Registrant Contact Information Policy (2010-07)

1. APPLICATION OF POLICY

1.1 This auDA policy only applies to domain names that were last registered, renewed or transferred before 12 April 2021. This policy does not apply to domain names that were registered, renewed or transferred on or after 12 April 2021 at 00:00 Universal Time Coordinated (UTC).  

1.2 The .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing apply to all domain names that were registered, renewed or transferred after 12 April 2021.  

1.3 This policy expires on 11 April 2026 after which time the .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing will apply, in addition to any ongoing relevant policies.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 This document sets out auDA's policy on the collection and maintenance of registrant contact information in the registry database (known as "contact objects") in the open 2LDs (asn.au, com.au, id.au, net.au, org.au) and the community geographic 2LDs (act.au, qld.au, nsw.au, nt.au, sa.au, tas.au, vic.au, wa.au).

2.2 This document does not detail the technical steps required to create, update, transfer or delete a contact object in the registry database. This information is contained in the registry's technical procedures manual, which is made available to all auDA accredited registrars.

3. COLLECTION OF REGISTRANT CONTACT INFORMATION

3.1 Registrant contact information must be collected by the registrar at the time the domain name is registered.

3.2 There are four types of contact object stored in the registry database. The table below indicates the information that registrars must enter for each contact object.

3.3 The sole purpose of the Registrant Contact and Technical Contact fields is to provide general contact details and technical contact details for the registrant.

3.4 Registrants must not:

a) use the Registrant Contact or Technical Contact fields for any purpose other than as set out in paragraph 3.3. In particular, the Registrant Contact and Technical Contact fields must not contact any data which can be construed as advertising, marketing, promotion or listings of any kind (eg. “This domain name is for sale”, “Renew your domain name at [name of provider])”; or

b) do anything which may have the effect of concealing the true identity of the registrant or the registrant contact (eg. by using a private or proxy registration service), unless specifically permitted otherwise by another auDA published policy.

4. MAINTENANCE OF REGISTRANT CONTACT INFORMATION

4.1 Under the Registrant Agreement, registrants are obliged to notify the registry, through the registrar, of any changes to their information. The Certificate of Registration includes a statement that failure to notify changes to contact or other information may result in revocation of the registrant's domain name licence.

4.2 Under the Registrar Agreement, registrars must update registrant data in the registry database within 5 business days of receiving the updated information from the registrant.

5. PROHIBITION ON REGISTRARS AND RESELLERS USING THEIR OWN CONTACT DETAILS AS REGISTRANT CONTACT INFORMATION

5.1 It is a fundamental policy principle that registrant contact information must belong to the registrant, for two main reasons:

a) to ensure that the registrant receives important information in relation to their domain name, including domain name renewal notices, from their registrar of record or from auDA; and

b) to enable the registrant to retrieve their domain name password if they wish to transfer their domain name to another registrar.

5.2 Registrars and resellers are not permitted to use their own contact details as registrant contact information, unless they have received express written consent from the registrant in that regard.

5.3 Where a registrar is notified by auDA that a reseller is using their own contact details as registrant contact information, without express written consent from the registrant, the registrar must update the registrant contact information to be compliant with this policy.