Membership Application Checklist

1. Ability to Complete the Application Form in English.

2. Membership Criteria. Applicant confirms they are an organization or business that adheres to the BC's membership criteria as outlined in the BC Charter, which is defined as being either one of the following:

a.) Be a legally recognized for-profit entity which uses the Internet to conduct business related to electronic commerce (“Business User”), per §5.1.1;
OR,
A trade association (whether non-profit or for-profit) which represents the interest of Business Users; or a consultant advising Business Users;
AND
b.) Fully subscribe to the Business Constituency’s mission (§1.2) and principles (§1.3).

3. Website. Applicant must have a functional website that outlines the business they will represent as part of the BC, and provide the BC with a functioning link to that website.

4. Revenue Derived from Contracted Parties.  Applicant must affirm that the percentage of revenue derived from contracted parties (Registries and Registrars) does not exceed 30% (per §5.1.2 of the BC Charter). Should the your revenue come to exceed 30% during the course of membership, you must notify the BC Executive Committee within 15 calendar days, or your membership will be reviewed by the Credentials Committee for further action.

5. Voting Status. Applicant must indicate if they are already a member of another Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Stakeholder Group or Constituency, and/or if they plan to pursue membership within another group. If yes, then

a.)The application should indicate whether the entity intends to be a voting or non-voting BC member as applicant can only be a voting member of one GNSO Constituency or SG. This is in accordance with current GNSO  Operating procedures (specifically, Chapter 6). 
b.) Understand that, if approved, their organization and their voting status will be listed on the BC’s website: https://www.bizconst.org/bc-membership-list.

6. Contracted Parties Affiliation. If an applicant indicates that they are a member of either the Registry or Registrar Stakeholder Group (RySG or RrSG), or that the applying individual is a director or employee of another company which performs registrar, registry or resellers services, the following shall occur:

a. The Credentials Committee will inquire about the applicant’s source(s) of revenue and the percentage of revenue, as well as its commitment to user or consumer perspectives.

 

Category / Description	Amount (US$)
Category 1: (i) macro enterprises defined as companies which have both 10 or more employees and annual revenue of at least US$500,000; or (ii) associations with members based in more than one ICANN region [3 votes];	$1,000
Category 2: associations with members based in only one ICANN region [2 votes];	$500
Category 3: micro enterprises defined as companies which have fewer than 10 employees or annual revenue less than US$500,000 [1 vote]	$200

Please note that the BC will collect personal data as part of the membership application process (including name, title, email address, and physical address). By applying for membership to the BC, you consent to the BC's collection of such information for administrative use. To learn more, please read our Privacy Policy here.

Questions? Email the BC Secretariat for more information.