What Is a Trademark Claims Notice?
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A trademark claims notice warns that the domain name you are registering matches a trademark recorded in the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH). For some top-level domains (TLDs), the registry holds the registration until the domain’s registrant confirms the notice. If the notice is not confirmed within 48 hours, the registration is cancelled and you are not charged.
The Trademark Clearinghouse is a database where trademark holders record their marks, so they are told when someone registers a matching domain name in one of the generic TLDs that ICANN has introduced since 2013. Claims notices can appear on TLDs such as .dev, .page, .how, and .win.
You do not need to own the trademark to register the domain. The notice tells the registrant about the trademark so they can decide whether to go ahead. If they confirm it and the registration completes, the trademark holder is notified and may take any action they consider appropriate.
What happens when I register a domain with a trademark claim?
The registration stays pending until the registrant confirms the claims notice. The notice goes to the email address of the domain’s registrant contact, which may not be yours. Whoever receives it should check their inbox, including the spam folder, and confirm the notice within 48 hours. DNSimple also emails you the deadline.
Note
If you register domains for someone else, ask them to look out for the claims notice.
Have more questions?
If the registrant did not receive the claims notice, or you have other questions about trademark claims notices, contact support, and we’ll be happy to help. You can also read more about domain registration at DNSimple.