Single Webpage for ICANN Whois-Related Policies and Provisions

Originally posted: 15 April 2013
Last updated: 7 October 2014

This publication contains a current listing of the gTLD Whois-related agreement provisions and policies and is intended to provide easy access to this information.¹

GNSO Consensus Policies Concerning Whois
Procedures for Handling WHOIS Conflicts with Privacy Law
Registrar Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois
Registrar Advisories
Registry Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois

GNSO Consensus Policies Concerning Whois

ICANN's agreements with accredited registrars and with gTLD registry operators require compliance with various specifically stated procedures and also with "consensus policies." (See http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/consensus-policies). Sponsors and registry operators of sponsored TLDs may be required to comply with consensus policies in some instances. Some of these consensus policies relate to Whois issues. The following policies and procedures have been adopted to address Whois matters:

Whois Data Reminder Policy

Whois Marketing Restriction Policy

Restored Names Accuracy Policy

Additional Whois Information Policy

Procedures for Handling WHOIS Conflicts with Privacy Law

Registrar Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois

June 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

< http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/raa/approved-with-specs-27jun13-en.htm>

Section 1.21 – Definitions; Registry Database

Registrar Obligations

Sections 3.3.1, 3.3.4, and 3.3.8 – Public Access to Data on Registered Names
Section 3.5 – Rights in Data
Sections 3.7.5.7 and 3.7.8 – Business Dealings, Including with Registered Name Holders
Section 3.12.2 – Obligations Related to Provision of Registrar Services Provided by Third Parties

Term, Termination and Dispute Resolution

Section 5.5.2.1.3 – Termination of Agreement by ICANN

Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 7.4.5.2 – Negotiation Process on Proposed Revisions

Whois Accuracy Program Specification

Registration Data Directory Service (Whois) Specification

Specification on Privacy and Proxy Registrations

Data Retention Specification

Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities – Domain Name Registrants' Responsibilities

Transition Addendum to Registrar Accreditation Agreement

May 2009 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

<http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/raa/ra-agreement-21may09-en.htm>

Section 1.13 – Definitions; Registry Database

Registrar Obligations

Sections 3.3.1, 3.3.4 – Public Access to Data on Registered Names
Section 3.5 – Rights in Data
Section 3.7.5.7 – Business Dealings, Including with Registered Name Holders
Section 3.12.2 – Obligations of Third-Party Resellers

May 2001 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

<http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/raa/ra-agreement-21may09-en.htm>

Section 1.13 – Definitions; Registry Database

Registrar Obligations

Sections 3.3.1, 3.3.4 – Public Access to Data on Registered Names
Section 3.5 – Rights in Data

Registrar Advisories

<http://www.icann.org/en/resources/registrars/advisories>

Clarifications to the New gTLD Registry Agreement, Specification 4; and the 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement, Registration Data Directory Service (WHOIS) Specification (12 September 2014)

Registrar Implementation of the 2013 RAA's Whois Requirements (31 July 2013)

Registrar Advisory Concerning the "15-day Period" in Whois Accuracy Requirements (3 April 2003)

ICANN Announces Steps to Improve Whois Data Accuracy (3 September 2002)

Registrar Advisory Concerning Whois Data Accuracy (10 May 2002)

Registry Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois
1. .aero TLD Sponsorship Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/aero>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Sponsor; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Monthly Reporting
  
  Section 5—Whois is Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Public Whois Specification
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section A.4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section B.2.7 – Definition of "Whois Service"
  Section B.3.2 – Whois Service
2. .asia TLD Sponsorship Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/asia>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Sponsor; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5—Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part 6 – Public Whois
3. .biz Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/biz>
  
  Registry Agreement
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Sponsor; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Section 3.6 – Emergency Transition
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 2 – Registry Functions Activity Report
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 6 – List of Reserved TLD Strings
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 3.1.7 – Redemption Grace Period; Registrar Reporting Requirement
  Section 6 – IPv6
  7.1 – Bulk Transfer After Partial Portfolio Acquisition
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 4 – RDDS
  Section 6 – Emergency Thresholds
4. .cat TLD Sponsorship Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/cat>
  
  Section III.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4—Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5—Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part VI – Public Whois Specifications
5. .com Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/com>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Section 3.1(h) – Centralized Whois
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section A.5 – Monthly Report; Whois Service Activity
  Section C – Registry Functions Activity Report
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 6 – Performance Specifications
  Section 7 – Responsibilities of the Parties
  Section 9 – Implementation of new Protocols
  
  Appendix 8 – Registry-Registrar Agreement
  
  Section 2.9 – Domain Name Lookup Capability
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement (SLA)
  
  Section 2 – SLA Credits
6. .coop Sponsored TLD Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/coop>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Sponsor; Handling of Sponsor Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Sponsor's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part V – Public Whois Specification
7. .info Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/info>
  
  Registry Agreement
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Section 3.6 – Emergency Transition
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 2 – Registry Functions Activity Report
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 6 – List of Reserved TLD Strings
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 6 – IPv6
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 4 – RDDS
  Section 6 – Emergency Thresholds
8. .jobs Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/jobs>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part VI – Public Whois Specification
9. .mobi TLD Sponsorship Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/mobi>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part 6 – Public Whois Specification
10. .museum TLD Sponsorship Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/museum>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Report
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
11. .name Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/name>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 9.1 – Additional Services; Bulk Transfer After Partial Portfolio Acquisition
  Section 10 – Implementation of New Standards
  
  Appendix 8 – Registry-Registrar Agreement
  
  Section 2.9 – Domain Name Lookup Capability
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 3.2 – Whois Service
  
  Appendix 11 – Registration Restrictions
  
  Section 3(b)(iii) – Defensive Registrations; Common Defensive Registration Eligibility Requirements
12. .net Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/net>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 6 – Performance Specifications
  Section 7.3 – Responsibilities of the Parties
  
  Appendix 8 – Registry-Registrar Agreement
  
  Section 2.9 – Domain Name Lookup Capability
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 2 – SLA Credits
13. .org Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org>
  
  Registry Agreement
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Section 3.6 – Emergency Transition
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 2 – Registry Functions Activity Report
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 6 – List of Reserved TLD Strings
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 6 – IPv6
  Section 7.1 – Bulk Transfer After Partial Portfolio Acquisition
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 2.4 – Degraded Performance
  Section 3.12 – Responsibilities of the Parties
14. .post Sponsored TDL Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/post>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part VI -- Public Whois Specification
15. .pro Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/pro>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  6(A)2. – Performance Specifications; Definitions
  6(A)3. – Performance Specifications; System Services
  6(A)4. – Service Levels (Availability and Performance)
  6(A)6. – Responsibilities of the Parties
  Exhibit A – Sampling and Testing Schedule
  
  Appendix 8, Exhibit G – Registry-Registrar Agreement
  
  Sections 1.19, 1.20 – Definitions
  Section 2.3 – Services; Whois Services
  Section 3 – Service Levels
  Section 5.1 – Credits; Calculation of Credits
  
  Appendix 10 – Service Level Agreement
  
  Section 2.4 – Degraded Performance
  Section 3.12 – Responsibilities of the Parties
  
  Appendix 11 – Registration Restrictions
  
  Section 8.3.4 – Verification Toolkit
  Section 8.4.4 – Continued Professional Standing – PS-SLD
  Section 9.1.2 – Compliance by Authorized Registrars
16. .tel Sponsored TLD Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/tel>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part VI – Public Whois Specification
17. .travel Sponsored TLD Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/travel>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 3 – Registry System Requirements
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part VI – Whois Specification – Public Whois
18. .xxx Sponsored TLD Registry Agreement
  
  <http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/xxx>
  
  Section 3.1(c)(v) – Covenants of Registry Operator; Handling of Registry Data; Whois Service
  
  Appendix 4 – Registry Operator's Monthly Reports
  
  Section 5 – Whois Service Activity
  
  Appendix 5 – Whois Specifications
  
  Appendix 7 – Functional and Performance Specifications
  
  Section 4 – Whois Service Requirements
  Section 7 – Performance Specifications
  
  Appendix S
  
  Part 6 – Public Whois Specification
  Attachment 1 -- .xxx Product List
19. New gTLD Registry Agreement (Form Of dated 9 January 2014)
  
  <http://newgtlds.icann.org/sites/default/files/agreements/agreement-approved-09jan14-en.htm>
  
  Section 2.13 – Emergency Transition
  
  Section 4.5 – Transition of Registry Upon Termination of Agreement
  
  Specification 3 – Registry Functions
  
  Section 2 – Activity Report
  
  Specification 4 – Registration Data Publication Services
  
  Specification 5 – Schedule of Reserved Names
  
  Section 3.1 – Reservations for Registry Operators
  
  Specification 10 – Registry Performance Specifications

¹ The listing contains the WHOIS-related agreement provisions and policies that address access to and accuracy of public registration data.

Single Webpage for ICANN Whois-Related Policies and Provisions

GNSO Consensus Policies Concerning Whois

Procedures for Handling WHOIS Conflicts with Privacy Law

Registrar Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois

June 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

May 2009 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

May 2001 Registrar Accreditation Agreement

Registrar Advisories

Registry Agreement Provisions Concerning Whois

.aero TLD Sponsorship Agreement

.asia TLD Sponsorship Agreement

.biz Registry Agreement

.cat TLD Sponsorship Agreement

.com Registry Agreement

.coop Sponsored TLD Agreement

.info Registry Agreement

.jobs Registry Agreement

.mobi TLD Sponsorship Agreement

.museum TLD Sponsorship Agreement

.name Registry Agreement

.net Registry Agreement

.org Registry Agreement

.post Sponsored TDL Agreement

.pro Registry Agreement

.tel Sponsored TLD Agreement

.travel Sponsored TLD Registry Agreement

.xxx Sponsored TLD Registry Agreement

New gTLD Registry Agreement (Form Of dated 9 January 2014)

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