--- title: "ICANN Proposal Would End Price Caps on .Org Domains" id: "46029" type: "post" slug: "icann-proposal-would-end-price-caps-on-org-domains" published_at: "2019-03-22T20:44:30+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T00:55:45+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/03/22/icann-proposal-would-end-price-caps-on-org-domains/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/03/22/icann-proposal-would-end-price-caps-on-org-domains.md" excerpt: "Associations and other tax-exempt groups could find it a lot costlier in the future to renew their website domain names ending in .org if a new contract proposed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is approved." taxonomy_category: - "Governance" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "ICANN" - "names" - "Regulations" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » ICANN Proposal Would End Price Caps on .Org Domains ICANN, the entity that currently manages over 180 million domain names and 4 billion network addresses on the internet, has proposed lifting price caps on .org and .info domains—a change that could lead to tax-exempt organizations paying domain registries thousands of dollars in fees per year to maintain domain names. The .org top-level domain (TLD) is used by most associations and other tax-exempt organizations. There are more than 10 million .org domain names registered. The current contracts with Public Interest Registry, which manages the .org TLD, and Afilias Limited, the registry that manages .info, limit price increases to 10 percent per year. The new contract would allow unlimited increases. [In announcing the proposed new contract (opens in a new tab)](https://www.icann.org/public-comments/org-renewal-2019-03-18-en#section1) with Public Interest Registry, ICANN said the change “takes into consideration the maturation of the domain name market and the goal of treating the [.org ] registry operator equitably” with registries that operate other, newer TLDs, which are not subject to price caps. (ICANN’s contract with VeriSign, which manages .com domain names, still includes limitations on price increases, although a new contract agreement reached last year allowed for more flexibility, [Market Watch reported (opens in a new tab)](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/verisign-stock-rockets-back-to-dot-com-bubble-levels-after-icann-agreement-2018-11-02) at the time.) The proposed contract allows “protections for existing registrants” to remain in place, meaning existing registrants can renew their domain names for up to 10 years at current prices before price hikes take effect. ICANN is accepting [public comments (opens in a new tab)](https://www.icann.org/public-comments/org-renewal-2019-03-18-en) on the proposed new contract for .org registries until April 29, 2019. The current contract expires June 30. (marekuliasz/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Chris Vest, CAE](https://associationsnow.com/author/chris-vest-cae/) Chris Vest, CAE, is director of public policy at ASAE. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/chris-vest-cae/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#ICANN](https://associationsnow.com/tag/icann/) [#names](https://associationsnow.com/tag/names/) [#Regulations](https://associationsnow.com/tag/regulations/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoSmarter Board Management for Associations: An OnBoard ShowcaseJuly 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/24/smarter-board-management-for-associations-an-onboard-showcase/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Leading Together-Strengthening the Board-CSO PartnershipDecember 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/18/associations-now-presents-leading-together-strengthening-the-board-cso-partnership/) - [Video2026 Summit Awards DinnerOctober 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/02/2026-summit-awards-dinner/) - [VideoAmerican Geophysical Union: Standing Up for Science: AGU’s Year of Action for Scientists and SocietySeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-geophysical-union-standing-up-for-science-agus-year-of-action-for-scientists-and-society/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F03%2F22%2Ficann-proposal-would-end-price-caps-on-org-domains%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !