Key takeaways
- To hold a .com.au you need an Australian ABN, ACN or ARBN, or an Australian registered trade mark.
- The name must match or abbreviate your business name or trade mark, or describe a service, product or activity you provide.
- Since 20 May 2026, .au renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN behind the domain is no longer active.
- auDA has proposed tightening the matching rule for new .com.au names. It isn’t final, and existing names may be exempt.
- Check your domain’s WHOIS record. It shows which entity and ABN the domain is licensed to.
auDA’s rules say a .com.au can be held by an Australian commercial entity, such as a business with an ABN, ACN or ARBN, or by the owner of an Australian registered trade mark. The domain name must relate to that business. It must match or abbreviate its name or trade mark, or describe something it sells or does. You must stay eligible for as long as you hold the name.
Who is auDA?
auDA is the not-for-profit body that manages the .au domain space. It sets the rules, and registrars like us apply them when you register or renew. The current .au Licensing Rules took effect on 12 April 2021. If you’ve read about a “close and substantial connection” test, that’s older wording that no longer applies.
Who can register a .com.au?
You need one of these:
- An ABN (Australian Business Number), including sole traders and partnerships.
- An ACN (Australian Company Number).
- An ARBN, for foreign companies registered to trade in Australia.
- An Australian registered trade mark, or an application for one.
You don’t need a physical address in Australia. The same rules apply to .net.au.
How must the name relate to your business?
The domain name must be one of these:
- An exact match, abbreviation or acronym of your business name, company name or trade mark.
- A match or synonym of a service, product, event, activity or premises your business provides. For example, a plumber could register a .com.au describing plumbing services.
What changed in 2026?
The renewal ABN check (now in effect)
Since 20 May 2026, .au renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN behind the domain is no longer active. The check happens during the 90-day renewal window. Registrars including TPP Wholesale have confirmed the change.
This catches out businesses that changed structure, for example a sole trader who became a company, but left the domain on the old, now-cancelled ABN. If that’s you, the fix is a registrant transfer to the new entity. Our guide to changing a .com.au registrant explains how.
Not sure which ABN your domain uses? Look it up in a .au WHOIS search. The record shows the registrant name and the ABN or ACN it’s licensed to. The street address and phone number aren’t shown.
Tighter matching rules (proposed, not final)
In August 2026, the auDA Board approved in principle removing the “service, product, event, activity or premises” pathway for new .com.au and .net.au names. In October 2026, auDA proposed that the roughly 3.5 million existing licences keep the current rules. Draft rules are due for public consultation. Nothing has changed yet, and we’ll update this guide when it does.
How long is a .com.au licence, and how does renewal work?
A licence runs for 1 to 5 years. You can renew up to 90 days before expiry. If it expires, there’s a 30-day grace period, but your website and email stop working during it. After that, the name is purged and anyone can register it.
Watch out for fake renewal notices from companies you’ve never dealt with. The ACCC had two such operators ordered to pay $1.95 million in penalties after they sent around 300,000 invoice-like letters. Our guide to spotting domain renewal scams shows what to look for.
What about .au direct names?
A .au direct name, such as yourbusiness.au, has simpler rules. Anyone with an Australian presence can register any available name, including citizens, permanent residents and Australian organisations. There’s no need for the name to match a business. auDA’s figures show .com.au still made up about 75% of .au names in 2026. See whether you should buy the .au version of your domain.
Selling or restructuring? Read this first
Domain names don’t move automatically when a business is sold or restructured. If the ABN or ACN is cancelled, eligibility ends. Plan a registrant transfer as part of the sale or change, and include the domain in the sale contract.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register a .com.au without an ABN?
Only if you hold an ACN, an ARBN or an Australian registered trade mark or application. Otherwise, consider a .au direct name, which only needs an Australian presence.
Does my .com.au have to match my business name exactly?
It must match or abbreviate your business name or trade mark, or describe a service, product, event, activity or premises you provide. auDA has proposed removing the second option for new names, but it isn’t final.
What happens if my ABN is cancelled?
You’re no longer eligible to hold the .com.au. Since 20 May 2026, renewals are blocked if the ABN or ACN is no longer active, so transfer the domain to a current entity before renewal.
How long can I register a .com.au for?
Between one and five years. You can renew up to 90 days before it expires.
What happens if my .com.au expires?
There’s a 30-day grace period, but your website and email stop working. After that, the name is purged and released for anyone to register.
Sources
- com.au and net.au rule changes, auDA, accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Renewing your domain licence, auDA, accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Important update: .au domain renewal rules changing from 20 May 2026, TPP Wholesale, 2026
- Small businesses keep existing .com.au URLs, SmartCompany, 21 Oct 2026
- .au Product Guide 2026, auDA, 2026
- Domain Name Corp and Domain Name Agency to pay $1.95 million in penalties, ACCC, 15 Jun 2018