ICANN 2026 Round Registry Service Provider Evaluation Program Closes August 12, 2026
09-Jul-2026
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Source : The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
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Visits : 34
LOS ANGELES - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will close the window to apply for the 2026 Round Registry Service Provider (RSP) Evaluation Program at 23:59 UTC on August 12, 2026, according to the official website of ICANN.
RSPs offer critical services – such as Domain Name System (DNS), Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP), and DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC), among others – on behalf of a registry operator. Some generic top-level domain (gTLD) registries provide their own back-end support, while others outsource these services to a third party. In either case, all new gTLD applicants must name an RSP that has been successfully evaluated by ICANN as part of their application.
RSPs need only qualify once, regardless of how many gTLD applicants they choose to support. The program streamlines gTLD application processing by separating the evaluation of the technical aspects of running a gTLD from the evaluation of the label.
A first evaluation period was open from November 19, 2024, to May 20, 2025. A second window to apply to be evaluated through the program has been open in parallel with the application period for the New gTLD Program.