What is an SOA record?

The Start of Authority record contains zone administration data: primary server, responsible mailbox, serial, refresh, retry, expire, and minimum TTL.

Reading the result

Enter the zone apex name in DNS Lookup, select SOA, complete verification, and search. Check the returned Name before reading the zone fields.

The serial identifies a zone version, while timers guide secondary-server refresh and expiry. The first dot in the mailbox usually represents an at sign.

Limitations

SOA values describe DNS operation, not the registrant's public contact details or service security.

Do not mistake fields for dates or registrant contacts

Serial is a zone version, not necessarily a timestamp even if it resembles a date. Refresh controls update checks, Retry follows failed checks, and Expire limits continued authoritative use without refresh.

Under current negative-caching rules, Minimum TTL concerns caching absent data and is distinct from the SOA record's own TTL. Responsible Mailbox is a DNS-form administrative name, not necessarily the registrant's public email.

Query SOA at the zone apex and compare Serial with the record you changed. One resolver's answer cannot prove all authoritative servers are synchronized.