What is the UDRP?
The Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) is the ICANN policy that lets a trademark owner challenge a domain name registered and used in bad faith. Adopted in 1999, it applies to every generic top-level domain, including .com, .net and .org, and is binding on every registrant through their registration agreement.
Cases are decided on written submissions by independent panelists appointed by approved providers such as WIPO, the Forum (formerly NAF) and CIIDRC. There is no hearing, and the only remedies are transfer or cancellation of the domain.
The three elements a complainant must prove
To win, the complainant must show that the domain is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark in which it has rights, that the respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain, and that the domain was registered and is being used in bad faith.
All three must be proven. Panels deny complaints where the respondent shows a genuine business, a fair use or a registration that predates the trademark, and they can find reverse domain name hijacking where a complaint was brought in bad faith.
How long a UDRP takes and what it costs
A typical case runs about two months from filing to decision. The respondent normally has 20 days to reply after the proceeding commences, and a transfer is implemented 10 business days after the decision unless a court action is filed.
Provider fees depend on the provider, the number of domains and panel size. At WIPO, the base fee for 1 to 5 domains is USD 1,500 with a single panelist. Counsel fees are usually the larger cost.
Search every UDRP decision
Westmore indexes more than 100,000 UDRP decisions across providers. Search by domain, case number, complainant, respondent, panelist, law firm or legal issue, and read a plain-English summary of each outcome alongside the full decision text.
For practitioners, the corpus shows how panels have ruled on comparable facts, which arguments carry weight and how often complaints succeed, so you can assess a case or a defence on evidence rather than instinct.
What does UDRP stand for?+
UDRP stands for the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, the ICANN policy for resolving disputes over domain names that allegedly infringe trademark rights. Every registrant of a generic top-level domain agrees to it when they register.
Who decides a UDRP case?+
An independent panel of one or three panelists appointed by an approved provider such as WIPO, the Forum or CIIDRC decides each case on written submissions. Panelists are typically experienced intellectual property lawyers or academics.
Can a UDRP decision be appealed?+
There is no internal appeal. A losing party can file a court action in an appropriate jurisdiction within 10 business days of the decision, which suspends implementation of the transfer while the case proceeds.
What is reverse domain name hijacking?+
Reverse domain name hijacking (RDNH) is a finding that the complainant brought the UDRP in bad faith, for example to pressure a legitimate owner into giving up a domain. It carries no financial penalty but is published in the decision.
Does the UDRP apply to .ca and other country domains?+
The UDRP covers generic top-level domains. Many country-code registries have their own policies; .ca disputes, for example, are handled under CIRA's Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (CDRP), while some ccTLDs have adopted the UDRP directly.
Is it better to file a UDRP or buy the domain?+
If the owner has a plausible legitimate interest, a UDRP risks a denial, a public record and even an RDNH finding. In those cases a confidential acquisition is often faster and more certain. Westmore helps buyers weigh both paths.