Can I Trademark a Domain Name?

One of my favorite questions is: can I trademark a domain name?

And the short answer is yes, as long as the domain name meets the standard requirements for a trademark. Specifically, the domain name must be distinctive, non-generic, and not likely to cause confusion with existing trademarks. Rogue.law is an example of a domain name that is suitable for trademark protection.

But you may be wondering, what about businesses like Hotels.com? Did they successfully register their marks?

The fact is, when they first go live, domains like hotels.com are not eligible for trademark protection. But after a period of time, usually 6 years, an applicant may be able to prove that the public generally associates the domain name with that particular business and not another, and when this happens, we can trademark the domain name.