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Running a business

Everything you need to know about Australia’s new .au domain names

Australia launched the .au direct domain name on 24 March 2022, giving businesses the option to register a short, memorable .au domain name for websites and email addresses. The deadline to make a priority pre-registration for your business’ .au domain is 20 September 2022.

Here’s what you need to know about the new .au domain names in Australia: what they mean for your business, eligibility, benefits and how to apply.

Why is the new .au domain namespace being introduced?

Introducing the .au domain space offers more choice for businesses to register a short, localised domain name and grow their digital brand

The new .au domain namespace is what’s known as the ‘country code Top Level Domain’ (ccTLD) for Australia. It is designed to complement the existing Australian domain namespaces, such as com.au, edu.au, gov.au and org.au.

Existing domain names in the .au will continue to operate, meaning you can own multiple domains (such as .com.au and .au) for your business website.

Who is eligible for an .au domain name?

.au domain names are available to any business with a current Australian presence. This includes:

  • Permanent Australian residents and citizens
  • Australian registered companies
  • Australian partnerships and sole traders
  • Owners of an Australian registered trademark
  • Australian registered charities
  • Australian registered political parties
  • Trusts where the trustee is an Australian citizen
  • Foreign companies licensed to trade in Australia

What are the benefits of an .au domain name?

The new .au domain names create many opportunities for small businesses. For example, they are shorter and easier to remember. They also signal to users that your business has a connection with Australia, helping you build a local and relevant online presence.

But most importantly, by shortening your business' domain name, you'll be able to further protect your business against cyber criminals. The Australian Cyber Security Centre has recommended that businesses register their business under the .au direct equivalent prior to the cut-off date, to prevent cybercriminals from impersonating their business.

In addition to the above, registering an .au direct domain name can be a great opportunity for existing Australian businesses and entrepreneurs to promote one-off events or campaigns. Examples include:

  • Registering a shorter domain for your existing business (yourbusinessname.au)
  • Registering your name in .au to create a professional online portfolio (yoursurname.au) and email address (yourfirstname@yoursurname.au)
  • Registering your marketing campaign name to launch a new product (yourcampaginname.au)

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How to apply for an .au domain name

If you want to register the .au version of your existing business’ domain name, you’ll need to make a priority application online with the .au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) on or before 20 September 2022.

1. Check your priority status

Use the auDA’s priority status tool to enter your existing business domain name and check if you’re eligible to make a priority application. 

One thing to keep in mind is that you might hold the com.au domain for your business name but someone else might hold the corresponding .org.au or net.au domain. In these cases, the priority status tool will list the registered domain names in order of priority.

Find out more about the priority allocation process here.

2. Retrieve your priority token

If you’re eligible to make a priority application for your .au domain name, you’ll need to retrieve your priority token on the auDA website. 

After entering your details, you should receive two numbers – your Priority Contact ID and Priority Authinfo – in your business’s email inbox. You’ll need to enter these two numbers in the next step.

3. Register your .au domain name

Once you’ve obtained your Priority Contact ID and Priority Authinfo, you can register for your .au domain name through your existing domain host (if they’re accredited) or another accredited domain host. 

See the list of auDA-accredited domain hosts.

When registering, your chosen domain host will prompt you to provide your Priority Contact ID and Priority Authinfo.

4. Transfer or redirect your .au domain name

If you registered your .au domain name with your usual domain host, you’re all set up and ready to go.

If you registered with another domain host, you’ll need to either transfer your .au domain to your usual domain host, or redirect your .au domain to your usual business website address. You can do this via your .au domain host’s user dashboard.

What happens if you don’t register

If you don’t register, the .au version of your business’ domain name will become available for registration to the general public.

Even if you don’t plan to actively use your .au domain name, it’s a good idea to consider making a priority application to prevent others from registering your business name in the new .au format.


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