Implementing Policy at ICANN

ICANN coordinates the Internet's unique identifiers – domain names and IP addresses – across the world and defines policies for how these identifiers should run (learn more). Policies for generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are developed within the Generic Names Supporting Organization's (GNSO) Policy Development Processes (PDPs). Once the policy recommendations emerging from these PDPs are approved by the ICANN Board, ICANN's Global Domains Division (GDD) implements them according to guidelines established in the Consensus Policy Implementation Framework (v2018) (CPIF).

How is Policy Implemented?

The CPIF is a five-stage process designed to make implementations predictable and transparent. During each implementation project, GDD staff consults with the wider community by:

1. Assembling a team of volunteer experts—an Implementation Review Team, or IRT—in the relevant subject matter to provide advice and support.
2. Conducting public comment periods on proposed plans and methods.

Learn more. View the CPIF infographic:
English | العربية | Español | Français | Português | Pусский | 中文

Policy Effective Dates

Policies developed within the GNSO and implemented by GDD affect many companies and organizations in the domain name industry. ICANN has committed to simplifying implementation via the Policy Change Calendar Initiative [PDF, 166 KB], which aims to provide contracted parties with a consistent, predictable timetable for updating their operations to meet new policy requirements.

Since May 2015, GDD has worked to bundle the announcement and effective dates for related policies. Policies within a bundle are announced together, which triggers a window of at least six months for contracted parties to update their operations to ensure compliance with the new policies. Effective dates are the same for all policies in a bundle, which are noted in the announcement.

Learn more about the policy change calendar initiative [PDF, 166 KB].

Implementation Projects In Progress

Privacy and Proxy Services Accreditation

Registration Data Policy for All gTLDs (EPDP Phase 1 Implementation)

Subsequent Procedures Implementation

Implementation Projects On Hold

Translation and Transliteration of Contact Information

Protection of IGO and INGO Identifiers in All gTLDs

Policy Development Processes

The following are GNSO PDPs nearing completion that may result in consensus policy recommendations. If the ICANN Board approves these recommendations, they will become implementation projects to be carried out by GDD staff:

Transfer Policy Review Policy Development Process

Expedited Policy Development Process for Internationalized Domain Names

Updated 30 July 2024

Click here to download the PDF version of the Implementation Projects Timeline with clickable links.

Policy Reviews

Per the mandate of the "Support and Review" phase of the CPIF, ICANN org and the GNSO Council periodically produce and review Policy Status Reports in order to assess the effectiveness and impact of an implemented Consensus Policy.

Policy Status Report: Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy

Resources

ccNSO Implementation Materials

• Implementation Report on the ccTLD Retirement Policy

Implementation Guidelines

• Guidelines for ICANN GDS Staff Liaisons to PDPs

• Implementation Review Team (IRT) Principles and Guidelines [PDF, 76 KB]

• Process to update the RDAP profile in a Policy Implementation Project

Next Round Status Updates

• Status Update: New gTLD Program: Next Round (ICANN80 Version)
• Status Update: New gTLD Program: Next Round (ICANN79 Version)

Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs Briefings

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN80 Update Briefing

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN79 Update Briefing

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN78 Update Briefing: Includes Status Update for the Next Round of New gTLDs

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN77 Update Briefing: Includes Status Update for the Next Round of New gTLDs

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN76 Update Briefing

• Policy Research and Stakeholder Programs (PRSP) Pre-ICANN75 Update Briefing

Relevant ICANN org webpages

• Adopted Consensus Policies

• GNSO Active Projects (links to Policy Development Processes)

• Registration Data at ICANN

Archives

The CPIF provides that ICANN org periodically revisit the Framework to encapsulate additional best practices or to adjust the steps as a result of lessons learned with previous Consensus Policy projects. Previous versions and tracking of changes between versions are archived in this section for reference.

Consensus Policy Implementation Framework (v2015) [PDF, 594 KB]

• Consensus Policy Implementation Framework (v2015 to v2018 tracked changes)

Completed Implementation Projects

Year	Activity/Working Group
2016	PDP- Thick WHOIS
2016	PDP - Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part D
2015	PDP - Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part C
2015	PDP - Locking of a Domain Name (UDRP Lock)
2015	PDP - Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part B
2013	PDP - Post-Expiration Domain Name Recovery Policy
2009	PDP - Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy Part A
2008	AGP (Add Grace Period) Limits Policy (Domain Tasting)
2008	Whois Conflicts with Privacy Law
2007	Policies for Contractual Conditions for Existing gTLDs
2007	PDP – Introduction of New Generic Top-Level Domains
2005	PDP - Registry Services Evaluation Process
2004	Expired Domain Deletion Policy
2004	Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy
2004	Restored Names Accuracy Policy
2004	Whois Marketing Restriction Policy
2003	Whois Data Reminder Policy

Contact Information

For questions or comments please contact: gdd-implementation@icann.org