How to Apply for a New gTLD in 2026

## The Application Process at a Glance Applying for a new generic top-level domain (New gTLD) through ICANN's 2026 round is a complex, multi-stage process that demands legal, financial, technical, and operational preparation. This guide walks you through each stage in sequence, explaining what is required, who does what, and what common pitfalls to avoid. Before diving in, use the TLD Finder tool to confirm your desired string does not already exist as an active or delegated TLD (Top-Level Domain). Applying for a string that is already delegated — or that is confusingly similar to an existing one — will result in rejection. ## Stage 1: Determine Your String Your chosen string is the heart of your application. It must be: - **Available**: Not already delegated or reserved in the DNS Root Zone managed by IANA. - **Technically valid**: 2–24 characters, letters and/or hyphens (no hyphens at positions 3 and 4 unless it is an internationalised domain name), no leading hyphen. - **Not confusingly similar**: ICANN runs a string similarity evaluation using a defined algorithm. Strings too close to existing TLDs will be rejected without refund. - **Not prohibited**: Certain strings — two-letter strings (reserved for country codes), strings on ICANN's reserved list, strings that are purely numeric — are not eligible. For brand applicants, the string is typically your trademark or brand name. For generic applicants, the string should represent a meaningful market segment — .music, .hotel, .legal — with genuine commercial or community rationale. ### Internationalised Domain Name (IDN) Strings If your string is in a non-Latin script (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, etc.), you are applying for an IDN gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain). The technical requirements differ: the string must be a valid U-label or A-label under the IDNA2008 standard, and ICANN's IDN Tables and Language Tables must recognise the characters. ICANN provides resources specifically for IDN applicants. ## Stage 2: Conduct Pre-Application Due Diligence Before spending the application fee, complete the following: ### Trademark Search Search global trademark databases — USPTO, EUIPO, WIPO — for your proposed string. Third parties can file trademark-based objections against your application. If your string is already a registered mark in a relevant class, you face significant legal risk. ### String Conflict Analysis Review ICANN's published list of reserved strings and the strings delegated in the 2012 round. Compare your string against these using the defined similarity algorithm (Levenshtein-based with visual confusability adjustments for IDNs). ### Competitive Landscape Identify whether other entities are likely to apply for the same string. If so, you may end up in a string contention process — which could mean an auction. Budgeting for this contingency is essential. See String Contention: When Multiple Parties Want the Same TLD for details. ## Stage 3: Build Your Application Team A successful application requires expertise across multiple disciplines. Most applicants assemble a team that includes: - **Domain industry consultants**: Firms that specialise in new gTLD applications and know the evaluation criteria inside-out. - **Legal counsel**: For trademark analysis, contract review, and responding to objections. - **Registry Operator (back-end registry)**: The technical organisation that will run your TLD's DNS infrastructure, DNSSEC signing (DNSSEC), RDAP/WHOIS (WHOIS) services, and EPP interface for registrars. - **Financial advisors**: To prepare the financial statements and projections required in the application. - **Community consultants** (for community TLD applicants): To gather and document genuine community support. Back-end registry operators are a critical choice. Large operators — Donuts (now GoDaddy Registry), Identity Digital, CentralNic, Neustar — run hundreds of TLDs each and offer shared infrastructure services to new applicants. Using an established back-end significantly strengthens your technical evaluation score. ## Stage 4: Prepare Your Application Materials ICANN's application system (the TLD Application System, or TAS) requires completion of a detailed questionnaire covering approximately 50 question areas across four evaluation dimensions: ### 1. Applicant Information - Full legal name, jurisdiction of incorporation, ownership structure. - Demonstration that the applicant is a legal person (natural or corporate) — not a partnership or unincorporated association. - Disclosure of any related or affiliated parties. ### 2. Applied-For String - Intended purpose and target market. - Rationale for why this string benefits the internet community. - Proposed use restrictions (if any) — will registrations be open to anyone, or limited to verified members of a particular industry? ### 3. Mission, Vision, and Community - What community does the TLD serve? - For community TLDs: evidence of established community, endorsement letters, community charter. - For generic TLDs: market analysis demonstrating genuine demand. ### 4. Financial Plan - Three-year pro forma financial statements. - Evidence of capital to cover the $185,000+ evaluation fee plus at least three years of operating costs. - Letters of financial commitment from investors or parent companies if needed. ### 5. Technical and Operational Plan - Description of back-end Registry Operator and their infrastructure. - Security plan covering DNSSEC, abuse prevention, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation. - Business continuity and disaster recovery plan. - EBERO (Emergency Back-End Registry Operator) designation. ### 6. Policies - Registration eligibility restrictions. - Rights protection mechanisms: Trademark Claims Service, Sunrise Period (Sunrise Period). - Domain dispute resolution: Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (Domain Dispute). - Premium domain policies (Premium Domain (Registry Premium)). ## Stage 5: Pay the Application Fee and Submit The application fee for the 2026 round is expected to be at or above the 2012 fee of $185,000 USD. This fee covers ICANN's cost of evaluating the application — it is not refundable if the application is withdrawn after a certain point, nor if the evaluation fails. For a full cost breakdown, see Cost of Applying for a New TLD: Full Breakdown. Payment is made through ICANN's secure payment system as part of the submission process. Applications submitted without full payment are not evaluated. ## Stage 6: Administrative and Initial Technical Evaluation After submission, ICANN staff conduct an administrative completeness review. Applications that are incomplete — missing required attachments, unsigned declarations, or misdirected payments — are flagged for correction during a short cure period. Simultaneously, the String Similarity Evaluation begins. ICANN uses an algorithmic similarity tool and expert panel review to identify strings that are identical or confusingly similar to existing TLDs or reserved strings. Applications that fail this evaluation are rejected, and a partial refund is issued. ## Stage 7: Extended Evaluation and Objection Period Applications that pass initial review enter the Extended Evaluation phase, where independent expert panels assess: - **Financial capability**: Can the applicant sustain a registry operation? - **Technical capability**: Is the proposed infrastructure secure and reliable? - **Registry services**: Are the proposed services complete and ICANN-compliant? Simultaneously, a public comment period opens during which any third party can submit comments. Formal objections can be filed by: - **Existing TLD operators** (string similarity) - **Trademark holders** (legal rights objection) - **Governments** (via the Governmental Advisory Committee — GAC) - **Established communities** (community objection) - **Anyone** (limited public interest objection) Responding to objections requires legal resources and can significantly extend the evaluation timeline. See Objection Grounds and GAC Early Warnings for details. ## Stage 8: String Contention Resolution If two or more applications survive evaluation for the same string, a contention resolution process begins. Options include: 1. **Private resolution**: Applicants negotiate among themselves — one buys out the others, or they merge applications. 2. **Community priority evaluation**: If one applicant qualifies as a genuine community applicant, they may receive priority. 3. **Last-resort auction**: ICANN conducts a sealed-bid auction. The highest bidder wins. This can cost tens of millions of dollars for highly desirable strings. ## Stage 9: Registry Agreement and Pre-Delegation Testing Successful applicants negotiate and sign a Registry Agreement with ICANN. This is a detailed contract covering operational requirements, fees (an annual ICANN fee of $25,000 plus per-transaction fees), abuse policies, and compliance obligations. Before delegation, ICANN conducts pre-delegation testing: a technical team verifies that the registry's DNS infrastructure — including DNSSEC — is operational and correct. ## Stage 10: Delegation Once pre-delegation testing passes, IANA delegates the TLD into the root zone. The new gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain) becomes globally resolvable. Registrars can begin offering registrations, and the registry can open its Sunrise Period for trademark holders before general availability. Congratulations — you now operate a top-level domain. See Post-Delegation: Running a TLD Registry for what comes next: the ongoing responsibilities of a Registry Operator. ## Common Mistakes First-Time Applicants Make Understanding the process intellectually is not the same as being prepared to execute it. First-time applicants in the 2012 round made recurring errors that cost them time, money, and in some cases their entire application: **Underestimating preparation time**: The application questionnaire is extensive — equivalent to writing a detailed business plan with legal, financial, and technical annexes. Applicants who started preparation after the window opened typically submitted lower-quality responses. Plan for six to twelve months of preparation minimum. **Failing to lock in a back-end operator early**: Popular back-end registry operators filled their capacity quickly in 2012. Applicants who waited too long found themselves with limited options. Secure your back-end operator agreement at least six months before the application window opens. **Ignoring string contention risk**: Some applicants were blindsided by contention sets they had not anticipated. Research your string's competitive landscape thoroughly. If ten companies might apply for your string, your strategy must account for that. **Incomplete financial documentation**: The financial evaluation is the most common reason for extended evaluation requests. Audited statements must be prepared by recognised accounting firms using GAAP, IFRS, or equivalent standards. Unaudited or management-prepared accounts are not sufficient. **Missing objection deadlines**: Once the objection window closes, no further objections can be filed and no further defences are possible. Missing a deadline — either as a filer or a respondent — has permanent consequences. Calendar every deadline from the moment the application window closes. A well-prepared, complete application submitted by a financially and technically capable applicant that has anticipated contention and objection risk will navigate the process far more smoothly than a rushed submission, regardless of the string's commercial potential.