.au direct names launched on 24 March 2022.
From 24 March 2022, you can apply:
- to register new .au direct names that are not already registered in the .au registry (i.e. names are not registered in any existing .au namespace such as com.au or org.au etc.) and;
- for the exact match of any existing .au domain name you are the existing registrant of. These names will be allocated according to the Priority Allocation Process.
The Priority Allocation Process is set out in the .au direct Priority Implementation Rules.
Registering new .au direct names
From 24 March 2022, you’ll be able to register new .au direct names.
These are names that are available to the public on a first come, first served basis as they are not already registered in any other .au namespace e.g. com.au, or org.au.
You will be able to register new names via any participating .au accredited registrar in accordance with the .au Licensing Rules, as long as you are eligible to register the domain name.
Registering the exact match of an existing .au domain you hold
If you hold a .au name in another namespace e.g. com.au, org.au. etc. created before 24 March 2022, you will have until 20 September 2022 to apply for its exact .au direct match. The six-month period is known as the Priority Application Period.
Exact matches will be put on Priority Hold for the Priority Application Period to prevent them from being registered by others and to enable existing registrants the first opportunity to register (Priority Status) the exact match of their existing domain names.
E.g. If you are the registrant of getyour.com.au, and it was created before 24 March 2022, you will have six months to apply for getyour.au, if you would like to licence it.
You’ll be able to apply for the exact match .au direct domain name via a participating .au accredited registrar.
In most cases you’ll be able to register and begin using your matching .au direct domain name soon after you apply for it.
In some cases there may be more than one applicant for the same .au direct domain name as there are different registrants that hold the same domain name licence in different namespaces.
For example:
- Tina is the registrant of getyour.com.au
- Gene is the registrant of getyour.net.au
Both names were created before 24 March 2022, so both registrants are eligible to apply for getyour.au
In these cases, the .au direct exact match will be allocated according to the Priority Allocation Process.
If you are an existing registrant, you can expect to hear from your existing .au registrar about the launch of .au direct and how you can apply for the exact match of any .au names you already hold licences for.
Applying to register your matching .au direct name is optional and has no effect on your existing .au domain names. Your existing name in the .au domain will continue to operate as it does today, provided you keep your registration up-to-date.
