net.au domain names

net.au domain names are for businesses with a connection to Australia. Like com.au domain names, they can be held by commercial entities registered to trade in Australia or that hold an Australian trade mark.

When you register your net.au domain name, you’ll need to provide your company information including your ABN, ACN or Australian trademark details.

For the full list of entities eligible to hold net.au domain names see the .au Licensing Rules.

Your net.au domain name needs to have a connection to your business. This includes:

• Your business or personal name
• An acronym of your business name
• A match with your Australian trade mark, if you have one
• A service or product you offer

See section 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 of the .au Licensing Rules for the full list of ways your domain name can be connected to your business.

Keep your net.au domain name short and simple to help your audience remember it and find you easily online.

Aside from your contact information, you’ll need to provide valid information that shows you are a commercial entity with a connection to Australia. Usually this is an Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN). Foreign companies trading in Australia can also use an Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN), an Australian registered trade mark or trade mark application.

Most domain name providers automate the registration process to ensure you can start using your new .au domain name right away.

To register a net.au domain name you must be an Australian commercial entity. The most common way to qualify is by having an active ABN or ACN.

If you don’t have an ABN or ACN, you can still be eligible if you hold an ARBN or an Australian trade mark.

Before registering your domain name, make sure your ABN or ACN is set up. If the domain name you want doesn’t match your legal business name, you should aim to register a domain name that closely matches your legal business name so it complies with the .au Licensing Rules.

Register your domain name as soon as possible after setting registering your ABN or ACN, but remember, you must meet the requirements at the time you register and for the entire time that you hold the domain name.

If the domain name you want is already registered, and you haven’t already registered your business name, you could consider whether an alternate business name that also has a corresponding available domain name would work for you.

Not necessarily – the physical address of your business is not taken into consideration when determining eligibility for a net.au domain name. Provided you meet the Australian Commercial Entity Presence requirement (for example, having an ABN or Australian trade mark), you do not need a physical address in Australia.

There is no requirement to have a website connected to your domain name unless you are relying on a service provided via a website to demonstrate your connection to the domain name, as required by Section 2.4.4 of the .au Licensing Rules.

You could use your .au domain name to set up a custom email address which tells your audience that you’re a credible organisation or individual with an established presence in Australia.

Research also shows that, if you’re looking for a way to build trust with potential customers, a website with a .au address is a great option. auDA research shows half of Aussie consumers will only buy from a website ending in .au.

You can register a net.au domain name licence for a term of one, two, three, four or five years at a time.

You can renew it at the end of each term provided you continue to meet the requirements.

Not all domain name providers offer five-year licence terms – some may only allow you to renew for one or two years at a time.

If you currently hold a net.au domain name, you can check its expiry via the auDA Password Recovery Tool.

It can be a good idea to register the corresponding or matching domain name as a brand protection measure. For example, if you have {mycompanyname}.net.au, you might want to register {mycompany}.au and redirect it to your main .au domain name used for your company website and email. If you decide to register matching domain names, your domain name provider can help you set up a redirect so all your domain names point to your main site.

There’s no limit to the number of net.au or .au names you can hold - it will depend on your business and your budget. Many companies choose to register closely related variations for brand protection purposes. However, keep in mind you need to meet the requirements for all the .au domain names you register.

In the .au domain, a .au direct name (e.g. getyour.au) is a strong alternative if you’re not eligible for a net.au domain.

.au direct domain names are open to everyone who meets the Australian presence requirement – no ABN or ACN is required and there is no need to have a connection to a name you register in .au direct.

No. Like a car registration, domain names need to be registered individually or transferred to the new owner via a process called a registrant transfer.

To make this process as easy as possible it is strongly recommended you ensure:

• Any .au domain names registered to a company are explicitly included in the sale agreement
• The transfer of any .au domain names occurs before the original company is de-registered.

If a domain name licence is included as part of a business sale, you should use the .au WHOIS tool to identify the registrar of record and contact them to assist you with processing the transfer.

Using the WHOIS is a great way to check whether you have correctly transferred your domain name to your company. If your company name is not in the WHOIS, you are not currently recorded as the licence holder, even if you already have the associated passwords and access.

If the exact domain name you’d like is already registered by another party, consider alternatives, abbreviations or different words that relate to your business or project. Note that you will still need to meet the requirements for any alternative .au domain name you choose to register, such as having a matching business name or Australian trade mark.

You may also want to check alternatives within .au such as com.au or .au direct. You can use the tool on the auDA website to easily check the availability of a domain name across all the different types of .au domain names.

You can also contact the current owner of the .au domain name you want and discuss purchasing and transferring the domain name registration to you.

.au domain names are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to the first eligible registrant. It is possible that multiple registrants are eligible for the same net.au domain name (particularly where the words in the name are more generic). This is why we strongly recommend registering your domain names as early as possible so you get your preferred option.

You can use and renew the registration of your net.au domain name for as long as you remain eligible for it. However, if you close your business and the ABN/ ACN tied to it is cancelled, you are no longer eligible to hold that domain name.

If you have an alternative commercial entity that meets the requirements, such as a Trust of which you are the Trustee, you may transfer the domain name licence to this entity.

Alternatively, you may wish to register the matching .au direct version of the domain licence and migrate your email or website to that domain. .au direct domains do not require you to be a commercial entity or have a connection to a chosen name – Australian citizens or residents are eligible to hold any .au direct name.

Even if you operate globally, securing your net.au domain name can be a good idea to support your business ambitions. It’s a good way to help protect your brand and keep future options open.

Australia is well regarded internationally, and Australian companies are generally perceived as reliable, trustworthy and of high quality – providing a net benefit to your business by showing that you’re Australian.

A .au domain name clearly shows your international and Australian audiences that you have a connection to Australia and you’re subject to Australian consumer law.

A simple website with a net.au domain name can be an important way that new customers evaluate whether to purchase a good or service from your business. It also provides a central online hub for all your important business information, such as what goods or services you offer, and your contact details so new customers can reach you.

Even if you deliver services offline and don’t need a website, most businesses rely on email to stay connected. A net.au domain name gives you the option to have a customised email address that looks credible and can help build trust with your customers and suppliers.

No, there is no intention to phase out net.au in favour of .au direct. While net.au remains a trusted choice for Australian businesses, .au direct is the second most popular Australian namespace. A .au direct domain name is general-purpose and open to anyone with a validated connection to Australia.

To register a com.au or net.au domain, you must be an Australian business and the domain name needs to have a connection to your business.

This connection can be:

• Your exact business, company, or personal name
• An acronym of your name or business name
• A match of your registered Australian trade mark
• A match to or acronym of a name of a related Australian company, partnership, or trust
• A match or synonym of the name of what you do, such as:
• A service you provide
• Goods you sell
• An event you run or sponsor
• An activity you teach or facilitate
• A venue or premises you operate.

These requirements for com.au and net.au domain names, known as ‘allocation criteria’ can be found in section 2.4.4 of the .au Licensing Rules.

Yes, someone else can register a net.au domain name for you with your explicit written permission, such as a web developer who is building you a website.

They should use your details, such as your name, contact details and your company’s ABN, when filling out the registrant information as these details show who actually holds the domain name licence.

You are responsible for the information provided at registration, and the details provided determine who holds the domain name licence. If your developer uses their own details, it can lead to eligibility issues. For example, your developer might not meet the eligibility requirements to hold the domain name, and you are reliant on them staying in business to keep control of your name; or they may receive registration renewal notices and, if they don’t pass them on to you, your registration could inadvertently lapse.

It is important to use your own contact information, so you know when it’s time to renew your .au domain name licence.

If a domain name has been registered using your ABN without your permission, contact the auDA team.

There is a three-day cooling off period for .au domain name registrations during which you can request the name you registered be deleted. When the name is requested to be deleted within this period, auDA refunds the wholesale registration fee to the domain name provider. Whether you are eligible for a refund from the provider will depend on their policies. We recommend reviewing your provider’s Refund Policy or Terms of Service prior to registering, to identify whether you will be eligible to receive a refund from them in this instance.

Yes, provided the fund has a valid ABN to meet the Commercial Entity requirements and the domain name is available. You’ll need to nominate the Trustee of the fund as the registrant.