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Your .com.au Is Registered to the Wrong Entity. Here’s How to Fix It

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Key takeaways

  • To move a .com.au to a different business entity, you need a registrant transfer (change of registrant). Moving providers is a different process.
  • The new holder must be eligible, accept a new licence agreement and pay the licence fee. Only full years of the remaining term carry over.
  • Buying a business doesn’t transfer its domain automatically. auDA says to transfer it within 28 days of the sale contract, unless the contract says otherwise.
  • Since May 2026, registrars report renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN behind a .au domain is inactive. Fix the registrant before renewal.

If your .com.au is registered to the wrong business entity, you fix it with a change of registrant, also called a registrant transfer. You start it through the domain provider that manages the name. The new entity must be eligible for the domain, sign a new licence agreement and pay the licence fee (auDA, Transfer your .au domain name).

It’s a short job when both sides cooperate, and much easier to fix now than at renewal time.

How does a .com.au end up in the wrong name?

In our experience, it’s rarely anyone’s fault. These are the situations we see most:

  • You changed structure. The domain was registered by you as a sole trader, and you’ve since set up a company with its own ACN.
  • You bought or sold a business. auDA is clear that “buying a business does not mean the domain name licence is automatically transferred to the new owner”.
  • A former partner registered it. The name sits under their ABN, or a partnership that no longer trades.
  • Your web designer registered it for you. It’s under their business, so legally it’s theirs to hold, not yours.

Registrant transfer or registrar transfer: what’s the difference?

The two get mixed up constantly. A registrant is who holds the licence. A registrar is the company that manages it in the .au registry.

Registrant transfer compared with registrar transferA registrant transfer changes who holds the .com.au licence: the new holder must be eligible, signs a new licence agreement and pays the licence fee, and some providers charge a fee. A registrar transfer changes which company manages the domain: the holder stays the same, you need the authorisation code, auDA charges no fee, and it can take up to three days. Registrant transfer Changes WHO holds the licence • Use when the business entity changes • New holder must be eligible on the day • New licence agreement and licence fee • Some providers charge a transfer fee • Only full years of the term carry over Registrar transfer Changes WHICH COMPANY manages it • Use when you’re moving providers • The holder stays exactly the same • Needs the domain’s authorisation code • No auDA fee between registrars • Takes up to three days once approved
Fix the holder first, then move providers if you want to. Source: auDA, Transfer your .au domain name.

If you want both, change the registrant first while the domain sits with its current provider. Then move registrars if you still want to.

Two cafe owners standing behind their counter, smiling
Sole trader to company, a new partner, a sale: each can leave the domain in the old name. Photo: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

How do you change the registrant of a .com.au?

  1. Check who holds it now. Look the domain up in the auDA WHOIS. Note the registrant name, the ABN or ACN, and the registrar.
  2. Confirm the new entity is eligible. For a .com.au, it must be registered to trade in Australia or hold an Australian trade mark. The name must match or relate to it (auDA rule changes).
  3. Start the change with the current provider. Look for “change of registrant” or “registrant transfer” in your account, or ask support. If you bought through a reseller, the registrar listed in WHOIS runs the process.
  4. Get the paperwork ready. Usually that’s the current holder’s consent and the new entity’s details. If the old company’s ABN or ACN is cancelled, providers may ask for proof. VentraIP, for example, lists a sale agreement, a signed letter on letterhead, or a statutory declaration (VentraIP).
  5. Accept the new licence and pay. Full remaining years carry over, up to five. A licence with three years and two months left becomes a three-year licence.
  6. Check the result. Run WHOIS again and confirm the new name and ABN or ACN show correctly.

What if you’re buying or selling a business?

Put the domain in the sale contract, by name. auDA says to transfer the licence “within 28 days of entering the contract or agreement”, unless the contract says otherwise. The business’s email usually runs on it.

As a buyer, check WHOIS before settlement. Make sure the seller’s entity actually holds the domain, not their web designer.

Two people at a table signing paperwork for a business transfer
Name the domain in the sale agreement, so the transfer isn’t forgotten after settlement. Photo: Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

What if the current holder won’t cooperate?

Start with a polite request in writing. If that fails, your options depend on why they hold it.

  • They’re no longer eligible. You can complain about a licence holder who doesn’t meet the eligibility or allocation rules. Complaints go first to the registrar of record, and can then be reviewed by auDA (auDA complaints process).
  • It’s a trade mark or bad-faith issue. Those disputes aren’t covered by the complaints process. They go through the .au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP).
  • It’s a contract dispute. Get legal advice. Note that starting court action means you can no longer complain under the licensing rules about the same matter.

A licence that’s under a complaint or dispute can’t be transferred until it’s resolved.

Why does this matter more in 2026?

Since 20 May 2026, registrars report that .au renewals are checked against the ABN or ACN behind the domain. If it’s no longer active, the renewal doesn’t go through (SmartCompany, 30 July 2026). A domain still sitting under a cancelled ABN is now a real risk to your website and email.

Separately, auDA has proposed tighter rules for new .com.au and .net.au registrations, and proposed that existing licences keep the current rules. Those changes are not final, and draft rules are still to go to consultation (SmartCompany, 21 October 2026). Check the current position before you start.

Still choosing a domain? Our guides cover .com.au vs .com, the .com.au domain cost, and whether you can get a .com.au without an ABN.

You can register your domain with WMS or browse .com.au domain registration, and add Australian web hosting when you need it.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a .com.au registrant change take?

In our experience, when both parties cooperate and the paperwork is in order, it’s often done within a few days. Delays usually come from missing consent, a cancelled ABN or ACN that needs supporting documents, or a provider waiting on eligibility checks. Start well before your renewal date so there’s time to sort out problems.

Does a registrant transfer cost anything?

The new holder pays the licence fee for the term they take on. Some providers also charge a transfer fee, because they must check both parties’ eligibility. That’s different from moving registrars, which auDA doesn’t charge for. Ask your provider for the full cost before you start.

I changed from sole trader to a company. Do I need to update my domain?

Yes, if the domain is still registered under your sole trader ABN and you’ll cancel that ABN. Once the ABN is inactive, renewal can be blocked. Change the registrant to the company before you cancel the old ABN, and check the company name still relates to the domain.

Can I sell my .com.au domain?

Yes. You transfer the licence to the buyer through a registrant transfer, and the buyer must be eligible to hold it. Put the sale terms in writing and name the domain. auDA expects the transfer within 28 days of the agreement, unless the agreement says otherwise.

Sources

  1. Transfer your .au domain name, auDA, accessed 13 November 2026
  2. com.au and net.au rule changes, auDA, accessed 13 November 2026
  3. How auDA’s complaints process works, auDA, accessed 13 November 2026
  4. What happens if I have a cancelled ACN on my domain?, VentraIP, accessed 13 November 2026
  5. The new 90-day domain name rule that can kill your business’ online presence, SmartCompany, 30 July 2026
  6. Small businesses to keep existing .com.au URLs after policy backtrack, SmartCompany, 21 October 2026

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