Base Registry Agreement

The New gTLD Program: 2026 Base Registry Agreement (2026 Base RA) outlines the rights and obligations of new gTLD registry operators and will serve as the form of contractual document between ICANN org and successful applicants in the New gTLD Program: 2026 Round.

The ICANN Board adopted the resolution approving the 2026 Base Registry Agreement on 12 March 2026.

Consistent with the outputs of the Final Report on the new gTLD Subsequent Procedures Policy Development Process , the 2026 Base RA is based on the existing Base gTLD RA, which was approved by the ICANN Board on 21 January 2024 incorporates changes from Board-approved policy recommendations; and includes other operational updates based on ICANN's experience since launching the 2012 round of the New gTLD Program.

For additional information, please refer to the list of FAQs developed for the 2026 Base RA.

Version History and Public Comment Proceedings

ICANN opened two Public Comment proceedings on the 2026 Base RA to seek input from the community, including potential 2026 gTLD applicants. The Public Comment Summary and Analysis Reports can be found at the links below.

1. Public Comment Summary and Analysis Report #1
2. Public Comment Summary and Analysis Report #2 (updated 26 February 2026)

Two additional documents were posted for separate Public Comment proceedings:

1. Specification 14 (the Specification for Variant TLDs) – Public Comment Summary and Analysis Report.
2. Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) Requirements – This is a n ancillary document referenced in Section 1 of Specification 7 of the 2026 Base RA. The Public Comment Summary and Analysis Report for this proceeding can be found here.

The table below provides an overview of the version history of the 2026 Base RA. The latest version in English and approved by the ICANN Board is the authoritative version.

The 2026 Base RA will be added to the New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook as Appendix 4.