Is anybody free to register my trademark?

If you wish to register a domain name under .no you must first ensure that others do not already have a right to the name you wish to register. You must sign a declaration to the effect that you are not aware of infringing the rights of any possible prior rights holder.

How are these registrations checked?

The registrar does not carry out checks as to whether other rights exist, but the declaration is legally binding.

How can I check if a domain name is available?

• Check the Whois database on NORID's website

You should also check:

• Brønnøysund Company Register to see if the name is registered as a company name
• Norwegian Industrial Property Office Search Service to see if the name is registered as a trademark or if registration has been applied for

Can somebody else register my trademark as a domain name?

If someone else has registered your distinctive trademark as a domain name under .no, you can submit a complaint to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee (via Norid), and ask them to have the domain name cancelled or transferred to you. You must be able to prove that you have a right to the name (for instance trademark or company name), and that the owner of the domain name registered the name in bad faith.

• Read more about complaints on NORID's website

If someone has registered your distinctive trademark under another top-level domain, there are other national and international dispute procedures.

• Read more about disputes on WIPO's website: Domain Name Dispute Resolution.

Can I register a descriptive domain name?

Yes, you may register a descriptive domain name, such as car.no or environment.no. There are no specific requirements for distinctiveness.

Can use of a domain name contribute to a trademark being regarded as in use?

Yes, use of a domain name can contribute to a trademark being regarded as in use, or incorporated vis-à-vis the Trademarks Act. It will therefore carry weight in the assessment of distinctiveness via use.

Can a domain name consist of any kind of symbol?

Under the .no top-level domain, you may apply for a domain name that includes national script symbols such as æ, ø and å. These symbols must be taken from official Norwegian orthography - that is to say bokmål, nynorsk, nordsamisk, sørsamisk and lulesamisk. In addition, the standard symbols a-z, 0-9 and hyphen are valid.