What Is a UDRP Domain Dispute?

KB-7.4 · 1 min · Updated September 2026

UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) is ICANN's standard process for resolving disputes over who should rightfully hold a domain name, most commonly used when someone believes a domain was registered in bad faith to profit from their trademark.

To win a UDRP complaint, the person filing it has to show three things: the disputed domain is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark they hold rights to; the current domain holder has no legitimate rights or interest in the name; and the domain was both registered and is being used in bad faith.

The process runs through approved dispute-resolution providers (WIPO's Arbitration and Mediation Center is the best known) rather than through courts. The registrant typically has about 20 days to respond once a complaint is filed, a panel decision usually follows within a couple of weeks after that, and the losing side's registrar implements the decision within about 10 business days if it isn't appealed to court. Altogether, a UDRP case usually resolves in roughly two months.

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