CHOOSING A DOMAIN NAME HOW TO REGISTER AFTER REGISTRATION MAKING CHANGES TO YOUR DOMAIN NAME
Infringing Third Party Rights
It is important to be aware that when you register a Domain Name you do not ‘own’ that Domain Name. Rather, the Domain Name is registered to you for a period of two years after which the ‘Registrant’ (or holder of a Domain Name) has the first choice to renew that Domain Name.
All .uk Domain Name registrations are made under Nominet's Terms and Conditions for Domain Name registration. These stipulate that care must be taken to avoid infringing the rights that a third party might have in the name, intentionally or otherwise. This term applies to businesses and individuals alike. Although a company may have traded with a similar name for many years - and, in the case of sole traders and partnerships, with exactly the same name - only one can use it as a Domain Name.
If a company believes that the registration of their company name, brand names or registered trademarks as a Domain Name by a third party constitutes an infringement of trademark or an act of passing off, Nominet advises that they seek qualified legal opinion.
Nominet UK cannot offer legal advice but may be able to help parties in dispute over a Domain Name through its mediative Dispute Resolution Service
