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Registry

Expiry Access Period (XAP) Policy

Use of Charleston Road Registry d/b/a Google Registry (“Google Registry”) by Registrars is subject to this Expiry Access Period (XAP) Policy, which Google Registry may update from time to time.

1. Expiry Access Period (XAP) Overview

Google Registry offers the Expiry Access Period ("XAP") to any onboarded ICANN-accredited Registrar for expiring domain names that have completed their standard life cycle as they are being made available for registration. The purpose of XAP is to enable Registrar access to expiring domains from Google Registry’s portfolio as they become available and to ensure the ongoing performance and stability of our registry system.

2. Voluntary Participation and Opt-In

Participation in XAP is voluntary. Registrars must opt-in to participate. Once a Registrar has passed OT&E for XAP, it will be provided access to a daily report containing upcoming expiring domains. For Registrars that have not opted into XAP, domain names in the XAP period will appear as unavailable in domain:check and RDAP responses, and any attempted domain:create commands for these domains will fail.

3. XAP Period and Decreasing Fee Schedule

XAP occurs for each recently expired domain name individually.

  • Duration: The XAP period is a 10-day window immediately following the deletion of the Domain Name.

  • Fees: During the 10-day XAP window, a one-time XAP fee is charged in addition to the standard or premium annual registration price. This one-time fee decreases on an hourly basis over the course of the 10 days. The XAP fee is non-refundable.

  • Successful Allocation: A Registrar will only be charged the XAP fee if they are successfully allocated the Domain Name. Unsuccessful attempts or check commands do not incur any XAP fees or charges.

4. EPP Commands and Acknowledgment

  • Check Commands: The XAP fee for the current hourly tier is visible on domain:check commands using the EPP fee extension.

  • Create Commands: To register a Domain Name during the XAP period, a Registrar must issue a domain:create command that explicitly acknowledges and passes the applicable XAP fee via the EPP fee extension. Create commands that do not pass or acknowledge the correct XAP fee will fail.

5. Abuse and Enforcement

  • Prohibited Activities: Bypassing the XAP period by scheduling a high volume of domain:create commands for the exact end of the XAP period is strictly prohibited.

  • Consequences: Google Registry may, in its sole discretion, remove any Registrar from XAP participation, suspend access, or throttle Registrar's traffic if it finds that the Registrar is abusing, overusing, or otherwise improperly using XAP.