.COM.AU, .NET.AU, .ORG.AU domain registration requirements Print

.COM.AU, .NET.AU, and .ORG.AU Requirements

To secure an Australian domain, you must meet the Australian Presence Requirement. This means the domain owner must be a citizen, a permanent resident, or an organization legally registered in Australia.

1. .COM.AU and .NET.AU (Commercial Entities)

These are intended for commercial use. To register one, you must belong to one of the following categories:

• Sole Traders or Partnerships: Must have an active ABN (Australian Business Number).

• Companies: Must have an active ABN or ACN (Australian Company Number).

• Foreign Companies: Must be licensed to trade in Australia or hold an Australian Registered Trademark.

Mandatory Extended Attributes:

• ID Type: Select ABN, ACN, or Trademark Number.

• ID Number: Enter the 11-digit ABN or 9-digit ACN without spaces.

• Entity Name: Must match the name associated with the ID exactly.

2. .ORG.AU (Not-for-Profit Entities)

This is a restricted "community" domain. It is only available to non-commercial organizations.

• Eligible Groups: Charities (registered with the ACNC), incorporated associations, political parties, trade unions, and sporting/special interest clubs.

• New Rule (2026): Unincorporated associations are no longer eligible unless they are registered on the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) register.

• Naming Rule: The domain name must be an exact match, abbreviation, or acronym of your organization's name, or otherwise "closely and substantially connected" to the entity.

3. .AU Direct (Example: yourname.au)

Launched as a shorter alternative, .au direct is open to anyone with a verified connection to Australia.

• Individuals: Australian citizens or permanent residents (verified via a government-issued ID).

• Organizations: Any business or non-profit with a valid ABN/ACN.

• Benefit: Unlike .com.au, there are no "commercial intent" rules for .au directyou can use it for a personal blog, a hobby site, or a business.

Nixzoehost Compliance Checklist

• The "Exact Match" Rule: For businesses, your domain should ideally relate to your legal name or a service you provide. You cannot register generic terms just to sell them later (e.g., sydney.com.au is restricted).

• Registration Period: You can register these domains for 1 to 5 years.

• Renewal: You must remain eligible throughout the life of the domain. If you cancel your ABN, the domain becomes ineligible and can be deleted by the registry.

Important: Providing a fake ABN or an ID number that doesn't match your registrant name will result in an immediate "Pending" status. Our system validates these numbers against the Australian Governments database in real-time.