FAQ: prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain

What does it mean to prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain?

To prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain means placing yourself within at least one of the Paragraph 4(c) safe harbors before the UDRP panel makes its finding on the second element. The burden of production initially rests on the complainant to make a prima facie case that you lack such an interest; once they do, the burden shifts to you to rebut it with concrete evidence. A successful rebuttal blocks transfer or cancellation, because the complainant must win all three UDRP elements. Panels assess the safe harbors on the facts: what the domain resolves to, what you built with it, and when the relevant activity began relative to the date of any trademark rights the complainant holds.

What are the three Paragraph 4(c) safe harbors for a .info registrant?

The three safe harbors under Paragraph 4(c) of the UDRP are: first, that before you received notice of the dispute you were using, or demonstrably preparing to use, the domain in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; second, that you have been commonly known by the domain name even without trademark rights of your own; and third, that you are making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain without intent for commercial gain misleadingly to divert consumers or to tarnish the mark. For .info domains in particular, panels have consistently recognized the descriptive potential of the .info extension — an information portal, a community resource, or a fan site — as relevant context, though that alone does not substitute for direct evidence of purpose and use.

What evidence is needed to prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain?

Evidence that consistently supports a legitimate-interest finding falls into three categories. Documentary evidence of use comes first: screenshots of the live site (dated and archived), Google Analytics summaries, content publishing history, and correspondence showing the project was underway before any trademark conflict arose. Identity and name evidence matters for the "commonly known by" safe harbor: government-issued identification, business registrations, social media profiles, and published content all bearing the name that matches the domain. Commercial evidence shores up the bona fide offering safe harbor: invoices, listings, affiliate agreements, or customer communications that show real economic activity, not a holding page planted after a complaint was served. Panels have noted that registrants who held the domain for years before any dispute, and who pointed it at substantive content throughout, present the strongest record. Assembling and organizing this material before the response deadline — the respondent has 20 days to file after commencement — is critical, because panels rarely allow supplemental submissions.

Can I prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain for more than one domain at once?

Yes, but with an important procedural constraint. A single UDRP complaint may cover multiple domains only if all named domains are registered by the same holder. If that condition is met, you defend all named domains within one response, and your legitimate-interest argument must address each domain individually — a single narrative covering several domains is weaker than targeted evidence tied to each name. Where the domains serve different purposes (different content, different use periods, different safe-harbor bases), the response should address each separately. If a complainant files separate complaints for your different .info registrations, each generates its own response deadline, and the evidence for one proceeding generally cannot be adopted wholesale into another without being re-submitted.

How long does it take to prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain?

The UDRP timeline is set by the Rules and does not depend on how quickly the parties prefer to move. After the complaint is filed and found formally compliant, the case commences and you receive 20 days to submit a response. After that, a single-member panel is typically appointed and issues its decision within roughly 14 days of appointment. End to end, a standard .info case at WIPO runs approximately 45–60 days from commencement. If the complainant requested a single-member panel and you prefer a three-member panel — which may be prudent where the case is close or the RDNH argument is strong — you may request one, though the cost of the three-member panel is then split between the parties. The practical implication: evidence gathering, drafting, and any legal consultation must happen within the 20-day response window, which leaves little margin for delay.

What does it cost to prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain at WIPO?

There is no filing fee charged to the respondent in a UDRP proceeding. The complainant pays the forum filing fee — at WIPO, USD 1,500 for a single-member panel covering one to five domains, or USD 4,000 for a three-member panel. If you request a three-member panel when the complainant chose a single-member panel, you pay the difference between the single and three-member fees, and the parties generally split the total three-member fee. The cost you bear is the legal fee for preparing and filing your response, which in the market runs in a range broadly comparable to what a complainant pays for a straightforward case. That investment is proportionate to the value of the domain and the strength of your legitimate-interest record. There is no monetary damages award available under the UDRP in either direction; the only remedies are transfer or cancellation of the domain.

What are the possible outcomes when you prove a legitimate interest in your .info domain?

Three outcomes are possible. First, the panel finds in your favor on the second element — or on any one of the three elements — and denies the complaint. Your .info domain stays with you. Second, the panel finds in the complainant's favor on all three elements and orders transfer or cancellation; proving a legitimate interest is your primary defense against that result. Third, and distinct from the main decision, the panel may make a finding of Reverse Domain Name Hijacking if the complaint was brought in bad faith, for instance to pressure a registrant with an obviously legitimate use out of a domain the complainant simply wants. An RDNH finding carries no monetary penalty under the UDRP, but it is a formal reputational sanction against the complainant recorded in the published decision. We regularly advise respondents on when the facts support an RDNH argument and how to structure it within the response, because a poorly framed RDNH claim can undercut an otherwise strong legitimate-interest defense.