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A closed top-level domain (TLD) is a generic top-level domain whose names may be registered only by the registry operator and its affiliates. Under ICANN’s current policy for the 2026 application round, an applicant may not propose to run a generic string exclusively for itself or related entities until ICANN approves a public-interest methodology and criteria for closed generics.
A qualifying trademark-based .Brand TLD is different. It can restrict registrations to the trademark owner, its affiliates, and qualifying trademark licensees under ICANN Specification 13. An organization can apply to create and operate a new gTLD, but that is a registry application requiring operational, technical, and financial capability—not a normal domain-name purchase.
What “closed” means at the top-level
The top-level domain is the label at the far right of a domain name, such as .com or a newer gTLD. A registry operator runs the authoritative database and technical systems for names beneath that TLD. Second-level names are the labels immediately to the left, such as example in example.tld.
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“Generic” describes the meaning of the string itself. ICANN’s 2026 Applicant Guidebook treats a generic string as a term that denotes or describes a general class of goods, services, groups, organizations, or things, rather than a term that distinguishes one particular brand. The Guidebook gives strings such as .tree and .banana as examples that could be generic, although the facts surrounding a particular trademark can change the analysis.
Who can register a closed TLD?
Applying to operate a new registry
ICANN says an established public or private organization anywhere in the world may apply to create and operate a new gTLD, provided it meets the applicable eligibility rules and demonstrates operational, technical, and financial capability. The applicant is proposing a registry business: it would run the systems, policies, and processes that make the TLD work.
This is not the same as buying a custom suffix. A registrar transaction gives a customer a domain name under an existing TLD. A gTLD application asks ICANN to evaluate the applicant and its proposed string as a potential new registry. The organization must therefore be able to explain how the registry will be operated and supported, rather than simply show that it wants a memorable web address.
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Registering a name under an existing closed zone
If “register” means obtaining a second-level name under a TLD that is already closed, the eligible registrants are the registry operator and its affiliates. The operator’s registration rules determine which entities count as affiliates and what evidence is required. A person or company with no qualifying relationship cannot obtain a name merely because the name is available or because a registrar lists the TLD.
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The special case of a .Brand TLD
For a qualifying trademark-based .Brand TLD, ICANN Specification 13 recognizes the registry operator, its affiliates, and trademark licensees under the stated conditions. That is a narrower exception than a generic closed TLD: the string must be tied to a protected trademark and must not be a Generic String TLD.
Why ICANN currently blocks closed generic applications
ICANN’s Board determined in January 2024 that applications for closed generics will not be permitted until an approved methodology and criteria exist for deciding whether a proposed closed generic serves the public interest. The issue is not simply whether an applicant can operate the technical registry. It is whether exclusive control of a word that describes a broad category should be allowed when other parties could reasonably want to use that word.
For the current application process, ICANN requires an applicant to affirm that it does not intend to operate an applied-for generic string exclusively for a single person or entity. The current Applicant Guidebook also states the prohibition on generic-string exclusive use and reflects the Board’s position. If an application comment raises a concern that the applicant is really seeking a closed generic, ICANN can review that concern through the application process.
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How a closed generic differs from a qualifying .Brand TLD
The practical difference is the basis for restricting registrations. A closed generic relies on a category word and seeks to reserve it for one operator. A .Brand TLD relies on a qualifying trademark and the special rules in Specification 13. The same spelling could raise different questions depending on the applicant’s trademark rights, the way the term is used, and whether the term describes a general class.
| Question | Closed generic | Qualifying .Brand TLD |
|---|---|---|
| What does the string represent? | A general class or category, such as a term that describes goods, services, groups, organizations, or things. | Textual elements identical to a valid registered trademark protected under applicable law. |
| Who may register names? | Exclusive registration for the registry operator and affiliates is the requested model, but current ICANN policy does not allow that model for a generic string. | The registry operator, affiliates, and qualifying trademark licensees, subject to Specification 13. |
| Who may control DNS records? | The requested exclusive control is not currently approvable for a generic string. | Only the registry operator, affiliates, or trademark licensees may be registrants and control DNS records at any level. |
| Key evidence | The applicant must not intend to limit a generic string exclusively to one person or entity under the current Guidebook. | An accurate and complete copy of the trademark registration, proof that the string is identical to the protected textual elements, and evidence that the TLD is not a Generic String TLD. |
| Current policy status | Not permitted until ICANN approves a public-interest methodology and criteria for evaluating closed generics. | Potentially available when all Specification 13 requirements are met and ICANN accepts the qualification. |
Specification 13 requirements for a .Brand restriction
Specification 13 is not a general permission for companies to close any TLD they want. ICANN lists several conditions that must all be addressed:
- The TLD string must be identical to textual elements protected under applicable law by a valid registered trademark.
- Only the registry operator, its affiliates, or trademark licensees may be registrants and control DNS records at any level.
- The TLD must not be a Generic String TLD.
- The operator must provide ICANN with an accurate and complete copy of the trademark registration.
ICANN includes a community comment period in the review. Comments, or the absence of objections, do not by themselves decide whether a string qualifies. The applicant still has to satisfy the substantive trademark and non-generic requirements, and ICANN may examine the record and any concerns raised during review.
What an organization has to do to apply
The exact application materials and process can change, so an organization should use the current Applicant Guidebook and ICANN’s official closed-generics FAQ when preparing an application. The following sequence captures the decisions an applicant must make without treating the process as a simple purchase.
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- Confirm the applicant’s standing. Establish that the applicant is an eligible public or private organization and identify the legal entity that would be responsible for the registry.
- Classify the proposed string. Determine whether the string describes a general category or identifies a particular trademark. A word that sounds brand-like is not automatically non-generic, and a trademark registration does not automatically satisfy every .Brand condition.
- Choose a lawful registration model. For a generic string, the application must not intend exclusive use by one person or entity under the current rules. For a possible .Brand, map the proposed restrictions to every Specification 13 condition.
- Prepare trademark evidence when relevant. A .Brand applicant must be ready to provide an accurate and complete copy of the registration and show that the TLD is identical to the protected textual elements.
- Document registry capability. The application must address the operational, technical, and financial capability required to run a registry, including the systems and personnel needed to maintain the zone and enforce its registration policy.
- Make the required affirmations. Current applicants affirm that they do not intend to operate a generic string exclusively for themselves or their affiliates. That statement is incompatible with a proposed closed generic.
- Prepare for public review. Application comments can raise questions about generic meaning, exclusivity, or trademark qualification. The applicant should be able to answer those issues with evidence rather than relying on the label “private.”
- Recheck the governing documents. ICANN application materials and process details can change. Before filing or advising an applicant, confirm the then-current Guidebook and official FAQ, including any later methodology for public-interest evaluation.
Can a company own its own domain extension?
In ordinary language, a company can seek to run a TLD associated with its organization, but it is not purchasing an extension in the way it buys a second-level domain. The company must apply to create and operate a registry and meet ICANN’s requirements.
A company may be able to restrict a qualifying .Brand zone to itself, affiliates, and trademark licensees. It cannot use the same approach for a generic category term under the current policy. The decisive questions are what the string means, what trademark rights exist, and whether the proposed registration and DNS controls fit the applicable ICANN rules.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you keep everyone else from registering under your TLD?
For a generic string, not under the current 2026-round rules. An applicant must affirm that it does not intend to limit the generic string exclusively to a single person or entity, and the Board has said closed-generic applications will not be permitted until public-interest criteria are approved.
For a qualifying .Brand TLD, restricted access is the purpose of the Specification 13 exception. The permitted group is limited to the operator, affiliates, and trademark licensees, and those parties must also be the ones allowed to control DNS records at any level. A proposed restriction outside that group would need to be assessed against the specification rather than assumed to be allowed.
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Questions that require a string-by-string assessment
No general explanation can decide whether a particular proposed string is generic or whether a particular trademark qualifies. The Guidebook’s examples show why context matters: a term such as .tree or .banana can describe a broad class, while a similar-looking string might be considered in a .Brand context if it is identical to valid trademark text and meets the non-generic requirements.
The applicant’s evidence, the meaning of the term, the scope of the trademark registration, and the intended registration policy all matter. An organization should not assume that an existing trademark alone guarantees approval, that a closed internal use case overrides the generic-string rule, or that a quiet community comment period proves qualification.
Practical checklist for prospective applicants
- Identify whether you are applying to operate a registry or merely seeking a name under an existing TLD.
- Define the proposed string’s ordinary meaning and assess whether it denotes a general category.
- For a .Brand strategy, verify that the string is identical to textual elements in a valid registered trademark.
- Confirm that the proposed TLD is not a Generic String TLD.
- List every class of intended registrant and DNS controller and compare it with the permitted classes.
- Gather evidence of operational, technical, and financial capability to run the registry.
- Review the current Applicant Guidebook, the closed-generics FAQ, and any active ICANN review requirements before relying on an older explanation.
- Plan for application comments and be prepared to support the classification and registration model with documents.
Current status to keep in mind
The Applicant Guidebook version addressed here is V3 dated October 7, 2026. It requires the no-exclusive-use affirmation for applied-for generic strings and reflects the Board’s January 2024 position on closed generics. Because ICANN can update application materials and procedures, the latest official documents should control any filing or legal advice.
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