If you have an existing .com.au, .net.au or .org.au domain, you are eligable to apply for priority access to a direct .au domain for your website.
What you need to know about the new direct .au domains
If you have an existing .com.au, .net.au or .org.au domain, you are eligable to apply for priority access to a direct .au domain for your website.
Applications for priority access close on September 20th 2022. After October 3rd, all unclaimed domains will be made available for public registration. This means that anyone can apply to register and use the direct .au equivalent of your domain, if you haven’t claimed it by the required date.
You can apply for a .au domain through your domain registrar.
What is .au?
Domain names that end directly with .au (for example www.example.au) signify that the organisation or person using the domain has a connection to Australia.
Who is eligible?
Any organisation with an existing .au domain (For example .com.au or .net.au) can apply for priority access.
When is it happening?
Organisations can apply for priority access before September 20th 2022.
After October 3rd 2022 any unclaimed .au domains will be made available for registration by the public.
Why change?
- It provides your organisation with a simpler more accessible domain name.
- It may help your website rank better on search engines within Australia.
- It indicates a greater level of trustworthiness over .com or .net domains.
- It reserves the domain name for your organisation.
Contested .au domains
In some cases, it is possible that two eligible organisations may attempt to claim priority registration for a .au domain.
For example, www.symphony3.com.au and www.symphony3.net.au are both eligible domains for priority access to www.symphony3.au
For official information on how these are resolved, visit the auDA website.
How to register for your .au domain
You can apply for priority access to your matching .au domain name through your current domain registrar.
For more information on this process, visit
https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-direct/priority-allocation-process