PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Advance registration for trademark protection in the new top-level domains .porn and .adult began Monday. In order to register a .porn or .adult domain corresponding to a trademark during the 30-day protection period, the mark must be registered with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse.

TMCH registration normally costs $145 to $150 annually. However, according to a statement issued by .xxx, .porn and .adult overseer ICM Registry, “ICM Registry and the TMCH worked together to reduce the TMCH’s normal registration fees.” The statement did not indicate by how much the fees would be reduced.

Neither did ICM reveal the cost of URLs in either new domain space. One registrar estimated the annual price at $115 per year. At the same registrar, .xxx domains sell for $106 annually.

ICM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stuart Lawley said .porn and .adult domains will be a valuable addition to any portfolio.

“Porn is one of the most searched for terms on the internet,” he said. “The launch of .porn and .adult brings exciting opportunities for webmasters and brand creators.

“Securing brand identity in .porn and .adult is essential, as these domains will achieve significant visibility,” he added. “Participating in the TMCH Sunrise [early registration] period is the first opportunity to achieve that brand consistency in these new TLDs.”

Through April 3, .porn and .adult domain names will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to those with validated marks in the TMCH. A Sunrise B period, during which owners of .xxx domains whose trademarks are not registered with the TMCH an opportunity to obtain .porn and .adult domains matching their unregistered marks. Beginning May 6, all other .xxx domain owners may attempt to register .porn and .adult domains directly matching their existing .xxx domains. To participate in the direct-matching period, .xxx domains must have been registered by April 30.

The general public may begin registering .porn and .adult domains on June 4.