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Continued Operations Instrument (COI)

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Overview

The purpose of the Continuing Operations Instrument (COI) is to ensure the availability of funds to provide continuity of service to registrants of new gTLDs should an issue with a registry arise. Per Specification 8 of the base Registry Agreement, Registry Operators shall have a Continued Operations Instrument that provides for sufficient financial resources to cover the five critical registry functions in Section 6 of Specification 10, for a determined time period as defined in Section 1 of Specification 8.

COI Obligation Release Service

The Registry Agreement requires that sufficient COI coverage is maintained for a term of six years from contract execution. As Registry Operators fulfill their 6-year obligation, TLDs will no longer be required to maintain a COI.

The COI Obligation End Release Service allows ICANN org to process the release of COI(s) that are no longer required per Specification 8 of the Registry Agreement.

COI Obligation Release Service Process Flow

COI Obligation Release Service Process Flow

*Processing may take up to 45 days

Processing will be completed in batches (based upon the expiry of COI obligations) at monthly intervals and may take up to 45 days to complete.

Registry Operators that utilize a COI allocation schedule will be notified of gTLD(s) coverage that may be removed from their COI document. While no action is required, Registry Operators may choose to work with their Issuing Bank to submit an amendment for the removal of gTLD(s) no longer requiring coverage.

Once the obligation to maintain COI coverage for all gTLDs listed on an allocation schedule of an instrument passes, ICANN organization will process the release of the COI document as per the above-outlined process.

Should a contracted party wish to seek a more expedited release of their document, they may choose to pro-actively amend their COI's Final Expiry date to match the date of their COI obligation end date via the COI Amendment Service, as an alternative to the above-outlined service.

COI Amendment Service

The COI Amendment Service provides a method for registry operators to request permission from the ICANN organization to change the value of their COI funds to align with the domain registrations under management (DUMs) projections for the gTLD.

The ICANN organization will be ensuring sufficiency of COIs as set forth in the Registry Agreement. Should ICANN find a COI is insufficiently funded at any time after a gTLD has been delegated, the registry operator will be referred to the COI Amendment Service and asked to amend their COI within 60 days.

Registry operators should submit a request via a service case in the Naming Services portal. A registry must be in good standing with the ICANN organization and its TLD must have been in General Availability/Registration (GA) for a minimum of six months prior to the request date in order to be eligible for a COI Amendment.

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