Overview

As of the 12th of April 2021, auDA released a series of new rules surrounding the .au namespace, .org.au domains encounter some of the most significant of these changes being rolled out. You can see the full list of changes here

Contents hide
1 Overview
2 Am I eligible to register a .au domain name?
3 .com.au and .net.au
4 .au direct
5 .asn.au
6 .org.au
7 .id.au
8 Related Articles

Am I eligible to register a .au domain name?  

To register a .au domain name you must have a validated Australian presence, for example, evidence that you are a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or an organisation registered in Australia. The full definition of an Australian presence can be found at Section 1.4 of the .au licensing rules.  

Each type of .au domain name (namespace) also has specific rules about who can register a name in the namespace.  

.com.au and .net.au

As .NET.AU and .COM.AU domain names are intended for commercial use by Australian businesses, the most common methods of proving eligibility are by providing an Active ABN or ACN; as most Australian businesses require one to operate.

If the client does not currently have an ABN, you’re able to register for one by visiting the Australian Taxation Office’ (ATO) website and apply for one here.

The list of ABN’s accepted for the following companies are listed below:

  • Sole Trader
  • Partnership
  • Not-for-profit organisations (including Religious/Church groups)
  • Any Australian Public or Private Company (Can either be Limited by Guarantee or Limited by Shares)

.au direct

.au direct names are general purpose – they’re open to anyone with a verified connection to Australia who wants to create or manage an online presence for themselves or their organisation.

.au direct domain names are available for general use meaning any person, business or organisation can register them, provided they meet the eligibility criteria in the .au Licensing Rules.

To be eligible for a .au direct name you must have a verifiable Australian presence, which includes being a citizen or permanent resident or an organisation registered in Australia. The full definition of an Australian presence is in the definitions section of the .au Licensing Rules.

.asn.au

In order to possess a .asn.au domain you must come under the following; 

  • Not-for-profit organisations registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC)
  • Club/Sporting/Special Interest Groups
  • Religious/Church Groups
  • Incorporated Associations in any State
  • Political Party Groups registered with the Australian Electoral Commission
  • Trade Unions registered with the Fair Work Act of 2009

Common eligibility information registrars require for .asn.au domain names are:

  • An active ABN/ACN for a not-for-profit or charity organisation.
  • Incorporated association number for a not-for-profit/charity organisation
  • An active ABN/ACN for an unincorporated entity.

Information

Private companies are NOT eligible for this extension, as they are limited by share/stakeholders and not guarantors.

.org.au

.org.au domains have the strictest requirements of all publicly available .au based domain names you must be a not-for-profit organisation. The definition of a not-for-profit organisation has been updated.

  • an Incorporated Association under State or Territory legislation;
  • a Company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001(Cth)
  • a Non-distributing co-operative registered under State or Territory legislation;
  • an Indigenous Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006(Cth) and which appears on the Register of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations;

Information

The ABN entity type must be listed as a charity, not for profit, or an incorporated association. (Unincorporated associations/ entities are not eligible)

.id.au

.id.au domain names are intended for personal use by Australian residents

The following eligibility requirements for .id.au domain names are listed below:

  • You must be an Australian resident/citizen
  • Under part 2.4.8 of the auDA Rules, you can no longer register a name that refers to a personal interest or a hobby 
  • The domain name must exactly match or be closely related to yourself as the individual

.id.au domain names CANNOT be registered for the means of commercial use, as they are a domain that is intended for personal use.

auDA – org.au eligibility rule changes explained

auDA – com.au and net.au rule changes explained

auDA – id.au rule changes

Was this article helpful?
Yes No

Related Articles