Rules for registering domain names

Rules for Domain Name Registration

Our advice

For a business based in Australia a .com.au domain name is generally best, but if you're trading globally then you should probably register a .com too. The .com.au / .com name is the most important to secure, but if this is unavailable you could consider a .net.au / .net instead (in this event look closely at the owner of the equivalent .com!).

Some domains (notably .au) are strictly regulated - the sections below list the rules that apply to each type of domain name.

Australian commercial: .com.au and .net.au

Popular amongst commercial entities, based in Australia, serving an Australian market. Must be an Australian registered company, or business to secure a domain (an ABN, BRN, BN is required), and must meet one of the following registration criteria:

An exact match of the business name or trademark
An abbreviation of the business name or trademark
An acronym of the business name or trademark
Product that the business manufactures or sells
An activity that your business facilitates, teaches or trains
A service that your business provides
A venue that the business operates
A profession that is practiced by the business employees or members
An event that your business organises or sponsors
Place names in Australia are disallowed
Can be 2 to 63 letters, and words can be separated by hyphens, but not spaces

International: .com, .biz, .net, .info, .org

Policy free, anyone can register any domain name, regardless of their rights to that domain name. If you own a company name, or a trademark, it does not prevent someone registering that name.

Netregistry alternative commercial: .au.com

.au.com is not restricted or regulated by .au Policy Rules. It is therefore policy free, anyone can register any domain name on a first-come-first-served basis.

New Zealand, China, UK: .nz, .cn, .uk

Policy free, anyone can register any domain name, regardless of their rights to that domain name. If you own a company name, or a trademark, it does not prevent someone registering that name.

Australian non-profit: .org.au

Charities, or not-for-profit organisations, as specified in your articles of association, you must be a registered company, or incorporated association to acquire an org.au domain name, and must meet one of the following criteria:

An exact match of the organisations name or trademark
An abbreviation of the organisations name or trademark
An acronym of the organisations name or trademark
Product that the organisation produces or sells
A program that the organisation administers
An activity that the organisation facilitates, teaches or trains
A service that the organisation provides
A venue that the organisation operates
A profession that is practiced by the organisations members
An event that your organisation organises or sponsors

Australian club or association: .asn.au

Applicants must either an incorporated association, registered political party, registered trade union, or a sporting or special interest club operating within Australia, and must meet one of the following criteria:

An exact match of the associations name or trademark
An abbreviation of the associations name or trademark
An acronym of the associations name or trademark
A program that the association administers
An activity that the association facilitates, teaches or trains
A service that the association provides
A venue that the association operates
A profession that is practiced by the associations members
An event that the association organises or sponsors

Australian individual: .id.au

For individuals who reside in Australia. Applicant must meet the following criteria:

Derived from or includes the individuals name