You can often buy a domain name that’s already taken, especially if the owner isn’t using it. Find out who holds it, decide what it’s worth to you, make a short and polite offer, and pay through an escrow service so neither side can cheat. For .com.au and other .au names, you also need to be eligible to hold it, and the owner transfers the licence to you.
Key takeaways
- Check the expiry date first. Some “taken” names are about to be released.
- The .au WHOIS shows the holder’s name and ABN or ACN, which makes them easier to find.
- Set a walk-away price before you contact anyone.
- Never pay a stranger directly. Use escrow, and only release funds once the domain is yours.
- For .au names, the transfer only goes through if you meet the eligibility rules.
Is the domain really taken, or just unused?
Type the address into a browser. You’ll usually see one of four things: a working business site, a “for sale” page, a parked page full of ads, or nothing at all. Only the first one is truly in use. The other three are often for sale, sometimes cheaply.
Next, look up the expiry date. For .au names, a lapsed licence has a 30-day grace period, then the name is purged and released to anyone (auDA). If the date is close and the site is dead, it may be worth waiting. Our guide to expired domain recovery explains how to watch a name and act quickly when it drops.
How do I find out who owns a domain?
For .com.au, .au and other .au names
The .au WHOIS lookup shows the registrant’s name, their eligibility type and ID (usually an ABN or ACN), and a contact name. The contact email appears only on the web lookup, behind a CAPTCHA. The street address and phone number aren’t shown (auDA WHOIS Policy).
That ABN is useful. Search it on the ABN Lookup site to find the business, then contact them through their normal channels.
For .com and other global names
Use ICANN’s free lookup tool. It searches registration data, but ICANN notes that personal details “may be redacted for privacy” (ICANN). Many registrars offer a contact form or a forwarding email address in place of the owner’s details. If the page says “for sale”, use the contact method it gives.
How much should I pay for a taken domain?
There’s no fixed price. A domain is worth what a buyer will pay and a seller will accept. Ignore automated “appraisal” tools: they’re guesses, and some exist to sell you a service.
Instead, ask what the name is worth to your business. Consider:
- Fit. Does it match your business name or trade mark exactly?
- Alternatives. Would a slightly different name, or the .au direct version, work almost as well?
- Existing traffic. Does it already get visitors or have links pointing to it?
- Who owns it. A small business with an old name is different from a professional domain investor.
Decide your maximum before you make contact, and stick to it. The fastest way to overpay is to fall in love with one name.
How do I make an offer without overpaying?
- Keep it short and neutral. Say you’re interested in the name and ask if they’d consider selling. Don’t mention your business plans or budget.
- Let them name a price first. If they ask you for an offer, start below your walk-away price, leaving room to move.
- Use a separate email address. A well-known company name in the signature can push the price up.
- Agree everything in writing. Record the price, who pays fees, and how and when the transfer happens.
- Be ready to walk away. There’s almost always another good name.
If you’d rather not negotiate yourself, a domain broker can act for you, usually for a fee or commission. Agree the fee up front.
How do I pay safely?
Use a recognised escrow service. Escrow.com, for example, describes five steps: both sides agree terms, the buyer pays the escrow company, the seller transfers the domain, the buyer checks and accepts it, and only then is the seller paid (Escrow.com).
Watch for these red flags:
- The seller insists on a direct bank transfer, gift cards or crypto.
- The WHOIS name doesn’t match the person you’re dealing with.
- Pressure to decide today because “another buyer” is waiting.
- An offer to lease the name rather than sell it. Leasing .au names is prohibited under auDA’s rules.
What’s different when buying a .com.au domain?
You aren’t buying a .au domain outright. You’re taking over a licence. auDA allows a holder to transfer it to another person, as long as both are eligible on the date of transfer (auDA). The new holder signs a new licence agreement and pays the licence fee, and any full years left on the licence carry over.
For .com.au, you need an ABN, ACN or registered trade mark, and the name must match or relate to your business under the allocation rules (auDA). Check this before you pay anything. A transfer also can’t go ahead while the licence is under a complaint or an auDRP dispute.
Is it legal for someone to hold .au names just to sell them? In .com.au, .net.au and .au direct, auDA allows monetisation within its rules. It’s prohibited in namespaces such as .org.au and .id.au (auDA).
What if the owner won’t sell?
You have three realistic options:
- Choose a close alternative. Add your town or trade, or register the .au direct version if it’s free.
- Wait and watch. If the name lapses, act as soon as it’s released. If it’s already gone, see what to do when an expired domain bought by someone else was yours.
- Use a dispute process. If someone registered your trade mark in bad faith, our guide to auDRP explains what the dispute policy can and can’t do.
What happens after the transfer?
Once the domain is in your account, change the password, turn on two-factor login and set auto-renew. Then point the domain at your website and email. If you’re moving an existing site to the new name, set up redirects from the old address so you keep your search rankings.
You can register your domain with WMS and keep it alongside your hosting, with .com.au names at $80 for two years + GST. If you need a hand with redirects, email or DNS after a purchase, our website support team can do it for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make someone sell me their domain name?
No. If they hold it legitimately, it’s theirs to keep. The exception is bad-faith registration, for example someone holding your trade mark to sell it back to you. In that case a dispute process such as auDRP for .au names, or the UDRP for global names, may help.
What is a domain backorder?
A backorder is a request for a service to try to register a domain the moment it becomes available. It only helps if the current owner lets the name lapse. Backorders don’t guarantee success, so read the terms and check whether you pay only if the registration works.
How long does a domain transfer take after buying?
It depends on the registrars involved, how quickly the seller acts and whether paperwork is complete. Agree a deadline in your written terms. For .au names, the registrar checks both parties’ eligibility first. Keep money in escrow until the domain shows in your account.
Can I buy a .com.au domain without an ABN?
Generally not. A .com.au licence needs an Australian commercial entity, such as one with an ABN or ACN, or an Australian registered trade mark. If you don’t qualify, the registrar won’t complete the transfer. The .au direct namespace is open to anyone with an Australian presence.
Is it worth paying a domain broker?
For an expensive or sensitive purchase, it can be. A broker can approach the owner anonymously, handle negotiation and manage the transfer. For a modest name, you can usually do it yourself with a polite email and an escrow service. Agree the broker’s fee in writing first.
Sources
- Renewing your domain licence, auDA, accessed November 2026
- WHOIS Policy v1.2, auDA, June 2026
- Updated lookup tool for domain name registration data now available, ICANN, 29 July 2019
- How to buy and sell domains online, Escrow.com, accessed November 2026
- Transfer your .au domain name, auDA, accessed November 2026
- com.au and net.au rule changes, auDA
- Domain investing and monetisation in .au, auDA, accessed November 2026