Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content

PDP Transfer Policy Review

Last Updated:

Please note that the documents linked below related to the PDP are provided for informational purposes. Some documents are produced by the GNSO and others are not. To learn about the materials on the Active Project pages, please see this overview.

Background

The Transfer Policy, formerly referred to as the Inter‐Registrar Transfer Policy (IRTP), is an ICANN consensus policy governing the procedure and requirements for registrants to transfer their domain names from one registrar to another.

On April 22, 2019, ICANN Org delivered the Transfer Policy Status Report to the GNSO Council pursuant to Recommendation 18 of the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy (IRTP) Part D PDP Working Group's Final Report. Recommendation 18 states, "[t]he Working Group recommends that contracted parties and ICANN should start to gather data and other relevant information that will help inform a future IRTP review team in its efforts."

During its meeting on September 19, 2019, the GNSO Council agreed to launch a call for volunteers for a Transfer Policy Review Scoping Team. The Scoping Team was tasked with advising the GNSO Council by providing recommendations on the approach to the review (for example, by initiating a new PDP), the composition of the review team or PDP working group, and the scope of the review and future policy work related to the Transfer Policy.

On April 6, 2020, the Transfer Policy Review Scoping Team delivered its Transfer Policy Review Scoping Paper to the GNSO Council for its consideration. The Scoping Team recommended that the GNSO Council instruct ICANN Policy staff to draft an Issues Report, outlining, et.al., the issues described in its Scoping Report. On 23 June 2020, the GNSO Council voted to approve a motion requesting a Preliminary Issue Report, for delivery as expeditiously as possible, on the issues identified in the Transfer Policy Initial Scoping Paper, to assist in determining whether a PDP or series of PDPs should be initiated regarding changes to the Transfer Policy.

On 18 February 2021, The GNSO Council passed a resolution to initiate a two-phased PDP to review the Transfer Policy. The PDP working group is tasked with determining if changes to the policy are needed to improve the ease, security, and efficacy of inter-registrar and inter-registrant transfers.

The Phase 1(a) working group held its first meeting on 14 May 2021 and publisted its Phase 1(a) Initial Report on 21 June 2022.

During the course of its Phase 1 work, the working group recognized that certain Phase 2 topics must be addressed before Phase 1 recommendations could be fully developed. Specifically, the working group observed that the charter questions related to the Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy (TDRP) and the Transfer Emergency Action Contract (TEAC), two Phase 2 topics, were dependencies for both Phase 1(a) and Phase 1(b) recommendations. As a result, the leadership team prepared a Project Change Request (PCR) to update its work plan to (i) consolidate all work into a single phase and (ii) change the order in which topics were to be considered. The GNSO Council approved the PCR during its meeting on 16 February 2023. Because the PDP was initially chartered in two phases, as a consequence of the approved PCR, the charter was updated to include minor revisions to remove references to phases.

See the latest update of current PDP efforts in the GNSO Policy Briefing here.

Status

Working Group Status

Web Presence

Responsible Staff Members

  • Caitlin Tubergen
  • Julie Hedlund
  • Christian Wheeler
  • Feodora Hamza

Working Group Members & Leadership and GNSO Liaison

For the latest information and status on this project:

GNSO Council Request for Preliminary Issue Report

Adopted on: 24 June 2020

Summary: The GNSO Council hereby requests the preparation of a Preliminary Issue Report, for delivery as expeditiously as possible, on the issues identified in the Transfer Policy Initial Scoping Paper, to assist in determining whether a PDP or series of PDPs should be initiated regarding changes to the Transfer Policy.

Resolution

Preliminary Issue Report

Submitted on: 12 October 2020

Final Issue Report

Submitted on: 12 January 2021

GNSO Resolution on the Initiation of the PDP:

Adopted on: 18 February 2021

Summary: The GNSO Council hereby initiates a two-phased PDP to Review the Transfer Policy which will determine if changes to the policy are needed to improve the ease, security, and efficacy of inter-registrar and inter-registrant transfers.

The GNSO Council requests that the PDP Working Group be convened as soon as possible after the adoption of the PDP Working Group Charter in order to fulfill the requirements of this PDP.

Resolution

Working Group Charter

Charter Originally Adopted on: 24 March 2021

Input from Supporting Organizations/Advisory Committees and GNSO Stakeholder Groups/Constituencies

Working Group Initial Report

Submitted on: 21 June 2022

Working Group Supplemental Initial Report

Submitted on: 01 August 2024

Working Group Final Report

Submitted on: TBD

GNSO Adoption of the Final Report

Adopted on: TBD

GNSO Council Report to the ICANN Board

Adopted on: TBD

Public Comment Prior to ICANN Board Consideration

Submitted on: TBD

Notification by the ICANN Board to the GAC to Request Input on Whether Policy Recommendations Raise Public Policy Issues

Submitted on: TBD

Board Paper

Submitted on: TBD

ICANN Board Resolution Text

Adopted on: TBD

Notice of Policy Actions

Adopted on: TBD

Implementation Details

  • TBD

Additional Information