WHAT IS A DOMAIN NAME?
A domain name is the unique location of your website that you see in the address bar. They are human readable Internet addresses of websites. In simple terms – if your website was a house, then your domain name would be its address. Your domain name can also be used for setting up professional email addresses.

WHY DO I NEED ONE?
Any individual, business or organisation planning to have an Internet presence should invest in a domain name. Having your own domain name, website and email addresses will give you and your business a more professional look.

SELECTING A DOMAIN NAME
Keep your domain name short, brandable, and memorable.
If you have a business name, you’ll want to try and register it as your domain. This makes it easier for people to find you online and connect your business to your website. If possible, you’ll want to have .com.au for an Australian business or .com for an international trade.
It is important to keep it short, concise, and easy to remember.
Try to keep your domain name under 15 characters
Avoid slang words and words with complex spelling and meanings.

REGISTERING .AU EXTENSIONS
.AU domain names can now be registered for a minimum period of 1 year and a maximum period of 5 years.

To be to eligible for an Australian .au extension including – .COM.AU, .AU, .NET.AU, .ID.AU, .ASN.AU, and .ORG.AU,  you must have an Australian presence. Being either a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or being an organisation registered in Australia. To register most .au domains you will also require an ABN or an ACN.

Australian citizens who intend to run their website as a business can apply for a free ABN NUMBER HERE

.AU, .COM.AU and .NET.AU

Registrant must be:
-An Australian registered company; or
-Trading under a registered business name in any Australian State or Territory; or
-An Australian partnership or sole trader; or
-A foreign company licensed to trade in Australia; or
-An owner of an Australian Registered Trade Mark; or
-An applicant for an Australian Registered Trade Mark; or
-An association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or
-An Australian commercial statutory body.

.ORG.AU and .ASN.AU

Registrant must be:
-An association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or
-A political party registered with the Australian Electoral Commission; or
-A trade union or other organisation registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009; or
-A sporting or special interest club operating in Australia; or
-A charity operating in Australia, as defined in the registrant’s constitution or other documents of incorporation; or
-A non-profit organisation operating in Australia, as defined in the registrant’s constitution or other documents of incorporation..

ID.AU

Originally, id.au domain names can refer to any personalised name of the registrant. But starting March 24, 2022, the id.au domain name applied must be:

-A match to the registrant’s legal name, first name, or family name.
-An abbreviation or acronym of the registrant’s legal name, first name, or family name.
-A nickname of the registrant.
-An Australian citizen; or
-An Australian resident.
-Existing id.au domain names that do not meet these criteria will not be allowed to renew after March 24, 2022. However, you can pre-register the same domain name with .au direct.

FULL .AU LICENSING INFORMATION HERE