The iCann Register Applicant raised the price of my domain name to outrageous prices!
The icann register Applicant for the .icu extension raised the price of my domain name (its.icu) from $13 to over $750.00 that seems like entrapment to me? If I had the domain name on auto renew it would have taken the money. I don't want to pay that much for any domain name. seem like it would be illegal for them to do that?
Based on the New gTLD Program: 2026 Round Applicant Guidebook, the practice of raising renewal prices, including designating domain names as "premium" with higher fees, is generally permitted under ICANN policy, provided specific notification procedures are followed.
Here are the specific rules regarding pricing found in the sources:
• No Price Caps: The sources do not impose a maximum limit on what a Registry Operator can charge for a domain name. To the contrary, the financial evaluation templates explicitly include "Premium Fees" and "various pricing models" as acceptable components of a registry's revenue forecast,.
• Notification Requirements: While prices can change, the Registry Operator is contractually obligated to provide "advance notice of pricing changes to all registrars" in compliance with the time frames specified in the Registry Agreement.
• Registrar Obligations: A Registry Operator must maintain a Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA). While the Registry Operator sets the wholesale price, the Registrar (the company you bought the domain from) sets the retail price you pay. The Registry Operator is required to provide the Registrar with advance notice of price increases, allowing the Registrar time to notify you or adjust their auto-renewal settings.
Regarding your concerns about legality and "entrapment":
• Allowed Business Models: The Guidebook acknowledges that applicants may use strategies such as "premium naming" and "multi-year versus single-year registrations". This suggests that designating a domain as "premium" after the initial registration period (variable pricing) is a recognized business practice within the program's framework.
• Transparency: Registry Operators are required to operate in a "transparent manner" and must publish clear registration policies.
Important Note: The provided sources cover the rules for the 2026 Round of applications. The
.icu extension was delegated in a previous round. However, the requirement regarding "advance notice of pricing changes" is a standard obligation across ICANN Registry Agreements. If the Registry Operator provided the required notice to your Registrar, they likely complied with their ICANN contract. You may wish to check the terms of service you agreed to with your specific Registrar regarding how they handle premium price hikes on auto-renewal.