The Australian registry auDA changes the registration conditions for all .au domains as of April 12, 2021. The adjustments apply to the nearly 3.3 million existing domains below SLDs such as .com.au or .net.au and in future also to domain registrations directly below the ccTLD .au, which are expected to begin in the second half of 2021.

Among other things, auDA wants to ensure that holders of Australian domains actually have a close connection to Australia.

What are the changes for companies?

Companies with an existing “Australian business number” (ABN) are not affected, as these continue to be one of the requirements for the use of an Australian domain.

However, the rules have been tightened for foreign companies or users of an Australian trademark as the basis for a domain. In the future, the trademark must correspond exactly to the domain name, only punctuation marks, articles and the domain extension (as part of the trademark) itself can be ignored.

The exclusive use of .com.au or .net.au domains for companies will continue. Private users have to look for alternative endings.

Impact of the new registration conditions

All .au domains registered or renewed on or after April 12, 2021 will be affected by this new rule. For domains registered or renewed until April 12, 2021, the rule will come into effect at the next renewal date. Owners of domains that do not comply with the new auDA requirements risk having them deactivated or even deleted.

Our recommendations

A careful review of your domain portfolio for compliance with the updated registration requirements is essential and not only serves to maintain the domain portfolio, but also forms the basis for being able to register popular domains directly below .au.

LEMARIT’s customers benefit from a proactive corporate domain management, and information on necessary measures provided well in advance.

  • Get an overview: Which of your domains are affected by the adjustments? When do your domains need to be extended?
  • How time-consuming is the compliance with the new registration requirements? Under certain circumstances it may make sense to renew the domains before the due date in order to gain some time.
  • Are the contact details still up to date?

Create an action plan for each individual domain. Three alternatives are open to you:

  • Register a company in Australia. This option is also open to companies outside Australia.
  • Register a trademark that matches the domain. A trademark application by itself is sufficient for the successful registration/renewal of an Australian domain.

    LEMARIT will be happy to carry this out for you as part of our Local Presence Service.

  • Part with the domain. However, it is important to note that domains that were formerly used productively can represent a security risk for your company if they are in the hands of third parties.

What LEMARIT does for you

At LEMARIT we inform our customers affected by adjustments to the registration conditions well in advance. These continuous measures contribute to an optimal domain portfolio. We offer the highest degree of personal support and individual solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Any questions about your domain portfolio or possible measures to preserve your Australian domains? Please feel free to contact us!