.BIZ Domain Registration
Who is eligible to register .BIZ?
The .BIZ domain is intended for business or commercial use. It is ideal for enterprises or individuals with e-commerce web sites. You do not have to be a registered or incorporated business to register a .BIZ domain. However, you do need to be involved in the exchange of goods, services or property; the ordinary course of trade or business; or the facilitation of any the aforementioned. A .BIZ domain can not be used for personal or non-commercial use, and not solely for the purposes of selling, trading or leasing the domain name for compensation; or used for the expression of non-commercial ideas.
The domain name must conform to standard rules for domain names:
- Only characters in the range A to Z, 0 to 9 and hyphen are allowed
- Names can not begin or end with a hyphen
- The maximum length is 63 characters (exclusive of the .BIZ portion)
How long can I register my .BIZ domain for?
A .BIZ domain can be registered for a minimum of two years and up to a maximum of 10 years.
What was the Intellectual Property (IP) Claim Period?
The IP Claim period is designed to help organizations protect their intellectual property by allowing them to file a claim on a domain name.
Who was eligible to register an Intellectual Property (IP) Claim for .BIZ?
Owners of trademarks, common law trademarks or service marks can file IP Claims to protect their valuable intellectual property.
How does the Intellectual Property (IP) Claim process work?
The process works by notifying the prospective applicant or applicants of:
- the name of each business or entity that submitted the IP Claim(s);
- a description of the goods/services for each IP mark;
- the date of first use in commerce for each IP mark; and
- the contact information for the person to receive legal correspondence for each Claim.
Once the domain name is registered, the IP Claimants are notified and provided with the Registrant's contact information.
An automatic 30-day hold is put on any domain name registration with an IP Claim against it. This provides Claimants with an opportunity to resolve any disputes, or take other appropriate action.
How does the Intellectual Property (IP) dispute process work?
IP Claimants are essentially first in line for resolving domain name disputes, using Standing in the Start-up Trademark Opposition Policy (STOP), a dispute process designed to save Claimants' valuable time and money. STOP makes it easier for trademark owners to demonstrate that a domain name was registered in "bad faith". It carries a lower burden of proof than the standard Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) and provides a more rapid forum for resolving conflicts. UDRP requires that a trademark or service mark owner demonstrate that a domain name was registered in bad faith AND used in bad faith; whereas, STOP requires that the trademark or service mark owner demonstrate that a domain name was registered in bad faith OR used in bad faith, not both. For example, registering a domain name for the sole purpose of selling it to a third party constitutes a violation of STOP.
*Please note: All information and dates are subject to change at any time.
