.au direct Priority Allocation Process
Learn about the .au direct Priority Allocation Process and how contested .au direct domain names that remain on priority hold are managed.
The Priority Application Period for .au direct domain names is closed
Registrants of .au domain names registered before 24 March 2022 (e.g. domain names ending in com.au, net.au, org.au) were able to apply to register the exact match of their names in .au direct via the Priority Allocation Process, which ran from 24 March 2022 to 20 September 2022 UTC.
The Priority Allocation Process is set out in the .au direct Priority Implementation Rules.
.au direct names that were:
- Subject to priority hold under the Priority Allocation Process; and
- Did not receive a priority application during the Priority Allocation Period
became available to be registered by eligible members of the general public on 3 October 2022 UTC.
Contested names
In a small number of cases, there are .au direct domain names that remain subject to priority hold. These names remain unallocated as there are active ‘category 1’ priority applications from multiple eligible registrants.
In those cases, the .au direct domain name will only be allocated either by agreement between the parties or when there is only one active application remaining.
Resolving the allocation of a contested .au domain name
The priority applicants will need to negotiate between themselves to determine who will be allocated the .au direct domain name they have applied for.
Applicants will be able to contact each other via the registrant contact email address found on the .au WHOIS tool.
The priority status tool can be used to see which registrants have an active application for a .au direct domain name that remains on priority hold.
Where an agreement is reached:
- The agreed applicant(s) will withdraw their applications
- The .au direct domain name will be allocated to the registrant with the only active priority application remaining. The licence will be applied for an initial one-year licence term.
Where no agreement is reached:
- The .au direct domain name will remain subject to priority hold
- The .au direct domain name will remain on priority hold until there is only one active priority application remaining.
Applicants will need to renew their application on an annual basis if they wish to remain in contention for the .au direct domain name.
Renewing a priority application
All priority applications will renew annually on 20 September UTC.
Priority applicants will be contacted by their registrar to renew their priority application in the 90-day period prior to 20 September UTC each year.
As part of the renewal, the registrar will carry out validation to ensure the applicant is still eligible for the .au direct domain name subject to the priority application.
If the applicant does not renew their priority application by 20 September UTC with their domain name provider, the application will be withdrawn from the Priority Allocation Process. The applicant will no longer be in contention to register the .au direct domain name. When there is only one active application, the .au direct domain name will be allocated to the remaining applicant.
Transferring or withdrawing a priority application
If you have an active priority application for a .au direct domain name, you can transfer your application to another registrar during the 90-day renewal window prior to 20 September (note a transfer can only be undertaken once per renewal window).
You can also withdraw your application at any time. Please note that withdrawing an active application is final and cannot be reversed. Find out how to withdraw or transfer your application.
Updating registrant information for a .au domain name subject to an active priority application
Registrants of .au domain names associated with an active priority application for a .au direct domain name that is in contention can update their registrant information via their domain name provider. When the registrant information is updated, the registrant information in the corresponding .au direct priority application will also be updated.
For example, Sam holds the licence for ‘getyour.com.au’. During the Priority Application Period, Sam applied for priority application for ‘getyour.au’. A number of other registrants also applied for ‘getyour.au’ and the name is in contention. Sam contacts her registrar to update her registrant legal information associated with ‘getyour.com.au’. The corresponding registrant legal information for Sam’s priority application for ‘getyour.au’ is also updated.
Registrants of .au domain names subject to an active priority application for a .au direct domain name that is in contention can transfer that domain name to a new legal entity. If they do so, their corresponding priority application for the contested .au direct domain name will also be transferred to that new legal entity.
If contention is ultimately resolved and the .au direct name is registered to that registrant, it will be registered in the name of the new legal entity. Following a transfer, the new registrant will be responsible for managing and renewing the active priority application.
For example, Sam holds the licence for ‘getyour.com.au’. During the Priority Application Period, she applied to register ‘getyour.au’. A number of other registrants also applied for ‘getyour.au’ and the name is in contention. If Sam then applies to transfer the licence for ‘getyour.com.au’ to Pratik, Sam’s priority application for ‘getyour.au’ is also transferred to Pratik. When the transfer takes place, Pratik becomes responsible for managing and renewing the priority application. If Pratik becomes the last registrant with an active priority application for ‘getyour.au’, the domain name ‘getyour.au’ will be registered in Pratik’s name.
