Fact Sheet
New gTLD Program in Brief
Right now there are roughly two dozen gTLDs, but soon,
there could be hundreds.

What will be the next big .thing? You name it! Soon entrepreneurs, businesses, governments and communities
around the world will be able to apply to introduce
and operate a generic Top-Level Domain of theirown choosing.

Any established entity located anywhere in the world canapply to form and operate a new gTLD Registry. The
application period will be open from 12 January to 12 April
2012. Visit http://icann.org/newgtlds to learn more about
the program and how to apply.

What is a gTLD? gTLD stands for generic top-level domain
and is an Internet extension such as .com, .net or .org.

FAQs

outlined in the Applicant Guidebook. Through the program you
can apply for both Latin-based and internationalized domainname (IDN) top-level domains.

Is applying for a new gTLD the same as buying adomain name?

What is an IDN?

No. Nowadays, organizations and individuals around theworld can register second-level and, in some cases, thirdlevel domain names. The application for a new gTLD is amuch more complex process. An applicant for a new gTLD
is, in fact, applying to create and operate a registry businesssupporting the Internet’s domain name system. This involves
a number of significant responsibilities, as the operator of anew gTLD is running a piece of visible Internet infrastructure.

IDN stands for Internationalized Domain Name. IDNs are
domain names that include characters used in the local representation of languages that are not written with the twenty-six
letters of the basic Latin alphabet “a-z”. An IDN can contain Latin
letters with diacritical marks (such as accents) or may consist of
characters from non-Latin scripts such as Arabic or Chinese.
IDN top-level domain names will offer many new opportunities
and benefits for Internet users around the world by allowing
them to establish and use top-level domains in their native
languages and scripts.

Will the introduction of new gTLDs change how theInternet operates?

What is the “Applicant Guidebook”?
The Applicant Guidebook provides a step-by-step procedure for
new gTLD applicants. It specifies what documents and information
are required to apply; the financial and legal commitments; andwhat to expect during the application and evaluation periods. The
Applicant Guidebook can be found here: http://icann.org/newgtlds

The increase in number of gTLDs into the root is not expected to affect the way the Internet operates, but it will, forexample, potentially change the way people find informationon the Internet and how businesses plan and structure their
online presence.

How much is the evaluation fee?

Can I apply for any kind of gTLD or are there any
specific restrictions?

The evaluation fee is estimated at US$185,000. Applicants will
be required to pay a US$5000 deposit fee per requested application slot when registering. The US $5000 will be credited
against the evaluation fee.

ICANN has a set of specific technical rules that apply toall proposed gTLD strings. All the specific restrictions are1

FAQs
cont’dAre there any additional costs I should beaware of in applying for a new gTLD?
Yes. Applicants may be required to pay additional fees in certain cases where specialized
process steps are applicable. Additionally,registrants will fund their own business startupand operations costs. See Section 1.5.2 of theApplicant Guidebook.

What will happen during the application
window and how long will it last?

ICANN and pass technical pre-delegation tests before the newgTLD can be delegated to the root zone.

The application window will last for 90 days. Applicants will
use a dedicated web-based application interface named “TLD
Application System” (TAS) to apply, where they will answer
questions and upload supporting documents. After the application window, there are several evaluation stages, each with
its own estimated duration.

How and when can I see which gTLDs are being appliedfor and who is behind the application?
After the application period closes, ICANN will verify all
applications for completeness. Within weeks of the close of theapplication submission period, ICANN will post the public
portions of all applications considered complete and readyfor evaluation.

How long will the evaluation process take?
The evaluation process is expected to last from 9 to 20
months. There are several stages that an application might
be required to pass through prior to a final determination
being rendered. See section 1.1 of the Applicant Guidebook.

How can I object to an application?
After the list of all TLD applications has been published on
ICANN’s website, there will be a period of time for third-parties
to file a formal objection using pre-established dispute
resolution procedures. Objections will be administered byindependent Dispute Resolution Service Providers (DRSP),
rather than by ICANN.

How will gTLD applications be assessed?
The Applicant Guidebook outlines the criteria and requirements. All applications will be independently assessedagainst these published criteria. Pre-selected evaluation panels
will be responsible for determining whether applicants successfully meet these pre-established requirements.

What can I do if someone applies for a string that
represents my brand or trademark?

What happens after a new gTLD application is approved?

You can file an objection with the DRSP selected to administer“legal rights” objections. Details about these procedures, suchas who has standing, where and how objections are filed,and how much objections will cost can be found in Module
3 of the Applicant Guidebook and the related New gTLD
Dispute Resolution Procedure.

Once an application is deemed to satisfy the Applicant
Guidebook criteria and passes all evaluation and selection
processes, including objection processes and final approval,
the applicant is required to conclude an agreement with2

History

The Applicant Guidebook has gone through several
iterations in draft form and is the result of years of careful
implementation of GNSO policy recommendations andthoughtful review and feedback from the ICANN stakeholder
community. Each version of the Applicant Guidebook wasposted for public comment. More than one thousand publiccomments have been reviewed and considered, making theprogram what it is today.
Applicant Guidebook May 20112011

• April 2011 Discussion Draft• November 2010 (Proposed Final version)• May 2010 (version 4)• February 2010 (excerpts)• October 2009 (version 3)• May 2009 (excerpts)• March 2009 (version 2)
Applicant Guidebook (version 1) Oct. 2008

2010
2009

The first version of the Applicant Guidebook
was posted October 2008. The Applicant Guidebook documents how ICANN has implemented
the GNSO policy recommendations and is acomprehensive guide for applicants on the program’s requirements and evaluation process.

2008
2007

ICANN’s Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) conducted their policy development process between December 2005 andSeptember 2007. This work produced aset of principles and recommendations onwhat should be included when implementing the program.

In June 2008, during ICANN’s Paris
meeting, the ICANN Board approved
the GNSO recommendations forintroducing new gTLDs to the Internet’saddressing system.

2005
2004

.asia, .cat, .jobs, .mobi,.post, .tel, .xxx, and .travel

2000.aero, .biz, .coop, .info,.museum, .name, and .pro
Eight gTLDs predate ICANN’s creation

Before 1998

.comn, .edu, .gov, .int,.mil, .net, .org, and .arpa

Next Steps• Visit the http://icann.org/newgtlds to review- The Applicant Guidebook- The full set of FAQs
- Educational videos- And more.

• Follow us on Twitter @newgtldsicann• Email us. newgtld@icann.org
3

ICANN successfully carriedout two previous application
rounds for new gTLDs

What will be the next big .thing? You name it!

New gTLDs are changing theInternet. Discover what they could
spark in your organization.
Who should learn more about new gTLDs?
• Advertising, marketing and branding professionals• Investors• Governments• Non-profit organizations• Trade associations• Trademark owners• Intellectual Property attorneys

http://icann.org/newgtlds
About ICANN The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was formed in 1998 to coordinate
the Internet’s unique identifiers around the world. Without that coordination we wouldn’t have one global Internet. It isa not-for-profit, public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated to keeping theInternet secure, stable and interoperable. It promotes competition and develops policy on the Internet’sunique identifiers. ICANN doesn’t control content on the Internet. It cannot stop spam and it doesn’t deal
with access to the Internet. But through its coordination role of the Internet’s naming system, it does havean important impact on the expansion and evolution of the Internet.

4© 2011, PRINTED JULY 2011