---
id: "contracting"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "contracting"
language: "en"
category: "TLD types and programs"
updated: "2026-10-10T09:10:26Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/contracting/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/contratacion/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/vertragsabschluss/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/contractualisation/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/stipula-contratto/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/contratacao/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/zaklyuchenie-dogovora/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/qianyue-jieduan/"
---

# contracting

The stage after an application passes evaluation and any contention, when the applicant and ICANN sign a Registry Agreement. Only then is the applicant a registry operator. Onboarding and delegation into the root zone follow, and in the 2026 Round the TLD must be delegated within one year of signing.

## related terms

- [Registry Agreement](https://tldlog.com/glossary/registry-agreement/)
- [applicant](https://tldlog.com/glossary/applicant/)
- [delegation (TLD)](https://tldlog.com/glossary/delegation/)
- [registry operator](https://tldlog.com/glossary/registry-operator/)
- [evaluation (new gTLD application)](https://tldlog.com/glossary/application-evaluation/)