Free SOA Lookup.
Look up the SOA record for any domain in seconds. Verify your authoritative DNS zone details, check the serial number, and confirm refresh timers and TTL values.
SOA Lookup.
How does SOA Lookup work?
Enter a domain name (e.g., example.com) and click “Check”. Our tool queries DNS for the SOA record and returns key zone details—along with TTL (time-to-live)—so you can validate configuration and troubleshoot DNS issues.
What is an SOA record?
An SOA record (Start of Authority) contains core information about a domain’s DNS zone, including the primary nameserver, the zone’s serial number (version), and timing values that help DNS servers keep records in sync.
When should you check an SOA record?
- When troubleshooting DNS zone issues after changes
- When migrating DNS providers and validating the authoritative zone
- When confirming whether updates have been published (via the serial number)
- When debugging secondary DNS sync or propagation behavior
What do the SOA fields mean?
Primary NS: The main authoritative nameserver for the zone
Responsible Email: Contact address for DNS issues (formatted with a dot instead of @)
Serial: The zone version number (changes when the zone is updated)
Refresh/Retry/Expire: Sync timing for secondary DNS servers
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Start monitoring for freeFrequently asked questions.
What does SOA stand for in DNS?
SOA stands for Start of Authority. It’s the DNS record that describes the “source of truth” for a domain’s DNS zone (who’s authoritative and how the zone is managed).
Does every domain have an SOA record?
A properly configured DNS zone should have an SOA record at the zone apex—zones without one don’t conform to the DNS standard.
How can SOA Lookup help me confirm I’m editing the right DNS provider?
Check Primary NS (MNAME) in the SOA output. If it doesn’t match the provider where you’re making changes, you’re likely editing DNS in the wrong place (not the authoritative zone).Why do different tools show different SOA records for the same domain?
Some tools query different resolvers (with different caches), while others query authoritative nameservers directly—so results can vary during changes or caching windows.
Why isn’t my SOA serial changing after I update DNS records?
Many cloud DNS providers don’t rely on classic zone transfers, so serial/refresh/retry/expire values may not reflect day-to-day changes (or may be effectively ignored).
What do SOA “refresh”, “retry”, and “expire” mean?
They’re timers used for secondary DNS servers: how often to check for updates (refresh), how soon to try again after failure (retry), and when to stop serving the zone if updates can’t be fetched (expire).
What’s a reasonable SOA “expire” value?
Common guidance (often cited from RFC 1912) suggests an expiration window of around 14–28 days, depending on your DNS setup and risk tolerance.
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