ICANN has modified its Registrar Accreditation Application. The new application, which is effective immediately, represents the first significant change in 10 years to the application process, and was introduced to meet requirements in the new Registrar Accreditation Agreement adopted in 2009. Additional enhancements to the screening process were included based on community input that called for the strengthening of the requirements for registrar accreditation, and to address changes that have arisen in the registrar marketplace. The new application remains consistent with the Statement of Registrar Accreditation Policy.
In addition to enhancing the screening process, the new application has been designed to assist applicants with a fuller set of instructions and questions that are easier to understand and to answer more completely.
These modifications to the Registrar Accreditation Application were preceded by several changes to the registrar accreditation and information pages on the ICANN website, which together constitute the first steps in an on-going improvement process.
ICANN will continue to seek community input on additional application due diligence review procedures and the implementation of a set of terms and conditions to further improve the registrar accreditation screening and approval process. ICANN plans to introduce these additional measures for discussion within the community in the coming months.The new form is effective for all applications that are initiated as of today. Applications using the old form which were initiated prior to today will be accepted until 1 October 2010. In addition, the new application must be used by any entity that wishes to be the transferee for an existing registrar accreditation. The application fee remains the same for new applicants and now also applies to those applying to transfer an existing accreditation.