ICANN updates 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook with minor revisions
ICANN has introduced minor updates to the 2026 gTLD Applicant Guidebook, including corrections, added references, and fee details.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has made minor revisions to the Applicant Guidebook for the New gTLD Program: 2026 Round.
The Applicant Guidebook sets out the rules and procedures for organisations applying to create new generic top-level domains, such as ‘.example’. It is a key document in the domain name application process.
According to ICANN, the latest updates follow a review of the guidebook since its publication in December 2025. The changes include grammatical and typographical corrections, as well as adjustments to ensure consistent terminology.
The revised version also incorporates additional information, including the fee for Community Priority Evaluation and a link to the 2026 Base Registry Agreement.
ICANN stated that all updates were classified as minor under its Predictability Framework, which governs how changes to the programme are managed. The relevant oversight body, the Standing Predictability Implementation Review Team, was notified of the revisions.
The updated guidebook is available on ICANN’s website as preparations continue for the 2026 round of domain name applications.
