.app Startup Policy

Startup periods applicable to .app

Period	Type
Qualified Launch Period	N/A
Sunrise	Start-Date

Definitions of registration periods:
1. Qualified Launch Period (“QLP”)
  1. Qualified Launch Period is a period where Charleston Road Registry d/b/a Google Registry (“Google Registry” or “Registry Operator”) may allocate second-level domains to selected registrants prior to the allocation of second-level domains in the Sunrise Period (as defined below). Registry Operator will select registrants that it believes may improve the overall understanding and quality of the top-level domain. This period may overlap with the Sunrise Period.
2. Sunrise Period
  1. Sunrise Period is an initial registration period, intended to protect trademark owners, which may overlap with the QLP Period but precedes the Early Access Period and general registration period. A registration is considered a Sunrise registration if it meets the application criteria described below and is accompanied by a valid Trademark Clearinghouse (“TMCH”) Signed Mark Data (“SMD”) file.
3. Early Access Period
  1. During the early access period, any interested registrant may register second-level domains in the Registry TLD. Early access period registrations will include a supplementary one-time registration fee on top of the regular domain price.
4. General Registration Period
  1. The general registration period will be a steady state phase for the duration of the Registry Operator’s operation of the Registry TLD. During the general registration period, any interested registrant may register second-level domains in the Registry TLD not registered at that time, and names shall be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to Section 2.3 and Registry Operator’s rights protection mechanisms set forth in Section 3.6 of the Registry-Registrar Agreement.
Qualified Launch Period
1. Registration Criteria
  1. In order to register a second-level domain during the QLP, the registrant must be invited by the Registry Operator.
2. Registration Process
  1. Registrant will provide its preference for a registrar from among the Registrars authorized by Registry to carry the TLD at the time.
  2. Registry will contact this Registrar to complete registration of such domain.
Sunrise Period
1. Criteria
  1. Sunrise registrations must be on behalf of qualified trademark owners of marks in the TMCH. The registrations in for Sunrise must be for second-level domains that are an identical match to their listed trademarks.
2. Application Fees
  1. The registration fees for the Sunrise and Landrush Periods are detailed in the TLD Pricing Policy.
3. Use of Brand
  1. Registry Operator may review Registrar communications related to the Sunrise Period. Registry Operator reserves all rights in its intellectual property, and will only permit registrars to use its proprietary brands, graphic symbols, logos, icons or other images if they are provided by or approved in writing by Registry Operator. At times, Registry Operator may specifically request that certain brand features or key phrases be used in conjunction with the top-level domain when presented on registrar web pages, email alerts, auction notices, and other communications used for processing applications, to provide confidence to registrants that such communications come from an authorized registrar of the TLD.
4. Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy
  1. Registry Operator will incorporate a Sunrise Dispute Resolution Policy ("SDRP"). The SDRP will allow challenges to Sunrise Period registrations by third parties for a 10-day period after acceptance of the registration based on the following four grounds: (i) at the time the challenged second-level domain was registered, the registrant did not hold a trademark registration of national effect (or regional effect) or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; (ii) the second-level domain is not identical to the mark on which the registrant based its Sunrise Period registration; (iii) the trademark registration on which the registrant based its Sunrise Period registration is not of national or regional effect or the trademark had not been court-validated or protected by statute or treaty; or (iv) the trademark registration on which the second-level domain registrant based its Sunrise Period registration did not issue on or before the effective date of the Registry Agreement and was not applied for on or before June 13, 2012, the day ICANN announced the generic Top-Level Domain applications received.
  2. After receiving a complaint challenging a Sunrise Period application via the "Help" link at www.google.com/registry ("Complaint"), the Registry Operator's designated contact ("Sunrise Contact") will review the Complaint to see if the Complaint reasonably asserts a legitimate challenge as defined by the SDRP. If the Complaint does not, the Sunrise Contact will email the complainant within 36 hours of the Complaint to indicate that the subject of the Complaint does not fall within the SDRP, and that Registry Operator considers the matter closed.
  3. If the Sunrise Contact requires further information from the Sunrise Period registrant or if the second-level domain is not found to have adequately met the Sunrise Period eligibility requirements ("SERs"), the Sunrise Contact will promptly notify the registrant of the action and the nature of the Complaint, and provide the registrant with the option to respond within ten days to cure the SERs deficiencies. All such actions will be ticketed in Google's customer relationship management software to maintain accurate SDRP processing records.
  4. If the registrant responds within 10 business days, its response will be reviewed by the Sunrise Contact to determine if the SERs are met. If the Sunrise Contact is satisfied by the registrant's response, the Sunrise Contact will then notify the complainant that the Complaint was ultimately denied and provide the reasons for the denial. If not, both the registrant and the complainant will be notified that the second-level domain will be released.
  5. Registry Operator reserves the right to suspend a second-level domain during the pendency of a SDRP dispute, and/or to cancel, transfer, or take other action deemed necessary in its discretion upon completion of its review and/or receipt of a decision under the SDRP. Upon receipt of a decision that the registration does not meet the SERs, Registry Operator expressly reserves the right to cancel, transfer, or take other action deemed necessary in its discretion.