Here’s how you choose between .com.au, .net.au, and other .au domain names
Australia's .au Domain Administration (auDA) is a well-trusted domain regulator.
They do a lot of work to keep the .au namespace well organised and free from bad actors.
One key way they do this is by carefully determining eligibility for many of the most popular .au top level domains.
What .au domains are regulated and why? #
Like many other country code top level domains (ccTLD), .au domains are protected and can only be registered by Australians who meet the auDA’s guidelines.
In all cases, you’ll have to provide either some form of Australian proof-of-identity, your Australian Business Number (ABN), or other means of authenticating your connection to Australia.
There are eight primary .au domain namespaces which are protected by the auDA. Each has its own purpose and rules for who can register domains within them.
Who can register .com.au domains? #
To be eligible for Australia’s most popular TLD, .com.au, you have to be registered as a commercial entity (a business), and the domain name must match the name of a business or the service the business offers.
Who can get .net.au domains? #
The same applies for .net.au, which is exclusively for businesses. In the same sense, domains must also match the name of the business or the service the business offers.
While the auDA website says .net.au “is the online for Australian tech companies”, there are no restrictions on the field or industry a business is involved in.
Who can register .org.au and .asn.au domains? #
On a similar but less commercial note, the .org.au namespace is reserved for not-for-profit organisations.
Likewise, .asn.au is also exclusive to non-commercial organisations, which in this case also includes unincorporated associations.
Who is eligible for .edu.au, .gov.au, and .id.au domains? #
The .edu.au namespace is reserved for education and training providers in Australia, while the .gov.au namespace is restricted for only Australian government bodies.
On a different note, only individuals (people, not companies) can obtain the licence for a .id.au.
How do I get .au direct domains? #
Unlike all of the above, the .au direct namespace has no distinct requirements, other than requiring you to be either an Australian citizen, permanent resident, trademark holder or organisation registered in Australia.
Who can get state and territory .au domains? #
State and territory specific domain names are also tightly protected. To be eligible for any of the below state and territory domains you must be a registered not-for-profit organisation, including state and territory bodies, and community groups, operating in the area.
.act.aucan only be used by those within the Australian Capital Territory..nsw.aucan only be used by those within the state of New South Wales..nt.aucan only be used by those within the Northern Territory..qld.aucan only be used by those within the state of Queensland..sa.aucan only be used by those within the state of South Australia..tas.aucan only be used by those within the state of Tasmania..vic.aucan only be used by those within the state of Victoria..wa.aucan only be used by those within the state of Western Australia.
Remember to check and compare prices from different retailers before you register any new .au domains.