Creating a new top-level domain (TLD) extension, like .club or .consulting is a complex and very expensive process governed by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). It's not the same as registering a domain name under an existing TLD (like buying "example.com").
Here's a breakdown of the significant costs involved, based on the most recent information from ICANN's next round of applications:
1. Application Fee:
- The primary application fee to ICANN for a new gTLD is $227,000 USD. This fee is designed to recover the costs of the entire New gTLD Program, including application processing, evaluation, and delegation.
- A deposit is typically required when registering, which is then credited against the evaluation fee.
- Additional fees may apply for certain "conditional evaluations" (e.g., for Community Priority Evaluations or .Brand TLD status).
2. Ongoing Fees (if successful):
- Annual Fixed Fee: If your application is approved and your TLD is delegated, you will typically pay a fixed annual fee to ICANN. In the past, this has been around $25,000 USD per year ($6,250 per quarter).
- Transaction Fees: There's also a transaction fee per domain name registered within your TLD. For example, ICANN has previously charged $0.25 USD per annual increment of an initial or renewal domain name registration, often kicking in after a certain number of transactions (e.g., 50,000 per quarter).
3. Other Significant Costs: The ICANN application fee is just the tip of the iceberg. The total cost to successfully launch and operate a new TLD can easily run into several million dollars. These additional costs include:
- Consulting and Legal Fees: Navigating ICANN's complex rules and preparing a robust application requires significant expertise. You'll likely need specialized consultants and lawyers.
- Technical Infrastructure and Operations: You need to establish and maintain a secure and reliable registry system to manage your new TLD. This includes DNS infrastructure, domain registration platforms (EPP), and technical personnel.
- Marketing and Business Development: To make your new TLD successful and attract registrations, you'll need substantial marketing and business development efforts.
- Dispute Resolution: If there are competing applications for similar TLDs, or if there are disputes during the process, you could incur additional fees for arbitration panels and legal battles.
In summary:
- The direct application fee to ICANN is currently $227,000 USD.
- Ongoing fees to ICANN, if successful, include an annual fixed fee (around $25,000 USD) and per-transaction fees.
- The overall cost of creating, launching, and maintaining a new domain name extension is estimated to be in the millions of dollars, due to the extensive technical, legal, and marketing requirements.
It's a process primarily undertaken by large organizations, governments, or specialized registry operators, not individuals.