As of 4 October 2022, Australians can register domain names in the new .au domain space.
If you have an Australian domain name already registered, you have first dibs on registering the equivalent .au domain by applying for Priority Status.
This page contains information about how to secure your .au domain before priority applications close on 20 Sep, after which it will become available for general registration by the public.
What is a .au domain name?
Previously, Australian domain names could be registered with extensions including .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .asn.au, and .id.au. Now, another extension has been added to this list — .au — which means you can register a domain name like "example.au".
How does this affect me?
If you have an Australian domain name currently registered, in most cases, this entitles you to apply for Priority Status for the registration of the equivalent domain in the .au space. If you do not apply for Priority Status, then, come 4 Oct, anybody can register that domain name as a .au. So, if you wish to secure your domain in this new space, you need to take action before 20 Sep.
How do I register my domain name in the .au space?
Simply send us an email and Precedence will take care of the process.
We will check your eligibility and whether your application could be contested (see our FAQs below). If you are the only eligible applicant we will send you an invoice which will trigger the application immediately on payment. If the domain could be contested, we'll instead discuss options with you.
The cost of applying for a .au domain is $55 (incl. GST). If your application is successful, this will register the domain name for one year. Subsequent renewals cost $55 (incl. GST) per year, and discounts are available for longer renewal periods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have the .au domain if I already have a .com.au domain?
No — your existing domain name(s) will be unaffected, and there is no SEO or technical benefit to owning multiple versions of the same domain.
But there are some good reasons to secure your business name in the new .au domain space, including:
- Brand protection, to prevent a competitor registering the .au version of your business name (even if you own a trademark, it's cheaper to just secure the domain yourself than it is to forcibly take it off another party)
- Having a shorter version of your domain name can be easier to say, type, and display on marketing materials
What happens if another eligible business applies for the same domain as me?
If you own example.com.au and another business owns example.net.au, for example, then a process is applied to determine which business will be awarded the domain name. You can find out more about the process for contested names on the auDA website.
Part of our process for registering your .au domain name is to check whether or not the domain will be contested, and advising you of the best course of action, depending on which scenario applies to you.
What are the eligibility requirements for a .au domain?
Unlike other Australian domain name spaces such as .com.au, the only eligibility requirement for a .au domain is to have an Australian presence, and for the domain name to not be a reserved word.
Therefore, this is a great opportunity to register a new domain name that you might not have otherwise been eligible for.
I want to register a .au domain but I don’t own any of the other versions
If you want to register a .au domain but do not already own the equivalent .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .asn.au or .id.au domain, ask us to check anyway. If the domain is available and uncontested, it can be registered immediately. If the domain is contested, it might be the case that the eligible entity does not wish to register it, leaving it available for general registration on 4 Oct.
Can I register a .au domain for more than 1 year?
If the domain is uncontested (i.e. there are no other applicants in either Category 1 or Category 2), then the initial registration can indeed be placed for more than 1 year, and discounts will apply. Just let us know if you would prefer a longer registration.
I have more questions!
Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about the new .au domain space or would like advice on what you should do. Simply send us an email, or give us a call on 1300 363 460, and we'll be happy to help.
