How do I get a .au webname (otherwise known as Domain Name)?
 

What .au webname is right for me?
To choose the most appropriate .au webname that best suits your needs please see our Webnames page.

How do I know when my .au webname is due to be renewed?
Renewal information can only be obtained from your Registrar (retailer). If you are unaware of who your Registrar (retailer) is, please use our .au whois Search feature. Just type in your .au webname and the .au whois Search feature will provide you with the Registrar (retailer) of your webname (please note that this service only provides information on .au webnames). The Registrar (retailer)’s contact details can be found at the Registrar Listing page. Alternatively, the name of the Registrar (retailer) in the .au whois Search report is actually a link itself - click on it to go to your Registrar (retailer)'s home page.

How do I change the existing contact information of my .au webname?
To change any information pertaining to your .au webname, you must contact your Registrar (retailer) of record. Registrar (retailer) contact details can be found at Registrar Listing page.

Registrations FAQ
This FAQ answers questions regarding how to register webnames and provides information about our .au Registry.
 

What is .au?
.au is the top level domain for all Australian domains. .au webnames are your opportunity to reach a worldwide audience with information about you, your ideas, or your organisation.

Within the .au top level domain there are five domain types (we call them 2LD's) under management by AusRegistry - .com.au and .net.au, .org.au, .id.au and .asn.au. Each of these domain types serves a specific purpose and community. By choosing the right domain type for your domain, you can reach the specific audience you require for your domain.

What's a webname?
Think of a webname as your voice and presence on the Internet, a unique electronic address where your web site is hosted and you receive e-mail. Some people like to think of their webname as their cyber identity (.id.au webnames), cyber company (.com.au), cyber soap box (.asn.au/.org.au) or cyber networking solutions centre (.net.au).

This webname, www.ausregistry.com.au is an example of our .com.au commercial presence on the internet. AusRegistry also has a .net.au domain which acts as the networking backbone for the AusRegistry company.



What is a top-level domain (TLD)?
A "top-level" domain is what comes after the last dot in a webname. The most commonly known top-level domains are .com, .net, and .org and .au. The top level domain types .com, .net and .org have been around for several years (since the Internet took its current form). Most of the possible (and comprehensible) domains have been allocated from those domain types. There are also country-specific top-level domains, such as .uk for the United Kingdom and .au for Australia. The .au country-specific TLD is one of the best regulated (see auDA) TLDs and all domains within it are precisely and comprehensively allocated (thats our job!).



What is a second-level domain (2LD)?

Who can register .au webnames?
It depends on the domain type you are registering. AusRegistry manage the .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .id.au and .asn.au 2LDs. See the .au Domain Information page at auDA for details on the edu.au and gov.au 2LDs.



What is a webname Registry (wholesale provider)? A Registrar (retailer)? A Registrant (customer)?
A Registry is an entity that maintains the master database of webnames for a particular top level domain (TLD). AusRegistry is the Registry (wholesale provider) for webnames in .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .id.au and .asn.au.

The Registry receives webname information from Registrars (retailer), who register webnames on behalf of Registrants - people like you who would like to register and use a webname. The Registry puts that information into what is called a 'zone file', which allows computers to route Internet traffic to and from domains around the world.



How can I get a .au webname?
You can register .au webnames through any auDA accredited Registrar (retailer).



How much does a webname cost?
Each Registrar (retailer) determines its own prices and policies for webname registrations. In addition, most Registrar (retailer)s offer additional services, such as web site hosting, that may be of interest to you.



How do I find out if a .au webname is available?
To find out if a name is available — or to find out who registered a particular name — use our handy .au whois Search feature. This database contains most .au webnames in existence.



What are the valid characters and valid lengths for webnames?
.au names can contain the English-language letters A through Z, and the digits 0 through 9. You can also use hyphens, but hyphens cannot begin or end your webname and you cannot have two hyphens in a row. Spaces and special characters (such as !, $, &, ë, and so on) are never permitted. The minimum length is 2 characters and the maximum length is 63 characters (excluding the "http://www" portion).



How soon can I start using my webname?
Once the Registry has been updated, the information in our database is shared with the Internet's zone files worldwide. This sharing process is called 'propagation', because the new information about your domain spreads or propagates across the Internet. The zone files are propagated frequently, every day of the year. We cannot control the rate at which the millions of name servers on the Internet are updated, but generally your domain should be available to Internet users within a very short period.



How do I change the information associated with a webname I've registered?
You must change your webname information — such as contact information —through your Registrar (retailer). Your Registrar (retailer) then submits these changes to the Registry. The speed at which your change is made — and therefore the speed at which it shows up in the Registry and the .au whois Search results — depends on your Registrar (retailer). It is important to note that only your Registrar (retailer) may change the information for your webname (with your permission, of course!).



How soon can I transfer my webname?
You may transfer your webname at any time. Domain Name transfers between Registrars are free. (The remaining time of your license is still valid when transferred)



Can I buy existing .au webnames from their current owners?
You cannot buy or sell .au webnames. The policies that govern the .au namespace are determined by auDA, the .au Domain Administration. For more information on the current webname policies, please go to www.auda.org.au/policy/.



What services does AusRegistry provide to Registrar (retailer)s?
The registration system developed by AusRegistry gives Registrar (retailer)s the ability to add, modify, and delete information associated with webnames. In addition, AusRegistry provides Registrar (retailer)s with account administration services, customer support and other value-added services.



What are generic webnames? Can they be registered?
A generic webname is a webname that is registered using a non-specific term. Domains such as shopping.com.au, sport.com.au or even car.com.au are all examples of generic webnames. In the past, generic webnames were not available in the .au namespace. As of July 1st 2002, some generic webnames have become available, with more likely to follow. To find out more about generic webnames, please go to www.auda.org.au.



What is blacklisting?
Blacklisting occurs when a person makes too many .au whois Search enquiries (please see FAQ How do I find out if a webname is available?). Blacklisting means that a person is banned from using the .au whois Search service for a specified time period. The limit is 20 queries per hour from the same IP address. The ban lasts for 24 hours.



Who is auDA? What are they responsible for?
auDA, the .au Domain Administration, is the government-endorsed manager of the Australian webnamespace. auDA is an independent, not-for-profit body. For more information please go to www.auda.org.au.



How many webnames can I register?
The policy for registering webnames has changed. An Australian business may now register a derivative of their business name or create separate domains for their associated products. They may even wish to register the profession in which they practice. Also, an Australian individual can, for the first time, register an .id.au webname. As long as the webname is a part of the Registrant's name or a derivative, you may register as many as you like!