On Wednesday, RegistryPro (registrypro.com), the .pro registry operator, and a property of Hostway (hostway.com), said Wednesday that ICANN (icann.org) had voted unanimously to approve the expanding the "scope and availability" of the domain.

The change may raise some concerns for existing customers of the domain, which has up to this point been marketed based on its association with "professional integrity" and its very limited eligibility.

Previously, the domain's use had been limited to accountants, engineers, lawyers and medical professionals, in just a few countries. Acquiring a domain had involved a lengthy manual vetting of credentials, including the submission of written documentation of credentials.

Perhaps realizing that the limitations on ownership limited its own ability to profit from operating the registry, RegistryPro says the qualification process has been greatly simplified as well.

The .pro domain is now available "to any professional or professional entity holding credentials from a certifying governmental authority anywhere in the world." Though the company says the limitations that do still exist maintain "the exclusive nature of the TLD."

To qualify for a pro domain now, the registrant must simply fill out a registration form with the type of certification they hold, the name of the organization that certified them and the license number.

RegistryPro has also lifted some restrictions that made it difficult to obtain a 2nd level domain, and led many registrants to operate for 3rd level domains, such as .med.pro. The new terms of service eliminate additional requirements for 2nd level domains.

Despite lifting most of the limitations on ownership and "removing the principal hurdles that have previously challenged the adoption of the TLD," RegistryPro seems intent on maintaining the air of exclusivity previously associated with the domain, perhaps to appease existing customers who might feel the new regulations diminish the value of their existing .pro domains.

At Register.com (register.com), one of the relatively few registrars offering the extension, a .pro domain costs $350 per year, along with a $100 non-refundable registration fee.

"Our position all along has been we don't want to become an unrestricted, general use TLD," says RegistryPro general manager Catherine Sigmar, in a press release. "That's why we've developed the new Terms of Use Agreement."

Sigmar encourages existing .pro customers to contact their registrars with questions about how the changes might impact them.

The company plans to re-launch the domain July 14.

RegistryPro's lifting of restrictions follows the news, earlier this week, that the Public Interest Registry intends to raise prics for .org domains by 10 percent this year.