Application window for new top-level domains opens on 30 April
An opportunity to grab your own unique region of the internet
After keeping it closed for nearly 14 years, ICANN is re-opening the door to anyone that wants their own top-level domain (TLD). Organisations around the world therefore have a rare opportunity to lay claim to their own unique internet region.
On 30 April 2026, a new application window opens for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), such as .amsterdam and .eco. The window is due to close again on 12 August 2026.
ICANN and the application process
TLDs are assigned and supervised by an international organisation called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The assignment process is painstaking and governed by strict rules.
When considering an application, ICANN looks at various things, including:
Whether the applicant organisation is legally and financially stable
Whether the applicant organisation has the technical capability to operate a TLD reliably and securely
Whether granting the application would infringe anyone else’s rights
Following the last application window in 2012, it was 2 years before the first newly assigned TLDs went live on the internet. In some complex cases, the process took considerably longer. For example, it was only recently that .merck came online, no less than 14 years after both the German pharmaceutical company and the US company of the same name applied for the TLD. It was not until the two claimants reached an agreement in 2024 that the TLD could be created. (Read more about .merck)
Clearer rules and different types of TLD
ICANN’s application process has been improved since the last window. The Applicant Guidebook (AGB), which sets out the rules and describes the process, is clearer and more accessible.
In addition, ICANN now distinguishes several different types of TLD, each of which has its own application pathway. The types include:
Open TLDs (accessible to all)
Geographical TLDs (for cities, regions, etc)
Community TLDs (for particular groups, e.g. .eco),
Brand TLDs (e.g. .kpn and .philips).
IDN-TLDs (TLDs whose names include special characters, e.g. .vermögensberater)
Cost and technical management
The basic cost of applying to ICANN for a TLD is $227,000. However, there may be additional costs, depending on the type of TLD and the complexity of the application.
An applicant also needs a registry service provider: an organisation with the expertise to handle the TLD’s technical management. SIDN offers registry services based on the Hello Registry platform, enabling applicant organisations to meet ICANN’s technical and operational requirements. For details, see www.sidn.nl/en/product/rsp.
