Good domain management comes down to three habits: keep every domain in as few accounts as possible, owned by the business, and record each one in a simple register. Turn on auto-renew with a card that won’t expire, and send renewal notices to a shared inbox, not one person’s email. Most lost domains aren’t stolen. They lapse because a reminder went nowhere.
Key takeaways
- Scattered logins and old email addresses cause more lost domains than hackers do.
- Keep a one-page register: domain, registrar, owner, expiry date, what it’s used for and where its DNS lives.
- When a .au domain expires, the website and email stop, and after 30 days anyone can register it.
- Since 20 May 2026, a .au domain won’t renew if the ABN or ACN behind it is no longer active.
Why do businesses lose track of their domains?
Domains pile up over the years. There’s the main .com.au, the .au direct match, a product name, a campaign site and a few misspellings. Each was bought at a different time, often by a different person.
In our experience, the trouble starts when something changes. A staff member leaves and their inbox closes. The web designer who registered the name stops answering. A card expires and auto-renew quietly fails. Nobody sees the reminder, and the domain lapses.
Scattered domains also make you easier to fool. The ACCC took action against two companies that sent about 300,000 notices that “looked like a renewal invoice” for a business’s existing domain. Businesses paid about $2.3 million, and the companies were ordered to pay $1.95 million in penalties (ACCC). Know where each domain lives, and letters like that are easy to spot.
What should a domain register include?
A spreadsheet is enough, kept somewhere the business owns.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Domain name | Includes misspellings and the .au direct version |
| Registrar and account login | Tells you where to renew or make changes |
| Registrant and ABN or ACN | Shows who legally holds the licence |
| Expiry date and auto-renew status | Your early warning list |
| What it’s used for | Website, email, redirect or parked |
| Where DNS is hosted | Needed before any change of host or email |
The “used for” column stops costly mistakes. A domain that looks idle might still carry email for a few staff, or receive links from old brochures.
How do I consolidate my domains?
- Find them all. Search your inbox and accounts for “domain renewal” and “registration”, and check old invoices. A WHOIS lookup shows the registrar for each name.
- Choose one registrar. Pick one with local support and clear pricing, then transfer the rest in over time.
- Check the registrant. The licence should be held by the business, not a former designer or employee.
- Use a shared contact email. An address like [email protected] survives staff changes.
- Turn on auto-renew. Use a card that’s in date, and set a calendar reminder 60 days before each expiry as a backup.
- Lock down the account. Use a strong password and two-factor login, and keep the domains locked against transfer.
If you’re moving hosting at the same time, our free website migration service handles the site, email and DNS together, so nothing is missed.
What happens if a renewal is missed?
For .au domains, auDA allows renewal up to 90 days before expiry. After the expiry date there’s a 30-day grace period, and auDA warns that “your website and email services will stop working during this time”. Some providers charge a restore fee. After 30 days the name is removed and anyone can register it (auDA).
There’s a newer catch. Since 20 May 2026, .au domains are checked in that 90-day window, and a domain won’t renew if the ABN or ACN behind it is inactive (SmartCompany). If you’ve restructured or closed an old entity, check which number each domain is licensed to.
For .com and other global domains, ICANN requires registrars to send at least two reminders, about a month and a week before expiry. Some registrars offer a grace period after that, and the name may still be recoverable for 30 days after deletion, usually for a fee (ICANN).
Which domains are worth keeping?
Not every domain deserves a renewal. Sort them into three groups:
- Keep: your main domain, the .au direct match and any name that carries email.
- Redirect: brand names, common misspellings and old domains with links pointing to them. Send them to the main site.
- Let go: finished campaigns and ideas that never launched, once you’ve confirmed no email or links depend on them.
Before letting a domain go, check its email. If staff use it, move them to your main business email address first.
Who should manage DNS and email settings?
DNS tells the internet where your website and email live, and it often sits with a different company from the registrar. When you change hosts, our guide on how to point a domain to a new host walks through it without downtime.
Email records need care too. Every domain that sends email should have SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up, or your messages may land in spam.
If you’d rather hand the whole job over, our domain and DNS management service keeps renewals, DNS and records in one place. You can also register your domain with WMS: a .com.au is $80 + GST for two years.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out who my domain is registered with?
Run a WHOIS lookup on the domain. For .au names, use auDA’s WHOIS lookup, which shows the registrant’s name and their ABN or ACN. For .com and other global domains, ICANN’s lookup tool shows the registrar.
My web designer registered our domain. Do we own it?
Check the WHOIS record. For a .com.au, the registrant should be your business and its ABN or ACN. If the designer is listed, ask them to move it into an account you control.
Should I register every misspelling of my business name?
Only the likely ones. Register the .au direct match and one or two misspellings customers actually type, then redirect them to your main site. Dozens of variations cost money every year and rarely protect you from much.
Is auto-renew safe to rely on?
It’s the best default, but it’s not foolproof. Auto-renew fails if the card has expired, and .au renewals now fail if the ABN or ACN is inactive. Keep a calendar reminder for each expiry date and check the register a couple of times a year.
What if I get a renewal invoice from a company I don’t recognise?
Don’t pay it. Check your register to see where the domain is actually registered and when it expires. Letters that look like renewal invoices are often offers to register a different domain. If in doubt, call your registrar on a number from its own website.
Sources
- Domain Name Corp and Domain Name Agency to pay $1.95 million in penalties, ACCC, 15 June 2018
- Renewing your domain licence, auDA
- The new 90-day domain name rule that can kill your business’ online presence, SmartCompany, 30 July 2026
- 5 things every domain name registrant should know about the Expired Registration Recovery Policy, ICANN