The Trademark Claims Notice informs the domain name registrant that a company or individual claims trademark rights to the term being registered. However, the Claims Notice does not prevent the registrant from registering the domain name.
The section below outlines what the claims notice is, who receives the notice and why, what the receiver of the notice can do when receiving a notice and what the implications are.
1. Domain Name Registrants in New Generic Top Level Domains (New gTLDs) may receive a “Trademark Claims Notice” when they try to register a domain name.
As a potential registrant, you may see a Trademark Claims Notice when you seek to register a domain name if your domain name matches a mark recorded in the TMCH.
The Trademark Claims Notice explains that a company or individual claims trademark rights to the term you’re trying to register, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t register and use the domain name. The Trademark Claims Notice includes the name of the entity that’s making the claim, the jurisdiction, the class of goods, and the contact information for the entity.
After a close review of the Notice, you may choose to go ahead with your domain name registration, or not.
If you do register the domain name, the trademark holder listed on the Trademark Claims Notice will receive a notification of your domain name registration.
Please note that there is a difference between the Claims Notice and Claims Notification:
Claims Notice:
- A Claims Notice is shown to a domain name registrant when they attempt to register a domain name that matches a trademark recorded in the TMCH.
- It warns the registrant that the domain they are trying to register matches a trademark record in the Clearinghouse.
- The registrant can still proceed with the registration but must acknowledge the notice.
- The Claims Notice is provided by the Trademark Database (TMDB).
Claims Notification:
- A Claims Notification is sent to the trademark holder if a domain name that matches their trademark is registered during the claims period.
- This notification informs the trademark owner that someone has registered a potentially infringing domain name.
- The Claims Notification is provided by the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH).
In essence, the difference between the Claims Notice and Claims Notification is who the information is sent to.
2. Reasons you may want to go forward with your domain name registration.
Your domain name registration may not infringe the rights of the trademark holder, even if there is a total or partial match with the domain name.
Examples of gTLD domain names that may not infringe the rights of the trademark holder include:
- Geographical Limitations:
Example: A trademark is registered in the Republic of Korea (ROK) but not in any Latin American countries. If the domain name is intended for use in Latin America and does not target South Korea, it may not infringe the trademark rights in South Korea.
- Different Goods or Services:
Example: If a trademark is registered for a specific category of goods (e.g., electronics), then it may not necessarily cover a different category (e.g., clothing). If you are using your domain name for different goods and services not covered by the trademark, it may not be considered an infringement.
- Generic Expressions in Mixed Trademarks:
Example: In the case of generic expressions registered as trademarks in mixed marks (with a logo), the protection applies to the mixed mark as a whole and not to the expression (domain name to be requested) in isolation. For example, a mixed mark that includes a generic term like “ice cream” in a logo does not necessarily prevent the registration of the domain name “icecream.com” if the domain name does not use the logo design.
- Non-Commercial Use:
Example: A domain name registered for personal, educational, or non-commercial use that matches a trademark registered for commercial purposes. If there is no intention of commercial competition, the use of the domain name may not be considered an infringement. If I want to register my last name as a domain name for a website aimed at explaining my family history, there should be no preference given to a trademark sharing the same word.
3. Things you should consider before moving forward with your domain name registration.
If your domain name matches a trademark recording in ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse, the trademark holder will receive a notification as soon as you finish your domain name registration.
The trademark holder may then evaluate your new registration and use of the domain name, and consider whether it is infringing of their trademark. If the trademark holder believes that the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith, they may seek to transfer the domain name to themselves via ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, or seek to suspend the domain name via ICANN’s Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) System.
If the trademark holder believes there is infringement on their trademark, they may file another type of legal action, including a court case in the jurisdiction of their trademark registration.
What to do if you receive a Claims Notice?
If you have received a Trademark Claims Notice and are seeking more information, we recommend referring to the trademark office of the relevant jurisdiction or the relevant decisions made under the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP).
UDRP Providers:
4. Lawyers and Legal Clinics Might Help
If you are considering registering a domain name that matches a trademark recorded in ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse (or in your own country’s national trademark organization), you may want to consult with legal counsel who specializes in intellectual property, free expression, and domain name issues. Legal counsel can provide guidance on the potential risks and legal implications associated with your registration. Legal clinics at some law schools around the world may also be able to help, such as the Universidad Católica del Norte in Chile.
Additionally, you should be aware of the terms and conditions of the domain name registrar you choose, as they may have specific policies related to trademark disputes and domain registrations.
Looking for more information? See below helpful links to relevant information published on the TMCH provider’s website.
Trademark Offices per jurisdiction:
| Country + website |
WIPO information |
| Afghanistan |
Afghanistan Central Business Registry and Intellectual Property Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Albania |
General Directorate of Patents and Trademarks Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy |
| Algeria |
Ministry of Industry, Small and Medium Sized Entreprises and Investment PromotionAlgerian National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) |
| Andorra |
Trademarks Office of the Principality of Andorra Department of Economy Ministry of Economy and Land Management |
| Angola |
Angolan Institute of Industrial Property Ministry of Geology, Mines and Industry |
| Antigua and Barbuda |
Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual Property & Commerce Office (ABIPCO) Ministry of Legal Affairs |
| Argentina |
National Institute of Industrial Property |
| Armenia |
Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Armenia Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia |
| Australia |
IP Australia Department of Industry |
| Austria |
The Austrian Patent Office Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology |
| Azerbaijan |
State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents of the Republic of Azerbaijan Industrial Property Objects Examination Center (AzPatent) |
| Bahamas |
Registrar General’s Department |
| Bahrain |
Directorate of Industrial Property Ministry of Industry and Commerce |
| Bangladesh |
Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) Ministry of Industries |
| Barbados |
Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) Ministry of International Business and International Transport |
| Belarus |
National Center of Intellectual Property (NCIP) State Committee on Science and Technologies |
| Belgium |
Office of Intellectual Property Directorate General Regulation and Market Organisation |
| Belize |
Belize Intellectual Property Office (BELIPO) |
| Benin |
National Industrial Property Center (CENAPI) Ministry of Industry and Commerce |
| Bhutan |
Industrial Property Division (IPD) Ministry of Economic Affairs |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) |
Servicio Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual (SENAPI) Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo y Economía Plural |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Botswana |
Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Brazil |
National Institute of Industrial Property Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (INPI) |
| Brunei Darussalam |
Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO) The Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) |
| Bulgaria |
Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (BPO) |
| Burkina Faso |
General Directorate of Industrial Property (DGPI) Ministry of Industrie, Trade and Craft |
| Burundi |
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism |
| Cabo Verde |
Institute of Intellectual Property of Cabo Verde Installation Committee |
| Cambodia |
Department of Industrial Property (DIP) Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy |
| Cambodia |
Intellectual Property Department (IPD) Ministry of Commerce |
| Cameroon |
Directorate of Technological Development and Industrial Property (MINMIDT) Ministry of Industry, Mines and Technological Development |
| Canada |
Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) Industry Canada |
| Central African Republic |
National Industrial Property Service Directorate of Industrial Development and Handicraft Ministry of Industry, Commerce, SME-SMI |
| Chad |
National Liaison Office with OAPI (SNL / OAPI) Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Chile |
National Institute of Industrial Property Ministry of Economy |
| China |
Trademark Office State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (SAIC) |
| Colombia |
Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio Ministerio de Industria, Comercio y Turismo |
| Comoros |
Intellectual Property Office (OCPI) Ministry of Energy, Mines, Industry and Handicrafts |
| Congo |
National Industrial Property Unit Directorate General of Industry (ANPI) Ministry of Industrial Development and Promotion of Private Sector |
| Costa Rica |
Registro de la Propiedad Industrial Registro Nacional Ministerio de Justicia y Paz |
| Côte d’Ivoire |
Ivorian Office of Intellectual Property (OIPI) Ministry for Industry and the Promotion of the Private Sector |
| Croatia |
State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia (SIPO) |
| Cuba |
Cuban Industrial Property Office (OCPI) Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment |
| Cyprus |
Department of Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism |
| Czech Republic |
Industrial Property Office |
| Democratic People’s Republic of Korea |
Trademark, Industrial Design and Geographical Indication Office (TIDGIO) of the DPR Korea State Administration for Quality Management of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (SAQM) |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Directorate of Industrial Property Secretariat for industry and small and medium enterprises (IPMEA) Ministry of Industry and SMEs |
| Denmark |
Danish Patent and Trademark Office Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Djibouti |
Ministry of Commerce and Industry Office of Industrial Property and Commerce (ODPIC) |
| Dominica |
Companies and Intellectual Property Office Ministry of Tourism and legal Affairs |
| Dominican Republic |
National Office of Industrial Property (ONAPI) State Secretariat for Industry and Commerce |
| Ecuador |
Ecuadorian Institute of Intellectual Property National Directory of Industrial Property |
| Egypt |
Trademarks and Industrial Designs Office Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| El Salvador |
National Center of Registries (CNR) |
| Equatorial Guinea |
Council of Scientific and Tecnological Research Presidency of the Government |
| Eritrea |
Domestic Trade and Intellectual Property Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Estonia |
The Estonian Patent Office |
| Ethiopia |
Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) |
| Fiji |
Office of the Attorney-General Ministry of Justice |
| Finland |
National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland |
| France |
National Institute of Industrial Property |
| Gabon |
Center of Industrial Property of Gabon (CEPIG) Ministry of Industry and Mines |
| Gambia |
Office of the Registrar General Attorney General’s Chambers Ministry for Justice |
| Georgia |
National Intellectual Property Center (Sakpatenti) |
| Germany |
German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) |
| Ghana |
Registrar General’s Department Ministry of Justice |
| Greece |
Trademark Office Directorate of Commercial and Industrial Property General Secretary for Commerce |
| Grenada |
Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) |
| Guatemala |
Registry of Intellectual Property Ministry of Economic Affairs |
| Guinea |
National Service of Industrial Property Ministry of Trade, Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises |
| Guinea-Bissau |
General Directorate of Industrial Property Ministry of Energy, Industry and Natural Resources |
| Guyana |
The Deeds Registry Ministry of Legal Affairs |
| Haiti |
Intellectual Property Service |
|
Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Holy See |
Judicial Office |
|
Central Offices |
| Honduras |
Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DIGEPIH) |
| Hungary |
Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO) |
| Iceland |
Icelandic Patent Office Ministry of Economic Affairs |
| India |
Office of the Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks Department of Industrial Policy Promotions Ministry of Commerce and Industry Government of India |
| Indonesia |
Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights |
| Indonesia |
Ministry of Law and Human Rights |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) |
Industrial Property Office Registration Organization of Deeds and Property of Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Iraq |
Industrial Property Department Central Organization for Standardization & Quality Control (COSQC) Ministry of Planning |
| Ireland |
Patents Office Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
| Israel |
Israel Patent Office Ministry of Justice |
| Italy |
Italian Patent and Trademark Office Directorate General of Combating Counterfeiting Ministry of Economic Development |
| Jamaica |
Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) |
| Japan |
Japan Patent Office (JPO), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) |
| Jordan |
Industrial Property Protection Directorate Ministry of Industry and Trade |
| Kazakhstan |
Committee of Intellectual Property Rights Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Kenya |
Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Kiribati |
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism |
| Kuwait |
Ministry of Trade and Industry Trademarks and Patents Department |
| Kyrgyzstan |
State Service of Intellectual Property and Innovation under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzpatent) |
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic |
Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Latvia |
Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia |
| Lebanon |
Office of Intellectual Property Department of Intellectual Property Directorate General of Economy and Trade Ministry of Economy and Trade |
| Lesotho |
Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs Registrar General’s Office |
| Liberia |
Liberia Industrial Property Office (LIPO) Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Libya |
Intellectual Property Department Scientific Research, Cooperation and Innovation Department National Authority for Scientific Research (NASR) Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research |
| Liechtenstein |
Bureau of Intellectual Property Office of Economic Affairs |
| Lithuania |
State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania |
| Luxembourg |
Ministère de l’économie et du Commerce extérieur, Direction de la propriété intellectuelle |
| Madagascar |
Malagasy Industrial Property Office |
| Malawi |
Department of the Registrar General Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs |
| Malaysia |
Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia |
| Maldives |
Intellectual Property Unit Ministry of Economic Development |
| Mali |
Malian Centre for the Promotion of Industrial Property (CEMAPI) Ministry of Trade and Industry |
| Malta |
The National IP Office of Malta Commerce Department Ministry for Fair Competition, Small Business and Consumers |
| Mauritania |
Directorate of Industry Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and Tourism |
| Mauritius |
Industrial Property Office (IPO) Regional Integration and International Trade Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Mexico |
Mexican Institute of Industrial Property |
| Monaco |
Intellectual Property Division Directorate of Economic Expansion Department of Finance and Economy |
| Mongolia |
Intellectual Property Office of Mongolia |
| Montenegro |
Intellectual Property Office of Montenegro |
| Morocco |
Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office |
| Mozambique |
Industrial Property Institute (IPI) Ministry of Industry and Commerce |
| Myanmar |
Department of Technical and Vocational Education Ministry of Science and Technology |
| Namibia |
Ministry of Trade and Industry Trade and Commerce Department |
| Nauru |
Department of Justice Office of the Registrar of Patents, Trade Marks and Copyright |
| Nepal |
Department of Industry Ministry of Industry |
| Netherlands |
Bureau of Intellectual Property Aruba |
| Netherlands |
Bureau of Intellectual Property Curaçao |
| New Zealand |
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) Ministry of Economic Development |
| New Zealand |
Office for Tokelau Affairs |
| Nicaragua |
Intellectual Property Registry (RPI) Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MIFIC) |
| Niger |
Direction of Innovation and Industrial property Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Promotion of young entrepreneurs |
| Nigeria |
Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment |
| Norway |
Patentstyret (Norwegian Industrial Property Office) |
| Oman |
Intellectual Property Department Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Pakistan |
Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) |
| Palau |
Ministry of Resources and Development |
| Panama |
Directorate General of the Industrial Property Registry Ministry of Commerce and Industries |
| Papua New Guinea |
Intellectual Property Office of Papua New Guinea (IPOPNG) |
| Paraguay |
Ministry of Industry and Trade Directorate General of Intellectual Property |
| Peru |
Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property Protection (INDECOPI) |
| Philippines |
Intellectual Property Office of Philippines (IPOPHIL) |
| Poland |
Polish Patent Office |
| Portugal |
Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property Ministry of Justice |
| Qatar |
Industrial Property Office Trademarks, Industrial Designs & G.I. Competent administration Ministry of Business and Trade, Department of Commercial Registration and Licensing |
| Republic of Korea |
Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) |
| Republic of Moldova |
State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) |
| Romania |
State Office for Inventions and Trademarks |
| Russian Federation |
Federal Service for Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT) |
| Rwanda |
Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Office of the Registrar General |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
Intellectual Property Office The Registrar of IP |
| Saint Lucia |
Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Commerce and Intellectual Property Office |
| Samoa |
Registrar of Patents, Trade Marks and Industrial Designs Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) |
| San Marino |
Department of External Affairs State Office for Patents and Trademarks |
| Sao Tome and Principe |
Industrial Property National Service (SENAPI) Directorate of Industry Ministry of Planning and Development |
| Saudi Arabia |
Trade Mark Section Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Senegal |
Senegalese Agency of Industrial Property and Innovation Techologique (ASPIT) Ministry of Trade, Industry and Handicraft |
| Serbia |
Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia |
| Seychelles |
Registration Division Department of Legal Affairs President’s Office |
| Sierra Leone |
Administrator and Registrar-General’s Department |
| Singapore |
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) |
| Slovakia |
Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic |
| Slovenia |
Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) Ministry of Economic Development and Technology |
| Solomon Islands |
Ministry of Police and Justice Registrar-General’s Office |
| Somalia |
Ministry of Industry, Patents and Trade Marks Office |
| South Africa |
Department of Trade and Industry Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) |
| Spain |
Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism Spanish Patent and Trademark Office |
| Sri Lanka |
National Intellectual Property Office of Sri Lanka |
| Sudan |
Registrar General of Intellectual Property Ministry of Justice |
| Suriname |
Bureau of Intellectual Property Ministry of Justice and Police |
| Swaziland |
Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade Intellectual Property Office |
| Sweden |
Swedish Patent and Registration Office (SPRO) |
| Switzerland |
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property |
| Syrian Arab Republic |
Directorate of Commercial and Industrial Property Protection (DCIP) Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection |
| Tajikistan |
National Center for Patents and Information (NCPI) Ministry of Economic Development and Trade |
| Thailand |
Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) Ministry of Commerce |
| the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |
State Office of Industrial Property (SOIP) |
| Timor-Leste |
Department of the Legal and Treaties Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Timor-Leste |
National Director of Human Rights and Citizenship Ministry of Justice |
| Togo |
National Institute for Industrial Property and Technology (INPIT) Ministry of Trade, Industry, Transport and Development of the Free Zone |
| Tonga |
The Registry & Intellectual Property Office (RIPO) Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries |
| Trinidad and Tobago |
Intellectual Property Office Ministry of Legal Affairs |
| Tunisia |
National Institute for Standardization and Industrial Property (INNORPI) Ministry of Industry and Technology |
| Turkey |
Turkish Patent Institute |
| Turkmenistan |
State Service on Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan |
| Tuvalu |
Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Public Corporations |
| Uganda |
Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) |
| Ukraine |
State Enterprise “Ukrainian Institute of Industrial Property” (SE UIPV) |
| Ukraine |
State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine (SIPS) |
| United Arab Emirates |
Trademark Department Ministry of Economy |
| United Kingdom |
Intellectual Property Office Information Centre |
| United Republic of Tanzania |
Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) Ministry of Industry and Trade |
| United Republic of Tanzania |
Registrar General’s Office Ministry of Justice and Constitutional’s Affairs |
| United States of America |
United States Department of Commerce United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
| Uruguay |
National Directorate of Industrial Property Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining |
| Uzbekistan |
Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Uzbekistan |
| Vanuatu |
The Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Vanuatu, Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) |
Autonomous Service of Intellectual Property (SAPI) Ministry of Popular Power for Trade |
| Viet Nam |
National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment |
| Yemen |
Ministry of Industry and Trade, General Department for Intellectual Property Protection |
| Zambia |
Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry |
| Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office (ZIPO) Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs |
| OAPI |
African Intellectual Property Organization |
| ARIPO |
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization |
| WIPO |
World Intellectual Property Organization |
| BOIP |
Benelux Office for Intellectual Property |
| OHIM |
Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) |
