An applicant may withdraw its application at any time during the application and evaluation process. As part of the withdrawal request, an applicant can indicate whether or not they would like to receive a refund. The refund amount is dependent on where an application is in the process when the applicant decides to withdraw. There are three refund windows (see section 2.3.3.1):
- The first window spans from the receipt of the applicant's gTLD evaluation fee to ten days after String Confirmation Day, during which 65% of the gTLD evaluation fee paid is eligible for refund.
- The second window covers the period from 11 days after String Confirmation Day until the start of the Application and Applicant Evaluation, with 35% of the gTLD evaluation fee paid eligible as a refund. Applicants will be notified when the Application and Applicant Evaluation is expected to begin. This will happen after the conclusion of the String Evaluation phase or after contention set resolution, if applicable.
- The third window extends from the initiation of an Application and Applicant Evaluation up to the point at which the applicant enters into a Registry Agreement with ICANN, allowing for a 20% refund of the gTLD evaluation fee paid.
Fees for conditional evaluations that have been paid but for which the evaluation has not started may also be refunded if the application status is categorized as "Withdrawn" (meaning that the application has been voluntarily terminated by the applicant, which is an irreversible process); "Pending Termination"; or "Terminated" (meaning that the applicant has exhausted all available application paths, including but not limited to the challenge of an evaluation or appeal to an expert determination, and the application will not continue to proceed in the New gTLD Program).