# UDRP and nominee domains, explained > UDRP and nominee domains: the complaint names our company, the domain is locked within 2 business days, you get notice the same day and 20 days to respond. - URL: https://nomineename.com/udrp-and-nominee-domains/ - Last updated: 2026-10-19 - Publisher: NomineeName (https://nomineename.com) A trademark owner can start a UDRP complaint against any .com or other gTLD domain. When the domain is registered in our name, the complaint names our company. Here is what that changes, and what it does not. **Quick answer — What happens to a nominee domain in a UDRP dispute?** In a UDRP dispute over a **NomineeName** domain, the complaint names the registrant of record, DomaineGoat LLC. As of October 2026, we tell the beneficial owner the same business day the dispute provider contacts us, the domain is locked within 2 business days, and the owner can defend it. Panels often name the beneficial owner in the published decision. ## UDRP and nominee domains at a glance | Attribute | Value | | --- | --- | | What the UDRP is | ICANN's mandatory procedure for trademark claims against domain names in gTLDs such as .com, .net and .org | | Respondent named in the complaint | DomaineGoat LLC, the registrant of record | | Notice to you | the same business day the dispute provider contacts us | | Lock | Applied within 2 business days of the provider's request; DNS keeps working, the holder and registrar cannot change | | Time to respond | 20 days from the start of the proceeding | | Possible outcomes | Complaint denied, domain transferred to the complainant, or domain cancelled; no damages | | Data the provider receives | The registrant of record's data: our company's | | Your name in the decision | Possible: WIPO says panels often name both the service and the underlying holder when revealed | | Court action | Either side can go to court; a transfer order waits 10 business days for proof of a lawsuit | ## What is a UDRP dispute? The UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) is ICANN's procedure for trademark claims against a domain name. Every registrar of gTLDs such as .com, .net, .org and the new gTLDs must apply it. Many country-code registries use it too, while others have their own process; .uk, for example, uses Nominet's Dispute Resolution Service. To win, the complainant must prove three things: 1. the domain is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark it holds; 2. the holder has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain; 3. the domain was registered and is used in bad faith. A panel of one or three experts decides on written evidence. The only remedies are transfer of the domain to the complainant or cancellation. There are no damages. ## Why does the UDRP complaint name our company and not you? The complaint names our company because the UDRP is filed against the registrant of record. NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto. When the dispute provider asks the registrar to confirm who holds the domain, the answer is DomaineGoat LLC. The provider receives the registrant of record's data, which is the company's data. Your name and address are not in the registrar's or the registry's records, because they were never sent there. This is the main difference from WHOIS privacy. With a privacy service, the registrar holds your real data behind the mask and passes it to the provider. Compare the models on [nominee vs WHOIS privacy](https://nomineename.com/nominee-vs-whois-privacy/). ## What does NomineeName do when a UDRP complaint arrives? 1. **We confirm and lock** — Within 2 business days of the provider's request, the registrar confirms the registrant of record and applies the UDRP lock. 2. **We tell you** — You hear from us the same business day the dispute provider contacts us, at your verified email, with the complaint and its deadline. 3. **You decide whether to defend** — You have 20 days from the start of the proceeding to respond. Your response, arguments and evidence go to the provider within that deadline. 4. **The panel decides** — The panel usually decides within 14 days of its appointment. The decision is published. 5. **We apply the decision** — A transfer or cancellation is applied after 10 business days, unless one side shows that it has started a lawsuit. ## Can you defend a nominee domain in a UDRP? Yes. You are the beneficial owner, and you know why you registered the name. That is what the panel needs: proof of a legitimate interest, such as a business that uses the name, a fair use, or a registration made before the trademark existed. If no response is filed, the panel still decides, on the complaint alone. Silence does not decide the case by itself, but it leaves the panel with one side of the story. A panel can also find that a complaint was brought in bad faith to take a domain from its holder. This is called reverse domain name hijacking. The finding has no money penalty, but it is published in the decision. ## Will your name appear in the UDRP decision? It can, and we prefer to say so plainly. WIPO, the largest UDRP provider, says panels often name both the privacy or proxy service and the underlying holder in the decision, when the holder is revealed. Decisions are public. A UDRP case is one of the cases named in our [disclosure policy](https://nomineename.com/disclosure-policy/): the dispute provider receives the registration data of the domain, which names our company. If you file a response in your own name to defend the domain, the panel may name you. The choice is yours, and you make it knowing this. ## Can you transfer or take back the domain during a UDRP? No. The UDRP lock blocks any change of holder and any transfer to another registrar until the case ends. The lock does not stop the domain from working: DNS keeps resolving, and the domain can still be renewed. In normal times you get the transfer code free, from your account, at any time, and the domain can be put in your own name free, on request to support from your verified email address, where the registry accepts you. Those rights resume when the case closes, if the domain stays with you. The steps are in [take your domain back in your name](https://nomineename.com/guides/take-your-domain-back-in-your-name/). ## Who answers for a nominee domain in a trademark dispute? DomaineGoat LLC does, as registrant of record. Under section 3.7.7.3 of the ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement, a registrant that lets someone else use a domain accepts liability for wrongful use, unless it discloses that user within 7 days to a party with reasonable evidence of actionable harm. We do not disclose on a third party's evidence alone, only under our disclosure policy, so we accept that liability. That is why our [terms](https://nomineename.com/legal/terms/) ask you not to register names that copy a trademark in bad faith. Domain prices, with registration in our name included, are on the [pricing page](https://nomineename.com/pricing/). This is not legal advice. If you face a UDRP complaint, a lawyer who knows domain disputes can help. ## UDRP and nominee domains: FAQ ### Does nominee registration protect a domain from a UDRP? No. The UDRP applies to every gTLD domain, whoever is the registrant of record. Nominee registration changes who is named in the complaint and whose data the provider receives. It does not change the three tests the panel applies, and it does not stop a transfer ordered by the panel. ### How long do I have to respond to a UDRP complaint? 20 days from the date the proceeding starts, under the UDRP Rules. We tell you the same business day the dispute provider contacts us, so you have most of that time. Do not wait: a response needs evidence, such as business records, earlier use of the name or proof of the date you registered it. ### Will NomineeName defend the domain for me? No. We pass the complaint to you and apply the decision. The arguments are yours, because you are the beneficial owner and you know why the name was registered. Many holders use a lawyer who knows domain disputes. Some panels are made of three experts, which costs the parties more. ### What happens if the panel orders a transfer? After the decision, the registrar waits 10 business days. If you send official proof of a lawsuit against the complainant in that time, the transfer is put on hold. Otherwise, the domain moves to the complainant and leaves your account. Your balance and other domains are not affected. ### Is the URS the same as the UDRP? No. The URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension) is a faster procedure for new gTLDs such as .xyz, .app or .shop. It needs clear and convincing evidence and can only suspend a domain until it expires, not transfer it. Here too, the complaint names our company as registrant of record. ### Do .de and .uk domains follow the UDRP? No. Some country-code registries use their own process. .uk domains follow Nominet's Dispute Resolution Service, and .de disputes go through German courts. In both cases the registry's records show our company as holder, and the decision of the competent body is applied. ## Sources 1. [Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/policy-2012-02-25-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19) 2. [Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (2015)](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/amc/domain-name-disputes/resources/updated_udrp_rules) — WIPO (checked 2026-10-19) 3. [WIPO guidance on the GDPR and the UDRP](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/amc/domain-name-disputes/gdrp) — WIPO (checked 2026-10-19) 4. [2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement and specifications (section 3.7.7.3)](https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/approved-with-specs-2013-09-17-en) — ICANN (checked 2026-10-19) **Received a UDRP notice about your domain?** Reply to our message from your verified email, or write to support@nomineename.com with the domain name in the subject. [Contact support](https://nomineename.com/contact/) --- NomineeName: NomineeName is a nominee domain registration service from Panama: every domain is registered in the name of DomaineGoat LLC by default, so the registration record and WHOIS show the company, never you — no ID, no KYC, paid in crypto.