Domain Name

RULES FOR REGISTRATION
The Lebanese Domain Registry (LBDR) which is hosted at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is the authority handling domain name registration in Lebanon. It has established such rigorous rules that it is almost impossible for foreign firms to register a domain name under country code .com.lb

Requirements:
• The applicant must have effective presence in Lebanon and be registered at the Lebanese Registry of Companies (Sijil al Tijara). In case the applicant does not have a local establishment, he may obtain a Domain registration but only in the name of its local distributor.

• the applicant must register his exact domain name as a trademark in international class 35 to imperatively cover "advertisement and use for a domain name on the internet" (it is to be noted that use is not compulsory to maintain the validity of a trademark).
A 50% discount on official taxes is allowed by the Government for registering a trademark in class 35.

Registration Procedure:
Registration is granted on a first come first served basis. Prior to accepting an application, the Top Level Domain Administration conducts a search and if the name is available, it is temporarily reserved pending receipt of the following documents:

• copy of the certificate of incorporation, evidencing that the applicant is registered at the local Registry of Companies ( Sijil al Tijara)
• copy of the circular letter (Iza'a Tijariya) identifying the persons authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant
• copy of the trademark registration in class 35 covering domain name use.

Once these documents are furnished to the LBDR, the domain name is registered.

For more details, you may review the Lebanese Domain Registry updated rules and obtain application forms at http://www/aub.edu.lb/lbdr

Search: Availability searches can be conducted on line at the aforementioned site.

Registration Costs:
Registration at the LBDR is free of charge if handled directly by the applicant. However the proceedings are so complex and time consuming that registration is generally entrusted to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) which charges for its intervention.

• Availability search: free of charge
• Registration by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) : 100 USD (one time fee)
• ISP hosting fee : 200 USD yearly up to 5 MB
• ISP pointing fee: 25 USD yearly
• URL forwarding: 75 yearly
• Our firm's fees for monitoring domain name registration will be quoted upon request.

The above costs are subject to change and are indicated as a reference.

Disputes: Disputes must be brought before regular Courts.
Considering the strict conditions set forth to register a domain name, there is very little squatting. In the few cases pending before court, litigants have sued for trademark infringement (since trademark ownership is a pre-requisite for obtaining a domain name registration). Court decisions are notified to the Lebanese Domain Registry which acts accordingly, removing or maintaining the contested name.