auDA has announced new licensing rules which affect the eligibility of:
- .com.au, and .net.au domain names that are registered against a Trademark
- .org.au domain names not registered against Australian Charities and Not For Profit Commission (ACNC).
These new rules will come into effect on April 12, 2021 and will apply to names registered on and after this date, and also for names being renewed where the expired renewal date falls on or after this date.
You can find more on information on this change here: https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain- names/new-au-licensing-rules
com.au and net.au registrants using a trade mark to meet the Australian presence requirement
What the change is
The new rules states if you use an Australian trade mark to meet the eligibility criteria for a com.au or net.au name, the domain name must be an exact match of the words which are the subject of that trade mark.
What you need to do
First you should check if your domain name meets definition of an exact match of the new .au Licensing rules. If your domain name is not an exact match of the words in your Australian trademark, and you plan to renew it, you will need to take action to ensure you are eligible to hold it. To remain eligible for your domain name you will need to change the basis on which you meet the Australian presence requirement. However, please note if this involves changing the legal entity the name is registered to, the name will need to be transferred to that entity.
You can email our support team, [email protected] to update this information if needed.
When this change takes place
The new licensing rules for the .au ccTLD are effective as of 12 April 2021. If your current domain name licence expires after this date, your name will become subject to the new
rules if you renew it. However, the rules in place when you last renewed your name apply until the end of the current licence period.
org.au registrants who are unincorporated associations
What the change is
The org.au namespace is for use by not-for-profit entities. In the new licensing rules, the definition of the a not-for-profit entity has been updated and no longer includes unincorporated associations which are not registered with Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) cannot hold domain names in the org.au space.
You must check if your .org.au domain name is registered to an unincorporated association.
What you can do
If this rule change applies to you, and you wish to retain your org.au name we recommend that you incorporate your association through the relevant process for each state and territory in Australia, or set up a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. If you are unable to do this, we suggest you register a domain name in the asn.au namespace which unincorporated associations are eligible to register in.
When this change takes place
The new licensing rules for the .au ccTLD are effective as of 12 April 2021 . As your current domain name licence expires after this date, your name will become subject to the new
rules if you renew it. However, the rules in place when you last renewed your name apply until the end of the current licence period.
How do you check the current ownership
You can view current ownership details of your domain name here. Type in your domain name and you will be able to view the results. The Registrant and Registrant ID shows the ownership.
If you are unsure and would like further support please email our support team, [email protected].