Trademark Clearinghouse

News & Views

Submit a Trademark to the Clearinghouse

Trademark validation services opened on 26 March 2013. Submit your mark today:

Trademark Clearinghouse FAQs

Get the most requested information regarding the Clearinghouse.

Implementation of Sunrise and Trademark Claims

ICANN is currently working with service providers to build the systems to support Sunrise and Claims services for all new gTLD registries.

Understanding the Trademark Clearinghouse

Overview

The New generic Top-Level Domain (New gTLD) Program promises to greatly expand the domain name system (DNS). Working with Intellectual Property experts and various community stakeholders, ICANN developed mechanisms that enable trademark holders to protect their rights during the DNS expansion. The Trademark Clearinghouse mechanism functions by authenticating information from rights holders and providing this information to registries and registrars. Benefits of registering a trademark with the Clearinghouse include access to Sunrise registration with new gTLD registries and notification from the Clearinghouse when a domain matching your trademark has been registered.

Information on the Trademark Clearinghouse model [PDF, 163 KB] can be found in the Applicant Guidebook.

Below find archival materials detailing how the Trademark Clearinghouse was developed and implemented, listed chronologically.

Development

March 2009 – Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT)

ICANN's Board of Directors forms a team of 18 intellectual property experts to develop rights protection mechanisms for new gTLDs.

October 2009 – Special Trademark Issues (STI) Team

A cross-constituency team reviews IRT recommendations providing a multi-stakeholder consensus view.

February–April 2011 – Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC)

ICANN's GAC participates in extended discussions with the Board of Directors on topics associated with the New gTLD Program, including rights protection.

Implementation

October 2011 – Implementation Assistance Group (IAG)

ICANN calls for volunteers to aid in the implementation of Trademark Clearinghouse processes. Over 50 volunteers respond, forming the Implementation Assistance Group (IAG).

October–November 2011 – Request for Information (RFI)

An RFI and two Question & Answer documents are published to solicit proposals for potential Trademark Clearinghouse providers. The RFI closes on 28 November 2011.

April–June 2012 – Timeline and Models

ICANN publishes a proposed structure for Clearinghouse implementation, and information on expected progress and pricing for Clearinghouse services.

1 June 2012 – Procurement of Trademark Clearinghouse Providers

After considering proposals from a host of potential providers, ICANN elects to work with Deloitte Enterprise Risk Services and IBM on Clearinghouse services implementation.

August 2012 – Forum on Technical Implementation Issues

Meeting focused on Sunrise and Trademark Claims processes.

September 2012 – Registry Technical Mailing List

Discussion about the technical details of the Registry-Clearinghouse interface.

24 September 2012 – Trademark Clearinghouse Provider Requirements

ICANN publishes information on the responsibilities of the Trademark Clearinghouse provider.

September–October 2012 – Community/ICANN Dialogue: Sunrise and Claims Implementation

The ICANN community proposes alternate solutions to Sunrise and Trademark Claims implementation. ICANN responds.

24 September 2012 – Public Comment: Trademark Clearinghouse Implementation Material

ICANN invites public comment on implementation explanatory memoranda.

November–December 2012 – Stakeholder/CEO Discussions: Achieving Implementation

Representatives from the Business, Intellectual Property, and ISP constituencies, the Noncommercial, Registrars, and Registries stakeholder groups, and the At-Large Advisory Committee come together to reach implementation solutions.

December 2012 – Sunrise and Trademark Claims Implementation: Business Model

ICANN holds a conference call to discuss the business model for required Rights Protection Mechanisms.

April 2013 – Sunrise and Trademark Claims: Draft RPM Requirements

ICANN publishes a draft of the Rights Protection Mechanism Requirements and solicits community input on the document via a conference call.