Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy - ICANN
Please note that the English language version of all translated content and documents are the official versions and that translations in other languages are for informational purposes only.
General Information
All registrars must follow the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (often referred to as the "UDRP"). Under the policy, most types of trademark-based domain-name disputes must be resolved by agreement, court action, or arbitration before a registrar will cancel, suspend, or transfer a domain name. Disputes alleged to arise from abusive registrations of domain names (for example, cybersquatting) may be addressed by expedited administrative proceedings that the holder of trademark rights initiates by filing a complaint with an approved dispute-resolution service provider.
To invoke the policy, a trademark owner should either (a) file a complaint in a court of proper jurisdiction against the domain-name holder (or where appropriate an in-rem action concerning the domain name) or (b) in cases of abusive registration submit a complaint to an approved dispute-resolution service provider (see below for a list and links).
Principal Documents
The following documents provide details:
- Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy – This policy is followed by all registrars. (Updated 21 February 2024 to reflect changes required to implement the Registration Data Policy. Contracted parties may implement this updated Policy beginning on 21 August 2024 and must implement no later than 21 August 2025).
- Previous Version:
- Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (Effective 24 October 1999 through 20 August 2025)
- Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy – These rules are followed by all dispute-resolution service providers, with supplementation by each provider's supplemental rules. (Updated 21 February 2024 to reflect changes required to implement the Registration Data Policy. Contracted parties may implement this updated Policy beginning on 21 August 2024 and must implement no later than 21 August 2025.)
- Previous Versions:
- Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (Effective 31 July 2015 through 20 August 2025)
- Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (Effective 1 March 2010 through 31 July 2015)
- Archived Rules – Prior version of Rules in effect for proceedings filed on or before 28 February 2010
- List of Approved Dispute-Resolution Service Providers
- Information Concerning Approval Process for Dispute-Resolution Service Provide
Information on Proceedings Commenced Under the Policy
Historical Documents Concerning the Policy
Chronology
Staff Reports
- Staff Report on Implementation Documents for the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (29 September 1999)
- Second Staff Report on Implementation Documents for the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (24 October 1999)
Proposed Implementation Documents (form posted for public comment September 29, 1999)
- Draft Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (29 September 1999)
- Draft Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (29 September 1999)
Public Comments Submitted (comment period September 29-October 13, 1999)
Domain Name System
Internationalized Domain Name ,IDN,"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, as required by many European languages, or may consist of characters from non-Latin scripts such as Arabic or Chinese. Many languages also use other types of digits than the European ""0-9"". The basic Latin alphabet together with the European-Arabic digits are, for the purpose of domain names, termed ""ASCII characters"" (ASCII = American Standard Code for Information Interchange). These are also included in the broader range of ""Unicode characters"" that provides the basis for IDNs. The ""hostname rule"" requires that all domain names of the type under consideration here are stored in the DNS using only the ASCII characters listed above, with the one further addition of the hyphen ""-"". The Unicode form of an IDN therefore requires special encoding before it is entered into the DNS. The following terminology is used when distinguishing between these forms: A domain name consists of a series of ""labels"" (separated by ""dots""). The ASCII form of an IDN label is termed an ""A-label"". All operations defined in the DNS protocol use A-labels exclusively. The Unicode form, which a user expects to be displayed, is termed a ""U-label"". The difference may be illustrated with the Hindi word for ""test"" — परीका — appearing here as a U-label would (in the Devanagari script). A special form of ""ASCII compatible encoding"" (abbreviated ACE) is applied to this to produce the corresponding A-label: xn--11b5bs1di. A domain name that only includes ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens is termed an ""LDH label"". Although the definitions of A-labels and LDH-labels overlap, a name consisting exclusively of LDH labels, such as""icann.org"" is not an IDN."