On 12 April 2021 the current suite of rules for the .au country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) took effect.
These rules, referred to as the .au Domain Administration (auDA) Rules, cover all aspects of domain names in the .au ccTLD for both registrants and registrars and are a consolidation of the more than 30 legacy policies and guidelines.
The auDA rules consist of two key documents:
.au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing – The terms and conditions for .au domain name licences including the complaints and dispute resolution processes.
.au Domain Administration Rules: Registrar - Rules for companies providing .au domain name registration services that have been accredited by auDA.
Explanatory guide
This guide provides an overview of the development process of the current auDA Rules and an explanation as to where a rule is derived from (either the legacy Published Policies or a 2017 Policy Review Panel recommendation), or a policy rationale for where the rule is new.
Note: The explanatory guide is for information purposes only, and is not intended as legal advice, an interpretation of the rules or an indication of .au Domain Administration Limited enforcement or compliance policy.
When the rules will apply
The auDA Rules commenced on 12 April 2021 with the exception of the rules relating to:
- the .au namespace - commencing 24 March 2022;
- id.au namespace - commencing 24 March 2022;
- internationalised domains (e.g. 例如.au) - - TBD
Domain names created, transferred or renewed on or after 12 April 2021 are subject to the auDA rules.
If your current .au domain name licence period began before 12 April 2021, it is subject to the legacy published policies (old rules) that were in place at the start of the current licence period. If the name is renewed the current auDA Rules will apply to it.
You can find out which rules apply to your .au domain name here: Licensing version tool
Changes in the rules
While the auDA rules are broadly the same as the legacy published policies, there are some changes to be aware of. Below you’ll find information about the changes and how they may affect you.
Changes to how registrants can use or manage their .au domain names
There are changes to how .au domain names are used and managed and which apply to all registrants.
Changes to how auDA operates
The new .au licensing rules contain changes to how auDA operates to ensure the namespace remains Australian and trusted.
com.au and net.au rule changes
There are changes to the eligibility rules for the com.au and net.au namespace which may impact some registrants.
org.au rule changes
There are changes to the eligibility rules for org.au domains which may impact some registrants.
State and Territory namespace rule changes
The rule for the State and Territory namespaces (e.g. vic.au or nt.au) have been changed to allow a wider range of entities to register in those namespaces.
The complaints process
How you lodge complaints about domain names and registrars is changing under the new licensing rules.
Monetisation and the new .au licensing rules
The new .au licensing rules contain changes to regarding monetisation of .au domain names.
Changes to the id.au rules
There are upcoming changes to the allocation rules for id.au names which may impact some registrants.
