The UDRP procedure lets a trademark owner recover a cybersquatted domain without going to court: you file a complaint with an ICANN-approved provider, prove three conditions and, if the panel agrees, the registrar transfers the name to you. A standard case before the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center costs USD 1,500 in official fees for one to five domains and, on the deadlines set in the Rules, usually runs to around two months. This guide is for brand owners and in-house teams deciding whether a complaint is worth filing.
Key takeaways
- The UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy) covers all generic domains such as .com and the country-code domains that have adopted it.
- You must prove all three elements of paragraph 4(a), including registration and use in bad faith.
- WIPO’s official fee for a single-panelist case with one to five domains is USD 1,500; the expedited one-month track introduced in March 2026 costs USD 4,000.
- The only remedies are transfer or cancellation: no damages, no costs.
- The registrar waits 10 business days before implementing a decision, in case the losing party goes to court.
What is the UDRP and when can you use it?
The UDRP is a policy adopted by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) in 1999 and built into every registration agreement for generic domains, so every holder of a .com, .net, .org or new gTLD has accepted it. It is governed by the UDRP Policy and the UDRP Rules, both last updated on 21 February 2024, plus each provider’s supplemental rules.
The WIPO Center reported on 14 January 2026 a record of over 6,200 domain name cases in 2025 and over 80,000 since 1999. WIPO also handles disputes for 87 country-code domains (ccTLDs), and .CO (Colombia), .MX (Mexico) and .ES (Spain) were among its ten busiest in 2025. Each ccTLD has its own policy, so the first question is always which rules apply to the extension in front of you.
What must you prove in a UDRP complaint?
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy sets three cumulative conditions. If one fails, the complaint fails.
- Identical or confusingly similar to your mark: a threshold test. Under the WIPO Overview 3.1, a national or regional trademark registration prima facie gives standing, wherever it was granted; unregistered rights can work if the mark has become a distinctive identifier of your goods or services.
- No rights or legitimate interests: you make a prima facie case and the burden shifts to the respondent, who may show (paragraph 4(c)) a bona fide offering of goods or services before notice of the dispute, that it is commonly known by the name, or legitimate non-commercial or fair use.
- Registered and used in bad faith: paragraph 4(b) lists typical evidence, such as registering to sell the name to you or a competitor, blocking you from reflecting your mark in a domain, disrupting a competitor, or attracting users for commercial gain through confusion with your mark.
The WIPO Jurisprudential Overview 3.1, published on 17 February 2026 and based on over 1,400 decisions, is the reference panels use. Two points from it matter in practice: a respondent’s silence does not win the case for you, and a domain registered before your trademark rights existed will generally not be found to have been registered in bad faith.
The UDRP procedure step by step
Before filing, gather dated evidence: screenshots of the site and any pay-per-click links, offers to sell, MX records showing email use, and certificates for every relevant mark. The formal stages then follow the Rules:
| Stage | What happens | Time limit (source) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Filing and fees | The complaint is filed with a provider such as the WIPO Center. Nothing happens until the fee is paid; if it is not paid within 10 calendar days, the complaint is deemed withdrawn. | Rules, para. 19 |
| 2. Registrar lock | The registrar confirms the registration data to the provider and locks the domain so it cannot be moved. | 2 business days (Rules, para. 4(b)) |
| 3. Compliance check and commencement | The provider reviews the complaint and forwards it to the respondent; that date starts the proceeding. | 3 calendar days after the fee is received (Rules, para. 4) |
| 4. Response | The respondent answers. It may ask for 4 extra calendar days. | 20 days from commencement (Rules, para. 5) |
| 5. Panel appointment | A single panelist, or three if either party elects it. | 5 calendar days after the response or its deadline (Rules, para. 6) |
| 6. Decision | The panel decides on the written record. There are no hearings as a rule. | 14 days from appointment (Rules, para. 15(b)) |
| 7. Notification | The provider sends the decision to the parties and the registrar; WIPO publishes it. | 3 business days (Rules, para. 16(a)) |
| 8. Implementation | The registrar transfers or cancels the domain unless it receives evidence of a court action. | 10 business days (Policy, para. 4(k)) |
The proceeding runs in the language of the registration agreement unless the parties agree otherwise or the panel decides differently (Rules, para. 11). Between Europe and Latin America, that may mean Spanish, Portuguese or English depending on the registrar, not on where your company sits.
How much does a UDRP complaint cost?
These are the official WIPO fees for UDRP cases (WIPO fee schedule, valid since 1 December 2002, with the services announced on 9 March 2026):
| Case type | 1 to 5 domains | 6 to 10 domains |
|---|---|---|
| Single panelist | USD 1,500 | USD 2,000 |
| Three panelists | USD 4,000 | USD 5,000 |
| Expedited, single panelist (30 calendar days or less) | USD 4,000 | Not available |
For more than ten domains, WIPO sets the fee on consultation. The complainant pays a single-panel case in full. If the respondent is the one who asks for three panelists, the fees are shared equally (Rules, para. 6). If you withdraw before the case is notified, WIPO keeps USD 100 for one to five domains; after commencement but before a panel is appointed, it keeps USD 500; after appointment there is no refund. Official fees exclude professional fees for preparing the complaint and evidence.
What happens after the UDRP decision?
If you win, the panel orders transfer or cancellation (Policy, para. 4(i)). Ask for transfer: a cancelled name can be registered again by anyone. If you lose, you can still go to court. The losing respondent can too: the 10-business-day window in paragraph 4(k) exists so it can sue in the “mutual jurisdiction” you accepted when filing, meaning the courts where the registrar has its principal office or where the holder’s address is located.
Two further rules matter. The holder cannot transfer the domain to someone else while the case is pending or for 15 business days after it ends (Policy, para. 8). And if the panel finds the complaint was brought in bad faith, it can declare reverse domain name hijacking (Rules, para. 15(e)), a public finding no brand owner wants on record.
What this means for your business
- Check the extension first: gTLDs use the UDRP; .eu goes through EURid’s alternative dispute resolution procedure; each ccTLD in Latin America and Africa has its own policy and provider.
- Audit your marks in the countries that matter. A registration in any jurisdiction gives standing, but a mark that post-dates the domain makes the bad faith element hard to prove.
- Preserve evidence before contacting anyone; a warning letter may simply alert the holder.
- Weigh speed against cost: the expedited track costs more but commits to one month.
If the same cybersquatter holds names in several extensions, our team handling domain name recovery through the UDRP and ccTLD procedures can coordinate them as one strategy instead of separate cases. Where trademark coverage is the weak point, it is worth reviewing your trademark registrations in Europe, Latin America and Africa before filing.
Where companies get the UDRP procedure wrong
- Warning the holder too early. The lock only applies once the complaint is filed. A cease-and-desist letter sent first can prompt the holder to move the name to another registrant.
- Assuming silence means victory. The panel still requires evidence on all three elements.
- Thin bad faith evidence. You must show how the name targets your mark and how it is used.
- Overreaching. Filing against a descriptive term, a legitimate reseller or a name registered before your mark risks a reverse domain name hijacking finding.
- Forgetting what comes after. Court follow-up may be needed in the registrar’s or holder’s country; our IP enforcement and litigation team covers that step.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a UDRP procedure take?
On the deadlines in the UDRP Rules, a standard case without incidents runs to around two months from filing to decision, followed by 10 business days before the registrar implements a transfer. WIPO also offers an expedited track for single-panel cases with up to five domains that commits to 30 calendar days or less from filing, at a higher fee.
How much does a UDRP complaint cost at WIPO?
WIPO’s official fee for one to five domains decided by a single panelist is USD 1,500, or USD 2,000 for six to ten. A three-member panel costs USD 4,000 or USD 5,000, and the expedited track USD 4,000. These are provider fees only; preparing the complaint and evidence is a separate professional cost.
Can I claim damages through the UDRP?
No. Under paragraph 4(i) of the Policy, the panel can only order the domain to be transferred to you or cancelled. If you want damages, an injunction covering other conduct or legal costs, you need court proceedings or another action under national law, which can run alongside or after the UDRP case.
Can IP Global Guard file a UDRP complaint for my company?
Yes. We assess the three elements before you spend on fees, prepare the evidence and complaint, and manage the proceeding with the provider through to implementation. For country-code domains with their own rules, and for any court follow-up, we coordinate qualified local correspondents across Europe, Latin America and Africa from a single point of contact.
How IP Global Guard can help you recover the domain
A UDRP case is won on preparation: the right marks, dated evidence of bad faith and a clear plan for what happens if the other side goes to court. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, handles domain recovery, defensive registration and portfolio management with one strategy and one billing relationship across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa; see our coverage across the corridor.
Send us the disputed domain, your trademark registrations and a screenshot of how the name is being used. We will tell you whether the three elements hold up and which procedure fits. Contact our domain dispute team.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and does not replace an assessment of your specific case.
Sources
- ICANN, UDRP Policy (updated 21 February 2024)
- ICANN, UDRP Rules (updated 21 February 2024)
- WIPO Center, UDRP fee schedule (valid as of 1 December 2002)
- WIPO, Updated WIPO UDRP fee schedule and new services (9 March 2026)
- WIPO, Expedited case processing (2026)
- WIPO Jurisprudential Overview 3.1 (17 February 2026)
- WIPO, 2025 record year for domain name disputes (14 January 2026)
