ICANN - Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

04/22/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/22/2025 03:22

Reminder: ICANN RSP Pre-Evaluation Program Closes 20 May 2025

The pre-evaluation application submission period of the ICANN Registry Service Provider (RSP) Evaluation Program for the New Generic Top-level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round is set to close at 18:00 UTC on 20 May 2025. Launched on 19 November 2024, the program streamlines gTLD applications by separately evaluating the technical aspects of operating the gTLD from the application for the gTLD label.

The RSP Evaluation Program ensures that RSPs have the proper technical qualifications to run a gTLD back-end technical infrastructure. RSPs need only be evaluated once through the program, regardless of the number of gTLDs they support. This initial evaluation period (pre-evaluation) for this program will close on 20 May 2025. This allows ICANN org to begin testing and evaluating services, including Domain Name System (DNS) operations, DNS Security Extensions cryptographic functions, and publishing registration data via the Registration Data Access Protocol, among others.

All New gTLD Program: Next Round applicants must use RSPs that have been successfully evaluated through the RSP Evaluation Program. The RSP may be the same entity as the prospective applicant, or the gTLD may outsource services to a third-party.

ICANN org plans to publish public portions of the RSP Evaluation Program applications and list RSP applicants that have successfully been evaluated to support New gTLD Program: Next Round applicants on 9 December 2025. Publishing the list of successfully evaluated RSPs before the gTLD application window opens allows new gTLD applicants an opportunity to enter conversations with evaluated RSPs before working on their gTLD applications.

For comprehensive information related to the RSP Evaluation Program, statistics about RSP Pre-Evaluation Program applicants, and the RSP Handbook along with instructions for accessing the RSP Portal can be found on the program webpage.

About ICANN

ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address - a name or a number - into your computer or other device. That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.