Registry Agreements

Defines ICANN consensus policies that registry operators must implement, including UDRP, transfer policies, and future policies developed through the ICANN multistakeholder process.

Mandates daily deposits of registration data to an approved escrow agent, ensuring data preservation and registry continuity in case of failure or transition.

Details monthly transaction reports required by ICANN, including registrations, renewals, transfers, and deletions, submitted by the 20th of each month.

Requirements for WHOIS/RDAP services, including data elements, access protocols, and compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR.

Lists domain names that must be reserved at the second level, including country names, ICANN-related strings, and special use reservations.

Technical requirements for registry operations, including EPP compliance, IPv6 support, DNSSEC implementation, and IDN guidelines. Defines Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for DNS, EPP, and RDAP services.

Mandatory rights protection mechanisms including Sunrise period, Trademark Claims service, and ongoing integration with the Trademark Clearinghouse.

Financial requirements to ensure registry continuity, typically requiring a Letter of Credit or cash escrow covering 3 years of EBERO operations.

Behavioral standards for registry operators, ensuring non-discriminatory treatment of registrars and fair competition in the domain name marketplace.

Detailed SLA requirements including DNS availability (100% for name servers), EPP service availability (98%), and response time requirements for various services.

Voluntary or mandatory commitments made during the application process, incorporated as binding obligations in the Registry Agreement.

For community-based TLDs, defines eligibility requirements, name selection criteria, and enforcement mechanisms for community restrictions.

Special provisions for .BRAND TLDs, including exemptions from certain requirements and specific operational flexibility for brand owners.

The base Registry Agreement is generally non-negotiable as it's a standard contract applied uniformly across all new gTLD operators. However, registry operators can propose new registry services through RSEP and may have specific Public Interest Commitments (PICs) or community provisions that become part of their agreement.

Changing backend providers requires notifying ICANN through a Material Subcontracting Arrangement (MSA) update. The new provider must meet all technical requirements, and the transition must not cause service interruptions. ICANN typically requires 60 days notice for backend changes.

ICANN follows a graduated enforcement process starting with breach notices providing cure periods (typically 30 days for most breaches, 5 days for critical issues). Continued non-compliance can lead to financial penalties, restrictions on operations, or ultimately termination of the agreement.

Registry Agreements can be assigned with ICANN's prior written consent. The assignee must meet all eligibility requirements, demonstrate technical and financial capability, and assume all obligations under the agreement. The assignment process typically takes 3-6 months.

While the base Registry Agreement doesn't mandate specific insurance, registry operators typically maintain commercial general liability, errors and omissions, and cyber liability insurance. Many also carry directors and officers insurance. Coverage amounts vary based on TLD size and risk profile.