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Eligibility and Allocattion Rules for .AU Domain Registrations

Rules for the .AU domain space as regulated by AUDA (Australian Domain Authority). AUDA Policies can be found at http://www.auda.org.au/policy/

   Eligibility and allocation rules for all open 2LDS
   Eligibility and allocation rules for COM.AU
   Eligibility and allocation rules for ASN.AU
   Eligibility and allocation rules for ID.AU
   Eligibility and allocation rules for NET.AU
   Eligibility and allocation rules for ORG.AU

Eligibility and allocation rules for all open 2LDS
First come, first served
1. Domain name licences are allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis. It is not possible to pre- register or otherwise reserve a domain name.

Registrants must be Australian
2. Domain name licences may only be allocated to a registrant who is Australian, as defined under the eligibility and allocation rules for each 2LD.

Composition of domain names
3. Domain names must:

a) be at least 2 characters long;

b) contain only letters (a-z), numbers (0-9) and hyphens (-), or a combination of these;

c) start and end with a number or a letter, not a hyphen; and

d) not contain hyphens in the third and fourth position (eg. ab--cd.com.au).

Domain name licence renewal period
4. The domain name licence period is fixed at 2 years. It is not possible to license a domain name for a shorter or longer period.

5. Renewal of a domain name licence at the end of the 2 year period is dependent on the registrant continuing to meet the eligibility and allocation rules for the relevant 2LD.

Number of domain names
6. There is no restriction on the number of domain names that may be licensed by a registrant.

auDA's Reserved List
7. auDA's Reserved List contains names that may not be licensed. The list is available on auDA's website at http://www.auda.org.au


 
Eligibility and allocation rules for COM.AU
The com.au 2LD is for commercial purposes.

The following rules are to be read in conjunction with the Eligibility and Allocation Rules for All Open 2LDs, contained in Schedule A of this document.

1. To be eligible for a domain name in the com.au 2LD, registrants must be:

a) an Australian registered company; or

b) trading under a registered business name in any Australian State or Territory; or

c) an Australian partnership or sole trader;

d) a foreign company licensed to trade in Australia; or

e) an owner of an Australian Registered Trade Mark; or

f) an applicant for an Australian Registered Trade Mark(1); or

g) an association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or

h) an Australian commercial statutory body.

2. Domain names in the com.au 2LD must:

a) exactly match:
(i) the registrant's company, business, trading, association or statutory body name; or
(ii) the words comprising the registrant's Australian Registered Trade Mark or application for an
Australian Registered Trade Mark; or

b) be an acronym or abbreviation of 2a) (i) or (ii); or

c) be otherwise closely and substantially connected to the registrant, because the domain name refers to.

(i) a product that the registrant manufactures or sells; or
(ii) a service that the registrant provides; or
(iii) an event that the registrant organises or sponsors; or
(iv) an activity that the registrant facilitates, teaches or trains; or
(v) a venue that the registrant operates; or
(vi) a profession that the registrant's employees practise.

 
Eligibility and allocation rules for ASN.AU
The asn.au 2LD is for associations.

The following rules are to be read in conjunction with the Eligibility and Allocation Rules for All Open 2LDs,contained in Schedule A of this document.

1. To be eligible for a domain name in the asn.au 2LD, registrants must be:

a) an association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or

b) a political party registered with the Australian Electoral Commission; or

c) a trade union or other organisation registered under the Workplace Relations Act 1996; or

d) a sporting or special interest club operating in Australia.

2. Domain names in the asn.au 2LD must:

a) exactly match the name of the registrant's association, political party, trade union or other industry body, or club; or

b) be an acronym or abbreviation of the name of the registrant's association, political party, trade union or other industry body, or club; or

c) be otherwise closely and substantially connected to the registrant, because the domain name refers to:
(i) a service that the registrant provides; or
(ii) a program that the registrant administers; or
(iii) an event that the registrant organises or sponsors; or
(iv) an activity that the registrant facilitates, teaches or trains; or
(v) a venue that the registrant operates; or
(vi) a profession that the registrant's members practise.

 
Eligibility and allocation rules for ID.AU
The id.au 2LD is for individuals.

The following rules are to be read in conjunction with the Eligibility and Allocation Rules for All Open 2LDs, contained in Schedule A of this document.

1. To be eligible for a domain name in the id.au 2LD, registrants must be:

a) an Australian citizen; or

b) an Australian resident.

2. Domain names in the id.au 2LD must:

a) exactly match the registrant's personal name(2); or

b) be an acronym or abbreviation of the registrant's personal name; or

c) be otherwise closely and substantially connected to the registrant, because the domain name:
(i) is derived from one or more words of the registrant's personal name; or
(ii) includes one or more words of the registrant's personal name.

Eligibility and allocation rules for NET.AU
The net.au 2LD is for commercial purposes.

The following rules are to be read in conjunction with the Eligibility and Allocation Rules for All Open 2LDs, contained in Schedule A of this document.

1. To be eligible for a domain name in the net.au 2LD, registrants must be:

a) an Australian registered company; or

b) trading under a registered business name in any Australian State or Territory; or

c) an Australian partnership or sole trader;

d) a foreign company licensed to trade in Australia; or

e) an owner of an Australian Registered Trade Mark; or

f) an applicant for an Australian Registered Trade Mark(1); or

g) an association incorporated in any Australian State or Territory; or

h) an Australian commercial statutory body.

2. Domain names in the net.au 2LD must:

a) exactly match:
(i) the registrant's company, business, trading, association or statutory body name; or
(ii) the words comprising the registrant's Australian Registered Trade Mark or application for an Australian
Registered Trade Mark; or

b) be an acronym or abbreviation of 2a) (i) or (ii); or

c) be otherwise closely and substantially connected to the registrant, because the domain name refers to:
(i) a product that the registrant manufactures or sells; or
(ii) a service that the registrant provides; or
(iii) an event that the registrant organises or sponsors; or
(iv) an activity that the registrant facilitates, teaches or trains; or
(v) a venue that the registrant operates; or
(vi) a profession that the registrant's employees practise.

 
Eligibility and allocation rules for ORG.AU
The org.au 2LD is for non-commercial organisations.

The following rules are to be read in conjunction with the Eligibility and Allocation Rules for All Open 2LDs, contained in Schedule A of this document.

1. To be eligible in the org.au 2LD, registrants must be:

a) a charity operating in Australia, as defined in the registrant's constitution or other documents of incorporation; or

b) a non-profit organisation operating in Australia, as defined in the registrant's constitution or other documents of incorporation.

2. Domain names in the org.au 2LD must:

a) exactly match the name of the registrant's charity or non-profit organisation;

b) be an acronym or abbreviation of the name of the registrant's charity or non-profit organisation; or

c) be otherwise closely and substantially connected to the registrant, because the domain name refers to:
(i) a service that the registrant provides; or
(ii) a program that the registrant administers; or
(iii) an event that the registrant organises or sponsors; or
(iv) an activity that the registrant facilitates, teaches or trains; or
(v) a venue that the registrant operates; or
(vi) a profession that the registrant's members practise.



(1) Registrants should be aware that if the application for an Australian Registered Trade Mark has not been accepted by the time of the domain name licence renewal date, the domain name licence will not be renewed unless the registrant is able to demonstrate eligibility against one of the other listed criteria.
(2) "Personal name" is defined as the registrant's first name, middle name(s) and last name.