How to register a .au domain name

To get started:

• Choose a name that reflects who you are, or what your business, organisation, project or hobby is about. Keep it short and simple to help your audience and potential customers remember it.
• Select a .au namespace (domain name ending) that best suits you or your organisation online. For example:
• com.au or net.au is the trusted namespace for commercial entities registered to do business in Australia
• .au direct is for anyone with a connection to Australia and offers shorter, simpler domain names
• org.au is for registered Australian not-for-profit organisations.

Read our full list of tips for choosing your perfect .au domain name and explore the different .au domain names to find the right .au domain name for you.

You can check if the .au domain name you want is available via the .au WHOIS tool.

If your preferred domain name is already registered by another person or organisation in your preferred namespace, it may be available in another suitable .au namespace – or you can try searching for a variation on the name.

Once you’ve chosen an available .au domain name, check you meet the registration requirements. This includes meeting the Australian presence requirement and any applicable eligibility and allocation criteria for your preferred .au domain name.

.au domain names are registered through .au domain name providers (registrars and resellers).

There a number of providers offering .au domain name registration and associated services. We recommend you review their offerings and select the provider that best meets your needs.

When registering a domain name, you’ll need to provide:

• Your contact information

• Evidence that you satisfy the requirements set out in the .au Licensing Rules – such as a valid ABN or ACN for a com.au, or a valid form of Australian government-issued ID.

You can register a .au domain name with your selected provider for a period of one, two, three, four or five years. You’ll need to choose your preferred licence period when you register and when it comes up for renewal.

At the time of registration or renewal, the .au domain name provider will validate the information you've provided. Once they’re satisfied you meet the relevant requirements under the .au Licensing Rules, your choice of .au domain name will be allocated to you for the licence period you selected. It can take up to two days for your domain name to be ready for use.

Explore the range of .au domain name providers.

If your contact details are not current, you may miss important registration information, including the renewal of your .au domain name prior to its expiry. If you don’t renew your .au domain name before the end of the licence period, any services using your domain name (e.g. a website or email) will stop working and the domain name may become available to be registered by someone else.

Contact your .au domain name provider to update your information.

Double check that emails from your .au domain provider are not being delivered to your spam folder.

If you are not eligible at any point during your licence period, you risk losing your .au domain name. Read the .au Licensing Rules to understand your requirements.