Types of gTLD

Community and Standard gTLDs

ICANN currently plans to group applications for a new gTLD into two categories: Community-based and Standard. To succeed in a bid, you must understand the requirements of these categories, which are currently only loosely defined:

Community-based application

Community applications must be “operated for the benefit of a defined community consisting of a restricted population”. Community-based applications are principally intended for cities, linguistic communities and culturally cohesive regions, although other types of communities would be considered under ICANN’s definition.

A Community-based application requires written endorsement by an established institution representing the community – for cities and geographic regions this would be local and possibly national government.

A Community-based application trumps a Standard application if there is competition between two or more successfully evaluated applications for an identical domain string.

However, Community-based applications are subject to stringent evaluation and post delegation contractual obligations, when compared to Standard applications.

Standard application

A Standard application is defined as “an application that has not been designated as Community-based”.

Standard applications are the default type of application, as ICANN considers Community-based applications as suiting only ‘a narrow category’ of applicants.

Registry operations for successful Standard applications are not subject to the same degree of restriction as Community-based applicants. For example, there is no need to consult or involve a community in the development and modification of registration policies and operational practices.

ICANN will not approve applications for domains whose character strings are identical or confusing similar. Such applications will be subject to formal Objection, Contention and Dispute Resolution Processes (which for very popular terms could ultimately feature participation in an auction) to determine the winning applicant.