Understanding .au domain name rules: A quick start guide

In Australia, the .au Domain Administration (auDA) defines clear eligibility rules for many of the most popular .au top level domains.

Which .au domains are regulated?

First and foremost, like many other country code top level domains (ccTLD), .au domains can only be registered by Australians or those doing business in Australia who meet their guidelines. In all cases, you’ll have to provide some Australian proof-of-identity, whether that’s a driver’s license, Australian passport, Australian Business Number (ABN) or other documentation proving your connection to Australia.

The exact requirements are different for each namespace (e.g. .com.au or .id.au). This article looks at the most popular .au domain namespaces and how they are protected by the auDA, each with their own well defined purpose and regulations for who can register a domain.

Can I register .com.au domains?

Australia’s most popular top level domain (TLD), .com.au, can only be registered by businesses and other commercial entities. The domain name must either match the name of the business, or the service the business provides. To prove your business name is linked to the domain name, you’ll have to provide your ABN to the retailer selling you the domain.

Who can get .net.au domains?

It’s a similar case for .net.au domains, which are also intended for businesses. In the same sense, domains must also match the name of the business or the service the business offers. On the auDA website it states that .net.au domains are a “great choice for Australia’s innovative, technology-focused businesses”, but there are no restrictions on the industry a business is involved in.

How do I get .au direct domains?

The auDA data shows that .au direct domains are the second most popular choice in the .au namespace. And there's a good reason for that, it’s short and simple, and has the most relaxed registration rules.

Unlike all the other domains mentioned in this article, .au direct domains have no notable requirements other than requiring you to prove your connection to Australia.

It only launched in 2020, and is recommended as a simple first step for building an online presence, whether that's a side-hustle, passion project or some other idea you’ve had percolating.

Can I register a .id.au domain?

Only individuals (meaning people, not companies or other organisations) can register .id.au domains. These domains are designed for Australian citizens and permanent residents to expand their online presence, with a domain name matching either their first name, last name, or nickname.

What about registering .org.au or .asn.au domains?

Only not-for-profit organisations are eligible for .org.au domains. Similarly, .asn.au is reserved for non-commercial organisations, which also includes unincorporated associations (like a sports club or a hobby group).

Registering .edu.au domains

The .edu.au namespace is exclusive for education and training providers in Australia. It’s designed for them to establish their presence online to build trust both locally and internationally.

Are .gov.au websites only for the government?

Domains ending in .gov.au are tightly restricted for only Australian government bodies. This means no individuals or companies are able to register .gov.au domains.

Who can get state and territory .au domains?

Similar to .govt.au, state and territory domain names are also tightly protected. Eligibility for any of the below state and territory domains requires you being a registered not-for-profit organisation, including state and territory bodies, and community groups, operating in the area.

• .act.au can only be registered by those within the Australian Capital Territory.
• .nsw.au can only be registered by those within the state of New South Wales.
• .nt.au can only be registered by those within the Northern Territory.
• .qld.au can only be registered by those within the state of Queensland.
• .sa.au can only be registered by those within the state of South Australia.
• .tas.au can only be registered by those within the state of Tasmania.
• .vic.au can only be registered by those within the state of Victoria.
• .wa.au can only be registered by those within the state of Western Australia.

Who can get state and territory .au domains?

There you have it, those are the rules and requirements for the most popular .au TLDs. We recently lowered our .au domain prices here at MyHost, so there’s never been a better time to register one wish us.

Photo by Raquel Martínez from Unsplash.