URL: /faq/au-domains --- title: .au domains FAQ description: Eligibility, registry rules, and quirks of the .au namespace. --- ## Who can register a `.com.au` or `.net.au`? A registered Australian commercial entity. In practice that means you need: - An ABN (Australian Business Number), **or** - An ACN (Australian Company Number), **or** - An RBN (Registered Business Name). You also need a "close and substantial connection" between the registered entity and the domain name itself. The 2008 rule that required a literal name match was relaxed — a brand or product name owned by the entity is usually fine. ## Can a non-Australian entity register `.com.au`? A non-Australian entity can apply if it holds a registered Australian trademark that matches the domain. The trademark needs to be granted (not pending) and active. Otherwise no — the registry will reject the application. For everyone else, [direct `.au`](https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/direct-au) (since 2022) requires Australian presence too — ABN/ACN for businesses, residency for individuals. ## What about `.org.au`? Non-commercial Australian organisations: charities, associations, professional bodies, sporting clubs. ABN required for the organisation. The registry checks that the organisation type is non-commercial. ## What about `.id.au`? Personal use. Australian citizens or permanent residents. No ABN required — your name on the registration is enough. The domain must relate to your personal identity (your name, a personal handle, a hobby). ## What about `.asn.au` and `.gov.au`? `.asn.au` — Australian associations, sports clubs. Needs ABN. `.gov.au` — Australian government bodies only. We don't sell `.gov.au`; it's restricted to government entities that apply directly to auDA. ## Can I have WHOIS privacy on `.au`? No. auDA mandates public WHOIS for `.au` TLDs — name, address, email, and phone are public. Set the toggle to `privacy: true` and we silently ignore it on `.au`. If your contact data needs to be hidden, use a registered address (e.g. an accountant's office) and a role-based email. ## How long is the renewal grace period? `.au` registries give a 30-day renewal grace after expiry. After grace, the domain is **released** — there's no formal redemption period like `.com` has. This means once a `.au` domain has dropped, it's gone, and someone else can register it. We send 30-day, 14-day, 7-day, and 1-day pre-expiry notifications. Auto-renew is on by default for everything we register. ## Can I transfer `.au` domains? Yes. `.au` transfers are registry-mediated and near-instant once you've supplied the auth code. There's no 60-day lock like ICANN gTLDs — you can register a `.au` and transfer it elsewhere the same day if you want. ## Can I have multi-year registrations on `.au`? Yes. `.com.au` and `.net.au` accept 1–5 year registrations (most TLDs allow up to 10, but `.au` policy caps it). Renewals can extend beyond the initial term, also up to 5 years. ## What's the deal with `.au` direct (no second-level)? Since March 2022, anyone with Australian presence can register a name directly under `.au` (e.g. `example.au` instead of `example.com.au`). The application rules are identical to `.com.au`. Existing `.com.au` holders had a priority-allocation window in 2022; that's closed now. ## Why does my `.au` registration ask for an "eligibility id"? The registry wants to verify the ABN/ACN. You upload it once via [`/v1/orgs/{org_oid}/contacts/eligibility`](/api/org-contacts), we verify against the ABR, and store the result. Future `.au` registrations reference the eligibility id rather than re-uploading the ABN every time. ## Can I register a name that infringes a trademark? The registry doesn't pre-screen for trademarks (that's auDA's general rule), but auDA runs a [Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP)](https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-administration-rules-dispute-resolution) — the trademark holder can file a complaint, and you may lose the domain if the panel rules against you. We surface a `trademark_risk` flag on valuations (and search results when the risk is high). Heed it. ## What does it cost compared to `.com`? Wholesale `.com.au` is around $14 AUD/year; wholesale `.com` is around $16 AUD/year (varies with USD/AUD exchange). Retail at DomainGenius reflects the wholesale split — see [`/pricing`](https://domaingenius.com.au/pricing) for current numbers.