The .au priority window closed on 20 September 2022, and you can’t apply for priority status any more. If a stranger holds yourname.au today, they either had a matching .au domain of their own and claimed it, or registered it after it was released to the public on 4 October 2022. Most of the time that’s legitimate. A complaint only makes sense when the holder has no real interest in the name and is acting in bad faith.
Key takeaways
- Priority status was a one-off, six-month process in 2022. It can’t be reopened.
- Names nobody claimed went to the public, first come, first served, from 4 October 2022.
- A small number of names are still on “priority hold” because two or more early holders never agreed.
- Someone holding your .au isn’t automatically doing anything wrong. Check who they are before you act.
- An auDRP complaint starts at $2,000 and needs proof of bad faith, so it suits clear cases only.
What was the .au priority window?
When auDA opened .au direct names (like yourbusiness.au) on 24 March 2022, it didn’t release them all at once. Anyone who already held a matching .com.au, .net.au, .org.au or other .au name could apply for priority to claim the shorter version. The window closed on 20 September 2022, according to auDA.
Plenty of owners missed it. Our explainer on whether to buy the .au direct version covers what the shorter name is worth to you now.
How were priority claims decided?
auDA used two priority categories, based on when the existing domain was created:
- Category 1: names created before 4 February 2018.
- Category 2: names created after that date.
Category 1 beat Category 2. Among Category 2 applicants only, the earliest creation date won. Where two or more Category 1 holders applied, they had to agree between themselves who got the name. So if your business held yourname.com.au and another business held yourname.net.au, either of you could have claimed yourname.au. That’s one reason a matching .net.au, explained in our guide to net.au vs .com.au, matters more than it looks.
Who owns “my” .au now?
There are three possibilities. Look it up before you assume the worst.
It’s available
Many names were never claimed. Only about 812,000 .au direct names existed in October 2026, against 3.3 million .com.au names, according to auDA’s registry statistics. If yours is free, you can register it through our .au direct domains service in a few minutes.
It’s on priority hold
auDA says “a small number” of names are still on priority hold, because more than one Category 1 holder applied and nobody gave way. Each applicant must renew their priority application every year to stay in the running. Once only one active application remains, that applicant gets the name, explains auDA. You can see who is still contesting a name with auDA’s priority status tool.
If you didn’t apply in 2022, you can’t join the contest now.
Someone else registered it
This is the case that worries people. In our experience, it’s usually another business with the same or a similar name, or someone who held a matching .net.au. That’s frustrating, but not wrong. Check the .au WHOIS to see the registrant’s name and the ABN or ACN behind it, then look at what they do with the domain.
When is a complaint realistic?
The formal route is the .au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP). According to auDA, you must show all of the following:
- You hold rights in a name or trade mark.
- The domain is identical or confusingly similar to it.
- The holder has no rights or legitimate interest in the name.
- The holder registered or used it in bad faith.
Fees start at $2,000, and most decisions take up to three months. A case is realistic when the holder parks the name with ads, copies your branding, or offers to sell it to you at a big markup. It’s weak when the holder trades under a similar name or got the name through the priority process. A trade mark lawyer can tell you which side of that line you’re on.
What can I do instead of a dispute?
- Make a polite offer. Some holders will sell, especially if the name isn’t central to their business. Use a proper registrant transfer, never a handshake.
- Register what’s left. Secure the .com.au, .net.au and .com versions you don’t hold yet. You can register your domain with WMS and keep them all in one account.
- Protect what you have. Lock your domains and keep the contact email current. Our domain security service covers this.
If you move a name between registrars along the way, our guide to a domain transfer pending for days explains the usual hold-ups.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still apply for .au priority status?
No. Priority applications closed on 20 September 2022 and the process won’t reopen. Names that nobody claimed are now available to anyone eligible, first come, first served.
Why can’t I register my .au when the search says it’s taken but nothing is there?
It may be on priority hold because two or more early holders are still contesting it, or someone may have registered it without building a site. auDA’s priority status tool and the .au WHOIS will tell you which.
Someone registered my business name as a .au. Is that illegal?
Not by itself. Anyone with an Australian presence can register an available .au direct name. It becomes a problem when they have no legitimate interest in it and are using it in bad faith, such as impersonating you or demanding a large payment.
How much does an auDRP complaint cost?
auDA says fees start at $2,000, depending on how many domains are involved and whether you choose one or three panellists. Legal advice to prepare the complaint usually costs extra, so weigh the total against what the name is worth to you.
Sources
- What is the Priority Allocation Process?, auDA
- .au direct Priority Allocation: contested .au direct domain names, auDA, December 2022
- .au direct priority status tool, auDA
- Registry Monthly Stats, October 2026, auDA
- Unpacking the .au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP), auDA, July 2023