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A .au domain name (such as ‘getyour.com.au’) is an important digital asset that helps people find your business online and signals to people visiting your website and sending you emails that you have a connection to Australia.
Why choose a .au domain name?
A .au domain name is your business’ online brand identity. Internet users recognise that .au domain names are local and trusted, helping Australians support local business when shopping online.
Local .au domain names also help websites rank higher in internet search results for internet users in Australia, allowing Australian customers to find your website more easily.
Am I eligible to register a .au domain name for my business?
To register a .au domain name for your business, it must:
- Meet the Australian presence requirement which includes foreign companies with an Australian trade mark,
- Be a commercial entity registered to do business in Australia, which includes companies, incorporated associations, trusts, and sole traders with Australian Business Numbers (ABNs) or companies with Australian Company Numbers (ACNs).
The full definitions of an Australian presence and a commercial entity can be found at Section 1.4 of the .au Licensing Rules.
Which .au namespaces can I choose for my business?
Businesses can register in the com.au and net.au namespaces. These namespaces are dedicated to commercial entities that have an Australian presence and are registered to do business in Australia.
To register a com.au or net.au domain name, the domain name must meet certain requirements, including:
- Match or be an acronym of the business name
- Match an Australian trade mark held by the business
- Match or be a synonym of the name of a good, service, event, activity or premises the business operates or provides.
Businesses (as well as individuals) can also register a domain name in Australia’s newest namespace, .au direct (e.g. getyour.au), which launched in 2022. .au direct provides an opportunity to register shorter, simpler domain names. To find out more about Australia’s newest namespace, visit auDA’s website or https://getyour.au.
The eligibility requirements for com.au, net.au and .au direct domain names can be found at section 2.4.4 of the .au Licensing Rules.
How do I register a .au domain name for my business?
- Choose a domain name for your website and/or email service that is memorable and clearly describes your business
- Select the .au namespace in which you would like to register your domain name
- Check you are eligible to register your chosen domain name by reviewing the .au Licensing Rules
- Search the WHOIS tool to see if the domain name you would like to register is available.
- Select a registrar with which to register your domain name. Registrars are companies accredited by auDA to offer .au domain name services to the public. Prices and levels of service vary between registrars. See a list of auDA accredited registrars.
How long can I licence my business' domain name for?
Domain names can be registered for between one to five years at a time – when you register your domain name, you must elect the time period for which you wish to register the name. After the elected time, the domain name licence will expire, and you will need to renew the licence.
How do I renew my business' domain name licence?
.au domain licences can be renewed 90 days prior to the licence expiry date. You should diarise this date upon registration. Your registrar will also send you a reminder email as the end of your licence period approaches. Ensure your registrant contact email address is kept up to date to avoid missing important communications from your registrar.
You can check your registered contact email on the WHOIS tool.
It is essential you renew your domain name licence before it expires to avoid interruptions or losing your domain name licence to another eligible registrant.
You can update your contact information by contacting your registrar and confirm your domain name licence expiry date at pw.auda.org.au.
What if I forget to renew my .au domain name licence?
If your licence has expired, you will have a 30-day grace period in which to renew your business’ domain name licence. If this occurs, be aware that website and email services that use the related domain name will stop working during the 30-day grace period.
If you do not renew the licence within the 30-day grace period, your domain name will be made available to be registered by the public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Does a business’ domain name automatically transfer to me when I buy the business?
No. Buying a business does not mean the domain name licence will be automatically transferred to the new owner. To transfer a domain name:
- The registrant should contact their registrar to request a domain name licence transfer to the new registrant
- Both the original and new registrants must be eligible to hold the domain name licence.
If a transfer is not arranged, the new business owner risks losing the domain name licence.
Where can I find more information?
To find out more visit the auDA website www.auDA.org.au. To stay up to date with the latest information about auDA and the .au domain, become a .au member.
Category: Fact sheets
