Canadian domain registrar Tucows has officially withdrawn from ICANN’s Registration Data Request Service (RDRS), highlighting ongoing industry dissatisfaction with the system that was intended to replace public WHOIS data access under GDPR regulations.
The RDRS, launched by ICANN as a pilot program, was designed as a centralized ticketing platform to manage requests for non-public registration data for generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The idea was to provide law enforcement, intellectual property holders, and other legitimate requestors with a streamlined method of contacting the registrar responsible for a domain. However, participation in the RDRS is entirely voluntary, and the decision to disclose any data still lies solely with each registrar based on applicable data privacy laws.
In its latest report for March 2025, ICANN confirmed that only 87 registrars out of approximately 2,500 accredited registrars are currently participating in RDRS. While this list includes major players such as Alibaba, Amazon, GoDaddy, and Deutsche Telekom AG, the majority of registrars — including many potentially hosting domains used in malicious activity — remain outside the program.
Tucows, which manages an estimated 10 million gTLD domains, had been part of the RDRS pilot since its inception. However, the company cited mounting concerns over the system’s effectiveness and accuracy. Misrouted and invalid requests, Tucows said, not only clogged the RDRS queue but also distorted ICANN’s public reporting metrics.
In an official statement, Tucows said:
“Given that the RDRS Standing Committee has enough data to complete its report, as well as the customer experience challenges and data privacy concerns we’ve outlined above, Tucows Domains has decided to end our participation in the RDRS.”
Going forward, those wishing to request non-public registration data from Tucows will need to do so via the company’s own TACO (Tiered Access Compliance and Operations) platform. However, the system imposes a barrier to entry: a CAD $500 (approx. €320) account setup fee, along with a monthly fee of CAD $250 that includes up to five data requests. Tucows notes that single-use or non-commercial requestors are generally exempted from these charges.
The exit of Tucows adds to the RDRS’s struggles. In March 2025, the number of requests submitted through the system hit a record low of just 91, down from the previous low of 103 in November 2024. Of these, only 23 requests were granted, while 51 were denied, and 12 were deemed unnecessary because the data was already public. Common reasons for rejection included incomplete requests or failure to respond to follow-up information requests.
Whether ICANN will continue to support the RDRS throughout its planned two-year pilot phase remains uncertain. The voluntary nature of the system, combined with increasing registrar withdrawal and dwindling usage, casts doubt on its long-term viability as a practical replacement for traditional WHOIS access.
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