the “Service”) provided by OpusDNS GmbH (“OpusDNS”) in compliance with the applicable policies and contractual obligations established by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) for ICANN-accredited registrars.
RDAP is the successor to the WHOIS protocol and enables the public to access domain registration data in a structured, secure, and privacy-compliant manner for informational, operational, and/or legal purposes. This Service is operated in accordance with ICANN policies and the obligations under the ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement (“ICANN RAA”), ensuring a transparent, secure, and privacy-compliant provision of domain registration data.
By using our Service, the following conditions are deemed to be bindingly accepted.
Furthermore, use of the Service confirms and guarantees that there is a valid legal basis within the meaning of Art. 6 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for querying personal data. Depending on the individual case, the legal basis may arise from:
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR - for the performance of a contract, such as a domain registration agreement;
- Art. 6 para 1 lit. c GDPR - for compliance with a legal obligation, in particular under the ICANN RAA;
- Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR - to protect the legitimate interests of OpusDNS or the querying party, for example to ensure network security or to prevent abuse.
Data processed through this Service may only be processed in compliance with applicable data protection laws and in accordance with the OpusDNS Privacy Policy.
Terms of Service in detail
By using this Service, the following conditions are accepted and acknowledged:
1. Purpose and lawful use
The data provided via the Service is provided for legal and informational purposes only. In particular, any use for marketing purposes, unsolicited communications, or the sending of spam is expressly prohibited.
2. Data Protection
All applicable laws and data protection regulations (in particular the GDPR) must be observed. Accordingly, RDAP responses are designed to be privacy-compliant, such that personal data is either hidden or displayed - depending on the legal basis and ICANN requirements. The relevant legal bases under Art. 6 GDPR are those mentioned above: Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. c, and Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR.
To report suspected abuse, OpusDNS provides dedicated contact options. Abuse reports can be sent directly via email to domain-abuse@opusdns.com. Further information about the reporting procedure and how reports are handled can be found at https://www.opusdns.com/report-abuse.
3. Warranty or Liability
Although OpusDNS believes the data provided through the Service to be reliable, such data is made available "as is" without any express or implied warranty. OpusDNS does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information and shall under no circumstances be liable for damages or losses arising from the use of, failure to use, or reliance on the provided information. Service availability is not guaranteed; interruptions may occur at any time without prior notice.
4. Prohibited Use / Suspension of RDAP Service
Access to the Service via high volume, automated queries or electronic processes (e.g., mass scans, scraping) is prohibited. The same applies to any usage that disrupts, damages, or impairs the systems of OpusDNS. All access is logged to prevent abuse and ensure the security of OpusDNS ´s system security. In the event of excessive or unlawful use, abuse, cyberattacks, or violations of these Terms of Service, access may be temporarily or permanently restricted at the sole discretion of OpusDNS by blocking the IP address (“rate limiting”). In addition, OpusDNS reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate access to the Service in whole or in part at any time at its sole discretion - for example, to carry out planned or urgent maintenance or repair work, to protect registrant privacy or to ensure operational stability and the integrity of the service.
5. Additional Notes on Reuse of Data
Any further use of the information provided through the Service - especially copying, distribution, commercial use, or publication - is only permitted to the extent that it complies with the applicable ICANN policies (in particular Section 3.3.5 of the ICANNRAA). In cases of doubt, prior consent from OpusDNS must be obtained.
6. Disclosure to ICANN and Authorities
OpusDNS reserves the right to disclose data accessed via the Service to ICANN or relevant authorities, insofar as this is necessary to comply with regulatory obligations, enforce legal requirements, or in connection with investigations.
7. Modification
OpusDNS reserves the right to change these Terms of Service at any time and without prior notice at its sole and unlimited discretion. Users are responsible for checking these terms periodically / each time they access the Service for changes. Continued use of the Service constitutes acknowledgement and acceptance of the current terms.
8. Usage Instructions
To use our Service, please enter a valid query in your browser address bar or in a compatible RDAP client to get started:
Domain Name Search:
https://rdap.opusdns.com/domain/example.tld
Replace “example.tld” with the desired domain name. The response will contain publicly accessible information according to ICANN requirements.
Help Lookup:
https://rdap.opusdns.com/help
Use this query to obtain more details about using our RDAP service.
9. Final Provisions
By using the Service, no separate contractual relationship is established between OpusDNS and the users. The use is exclusively based on these Terms of Service.
Should any provision of these Terms of Service be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a provision that comes closest to the economic purpose of the invalid provision.
These Terms of Service shall be governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms of Service shall, to the extent legally permissible, be the registered office of OpusDNS.
