View source for .au

{{short description|Internet country-code top level domain for Australia}}
{{About|the top-level domain name|the audio format|Au file format}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox Top level domain
| name=.au
| image=DotAu domain logo.svg
| introduced= {{start date and age|1986|03|05|df=yes}}
| type=[[Country code top-level domain]]
| status=Active
| registry=Various
| sponsor=[[.au Domain Administration]] (auDA)
| intendeduse=Entities connected with [[Australia]]|
| actualuse=Very popular in Australia
| registereddomains=4,138,919
| dateregistereddomains=10 December 2022
| refregistereddomains=<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2022-11/registry_monthly_statistics_-_october_2022.pdf?VersionId=FzW6g04ju0dI3IWJLP3M1zVIhewlfAVK |title=Registry Monthly Statistics October 2022 |website=auda.org.au |publisher=auDA |access-date=2022-12-10 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221210160835/https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2022-11/registry_monthly_statistics_-_october_2022.pdf?VersionId=FzW6g04ju0dI3IWJLP3M1zVIhewlfAVK |archive-date= 2022-12-10 }}</ref>
| restrictions=Limited to individuals, companies, and organisations located in Australia; different subdomains have various other restrictions. See [https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing (2019–01)]
| structure=Names may be registered at the third level within generic second-level categories; direct second-level registration allowed from 24 March 2022
| document=[https://www.iana.org/reports/au-report-31aug01.htm IANA report on redelegation]; [http://www.icann.org/cctlds/au/ ICANN registry agreement]
| disputepolicy=[http://www.auda.org.au/audrp/audrp/ .au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP) (2016-01)], [https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing (2019–01)], [https://www.auda.org.au/policy/2015-01-complaints-policy Complaints Policy (2015-01)], [http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2004-01/ Complaints (Registrant Eligibility) Policy (2004-01)]
| dnssec=yes
| website=[https://www.auda.org.au/ auDA]; [https://afilias.com.au/ Afilias Australia]}}

'''.au''' is the [[Internet]] [[country code top-level domain]] (ccTLD) for [[Australia]]. It was created on 5{{Nbsp}}March 1986.<ref>{{cite web
 | url = https://www.iana.org/whois?q=.au
 | title = IANA WHOIS Service for .au
 | date = 23 December 2016
 | website = IANA
 | access-date = 15 February 2017
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170215123550/https://www.iana.org/whois?q=.au
 | archive-date = 15 February 2017
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> Domain name policy is managed by [[.au Domain Administration]] (auDA). As of July 2018, the [[Domain name registry|registry]] is operated by [[Afilias]].<ref name="Afilias">{{Cite web|url=https://www.auda.org.au/news/australias-au-name-space-transformed-with-new-registry-operator/|title=Afilias Chosen to Supply .au Registry Services|date=18 December 2017|access-date=7 February 2019|archive-date=23 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823105500/https://www.auda.org.au/news/australias-au-name-space-transformed-with-new-registry-operator/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History==
The domain name was originally allocated by [[Jon Postel]], operator of the [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority]] (IANA) to [[Kevin Robert Elz]] of [[Melbourne University]] in 1986. 

After an approximately five-year process in the 1990s, the Internet industry created a self-regulatory body called [[.au Domain Administration]] (auDA) to operate the domain. 

It obtained assent from [[ICANN]] in 2001,<ref>{{cite news|last=Cukier |first=Kenneth Neil |title=Australian Government-Backed Body To Gain Control of Internet Suffix .au |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000059375984242808 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=10 September 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010919223208/http://public.wsj.com/sn/y/SB1000059375984242808.html |archive-date=19 September 2001 |url-status=live  }}</ref> and commenced operating a new competitive regime for domain registration on 1{{Nbsp}}July 2002. 

Since this new regime, any registration has to be ordered via a [[Domain name registrar|registrar]].

==Operation==
Oversight of .au is by auDA, a not-for-profit organisation whose membership is derived from Internet organisations, industry members and interested individuals. 

The organisation operates with the endorsement of the [[Australian Government]]<ref>{{cite letter|first=Senator the Hon Richard|last=Alston|recipient=.au Domain Administrator Ltd|subject=Report of auDA's Achievements|date=December 2000|url=https://www.auda.org.au/pdf/auda-govt-endorse.pdf|access-date=10 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106204602/https://www.auda.org.au/pdf/auda-govt-endorse.pdf|archive-date=6 November 2020}}</ref> and with the delegated authority of ICANN.

Policy for .au is devised by policy development panels. These panels are convened by auDA and combine public input with industry representation to derive policy. 

The day-to-day operation of the .au registry technical facility is tendered out by auDA. 

[[AusRegistry]] has performed the registry role since the initial tender in 2002. 

In December 2017, [[Afilias]] won a competitive tender process to take over the running of the registry from AusRegistry.<ref name="Afilias" /> 

The registry does not sell domain registration services direct to the consumer, rather consumers who wish to register a domain must do so via a domain name registrar. 

After the industry's liberalisation in 2002, there is an active competitive market in registrars with a variety of prices and services.

In 2008, auDA changed its longstanding policy and allowed changes in ownership of .au domains.<ref>{{cite web|title=New .au registrant transfers policy – implementation update 26 February 2008|url=http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-26022008/|access-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831224043/http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-26022008/|archive-date=31 August 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although the secondary market was initially slow to take off, there have recently been signs of increasing maturity in the .au aftermarket culminating in the record $125,500 sale of investmentproperty.com.au.<ref>{{cite news|title=theage.com.au record sale of domain name|url=http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/domain-name-record-smashed-after-schoolboy-error-20110915-1kb4m.html|location=Melbourne|work=[[The Age]]|access-date=7 February 2019|archive-date=21 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221063603/https://www.theage.com.au/technology/domain-name-record-smashed-after-schoolboy-error-20110915-1kb4m.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 

The auDA information security standard (ISS) is an industry initiative aimed at improving the security of .au registrar businesses, protecting .au registrants and enhancing the overall stability and integrity of the .au domain space. 

auDA introduced the ISS in October 2013 as a mandatory requirement, with all accredited registrars required to be certified as ISS compliant within 24 months.

==Structure==
The naming rules for .au require registrations under second-level categories that describe a type of entity. ''.com.au'', for example, is designed for commercial entities. This follows a similar allocation policy to that formerly used in other countries such as the [[.uk|United Kingdom]], [[.ca|Canada]] and [[.nz|New Zealand]].

Registrations are currently permitted below a second-level domain, such as "yourname.com.au". 

In April 2016, auDA announced it would introduce registrations directly at the second level, such as "yourname.au".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.auda.org.au/news/auda-to-introduce-direct-registrations-in-au/|title=.au Domain Administration Ltd|website=auda.org.au|access-date=27 August 2016|archive-date=21 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221063605/https://www.auda.org.au/news|url-status=live}}</ref> 

Direct registrations were due to be implemented in 2017, although an ongoing debate on how [[cybersquatting]] would be mitigated led to a delay, with a new launch date of 24{{Nbsp}}March 2022.<ref>{{cite web|date=2 June 2021|title=About second level .au domain names|url=https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/second-level-names/about-second-level-au-domain-names|url-status=live|website=.au Domain Administration Ltd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126094331/https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/second-level-names/about-second-level-au-domain-names |archive-date=26 November 2020 }}</ref>

Registration of a .au domain is completed through a reseller, known as a registrar, with the registry acting as the wholesale provider. auDA manages domain name policy as the [[ICANN]] and [[Australian Government]]-endorsed manager of the .au [[DNS]].

===Second-level domains===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Domain
!Intended users
!Notes
|-
|com.au
| rowspan="2" |Commercial entities
|N/A
|-
|net.au 
|Historically only ISPs, but the use has been broadened
|-
|.org.au
|Charities and non-profit organisations 
|Historically only for organisations that did not fit in other categories
|-
|.edu.au 
|Educational institutions
| rowspan="2" |N/A
|-
|.gov.au
|Governments and their departments
|-
|.asn.au
|Incorporated associations
|Examples include but are not limited to political parties, trade unions, sporting and special interest clubs
|-
|.id.au
|Individuals
|By real name or common alias
|-
|.csiro.au
|[[CSIRO]]
|Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
|}
The .edu.au, .gov.au and .csiro.au namespaces are referred to as "closed" namespaces, since registration is not available to the general public. All other second-level namespaces are referred to as "open" namespaces.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-domain-names |website=auda.org.au |title=.au Domain Names |access-date=2022-02-14 }}</ref>

According to an annual report filed by [[.au Domain Administration|.au Domain Association]] (auDA) in Q4 2022, one in six .au domains were a [[second-level domain]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=auda_2022_qr4_report.pdf |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2023-02/auda_2022_qr4_report.pdf? |access-date=2023-03-20}}</ref>

===.au Direct namespace===
The direct second-level domain namespace, marketed as ".au Direct" has been made available to the public from 24 March 2022. The .au Direct namespace is intended to complement rather than replace the existing second-level domain namespaces and to provide domain holders with the option to register "shorter, simpler domain names".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-domain-names/au-direct |website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-02-14 |title=.au Direct }}</ref>

Unlike the existing second-level domain namespaces, there is no restriction on the domain names that can be registered in the .au Direct namespace, provided the domain name applicant satisfies the Australian presence requirement.<ref name="auDA Licensing Rules 2021"/>

In 2019, auDA released a priority implementation policy, whereby existing domain name holders could apply for priority registration of a matching domain name in the new .au Direct namespace.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/policy/auda-rules-au-direct-priority-implementation |title=.au Domain Administration Rules: .au Direct Priority Implementation |website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-02-14}}</ref> Three priority categories exist:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Category
!Eligibility
|-
|Category 1
|Holders of domain names created prior to 4 February 2018
|-
|Category 2
|Holders of domain names created on or after 4 February 2018 but prior to 24 March 2022
|-
|General Availability
|All other applicants
|}
Eligible domain name holders could apply during an allocated sunrise period commencing 24 March 2022 until 20 September 2022. 

For example, the holders of ''domain.com.au'', ''domain.org.au'' and ''domain.net.au'' were each eligible to apply for priority registration of ''domain.au'' during the sunrise period.

If there were more than one priority application for a given domain name, priority is allocated as follows:
# Category 1 applications had priority over Category 2 applications.
# Where there are two or more Category 1 applications, priority was allocated by agreement between the respective holders, with allocation being placed on hold until consensus is reached or there is only one remaining Category 1 applicant.
# Where there are two or more Category 2 applications, priority was allocated to the holder with the earliest creation date.
Any unclaimed domain names were released to general availability at the end of the sunrise period.

===State and Territory Namespaces===

Introduced in 2004, "community geographic domain names" (CGDNs), later renamed to "state and territory namespaces",<ref name="auda-stn-policy">[https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing#stn .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing (2023–06).]  Accessed 1 September 2023.</ref> are intended to be used for "community websites that reflect community interests such as local business, tourism, historical information, culture, sporting groups, local events and news"<ref name="auda-cgdn-policy">.au Domain Administration (2008). [http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2008-04/ Policy Rules and Guidelines for Community Geographic Domain Names (CGDNs) (2008-04)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831012456/http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2008-04/ |date=31 August 2013 }}. Accessed on 23 November 2009.</ref> of a local community. These domains were initially managed by the [http://www.aucd.org.au/ .au Community Domains Trust] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506153545/http://www.aucd.org.au/ |date=6 May 2017 }} (auCD) on behalf of auDA. The funding of auCD was provided from a ballot of locality names in the .com.au and .net.au domain spaces; previously, any locality with a postcode had been restricted from being registered as a commercial domain name.<ref name="auda-release-geo">.au Domain Administration (13 May 2005). [http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-13052005/ Release of geographic names in com.au and net.au] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831204247/http://www.auda.org.au/news-archive/auda-13052005/ |date=31 August 2013 }}. [[News release|Media release]]. Accessed on 23 November 2009.</ref><ref name="aucd-about">[http://www.aucd.org.au/ .au Community Domains Trust] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506153545/http://www.aucd.org.au/ |date=6 May 2017 }}. [http://www.aucd.org.au/about/ .au Community Domains Trust: About Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901003423/http://www.aucd.org.au/about/ |date=1 September 2015 }}. Accessed on 23 November 2009.</ref>

CGDNs use the [[States and territories of Australia|state or territory]]'s common abbreviation as the second level of the domain. For example, a community based in Victoria would receive a domain ending in ".vic.au", a Northern Territory community would use ".nt.au", and so on. The third level of the domain must be an addressable locality within that state or territory, of the form "townname.vic.au". Where a name is duplicated within a state – for instance, between a smaller town, and a suburb of a larger town or city&nbsp;— the locality name may be suffixed with the name of the [[Local government in Australia|local government area]], town or city to which it is associated (e.g. "suburbname-cityname.vic.au").<ref name="auda-cgdn-policy" />

Holders of CGDNs must be "a legally registered, not-for-profit entity; and [...] representative of the local community for the purpose of holding the domain name licence."<ref name="auda-cgdn-policy" /> In particular, commercial entities and local governments are not permitted to hold a CGDN in their own right; they are however permitted to hold membership in such entities set up to hold a CGDN.

As of November 2009, the auCD site claims 91 active CGDNs across Australia,<ref>.au Community Domains Trust. [http://www.aucd.org.au/resources/communitywebsites/ Live CGDN websites] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030053156/http://www.aucd.org.au/resources/communitywebsites |date=30 October 2009 }}. Accessed on 23 November 2009.</ref> with a further 115 either approved or awaiting approval.<ref>.au Community Domains Trust. [http://www.aucd.org.au/resources/comingsoon/ CGDN websites coming soon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001221509/http://www.aucd.org.au/resources/comingsoon/ |date=1 October 2009 }}. Accessed on 23 November 2009.</ref>

===Third-level domains===
The use of ".gov.au" as a second level domain is for Australian Federal government and for its initiatives, while the use of a third-level domain, being an Australian state abbreviation, is an identifier that the domain belongs to either the relevant state government or a local government inside the state. The ".edu.au" is also split up into state-based categories in most cases.

auDA has delegated responsibility of the .edu.au domain to [[Australian Information and Communications Technology in Education Committee]] ([[AICTEC]]), which formed a specialist sub-committee, .edu.au Domain Administration Committee (eDAC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2004-02/ |title=Application of auDA Published Policies to the edu.au 2LD |date=February 2004 |work=[[auDA]] |access-date=6 June 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070825051519/http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2004-02/ |archive-date=25 August 2007 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Schools use a domain name that reflect their locale, and these state-based third-level domains are managed independently by the states. For example, a school in [[Western Australia]] would register "schoolname.wa.edu.au". Similarly, replacing the state part of these domains, [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] would use ".vic", [[Queensland]] would use ".qld", [[South Australia]] would use ".sa", [[Tasmania]] would use ".tas", [[Northern Territory]] would use ".nt" and the [[Australian Capital Territory]] would use ".act". However, after a change of internet services in [[Queensland]] State Schools their domain names were changed from "schoolname.qld.edu.au" to "schoolname.eq.edu.au" ("eq" is an abbreviation of the government department name "Education Queensland"). This is not the case for private schools in [[Queensland]]. Often, domains can even contain a fourth level: for instance, a NSW public school might have the domain "schoolname.schools.nsw.edu.au".

Tertiary institutions are typically exempt from requiring state-based distinctions. For example, [[Edith Cowan University]] in Western Australia has a domain of "ecu.edu.au" rather than "ecu.wa.edu.au", [[RMIT University]] in Victoria uses "rmit.edu.au" rather than "rmit.vic.edu.au". This difference can be associated with states having responsibility for primary and secondary education while the Commonwealth has responsibility for tertiary education; tertiary institutions often having a presence in multiple states.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!State/organisation
!Government<br />abbreviation
!School<br />abbreviation
|-
|[[Australian Capital Territory]]
|act.gov.au
|act.edu.au
|-
|[[New South Wales]]
|nsw.gov.au
|schools.nsw.edu.au
|-
|[[Northern Territory]]
|nt.gov.au
|nt.edu.au
|-
|[[Queensland]]
|qld.gov.au
|eq.edu.au
|-
|[[South Australia]]
|sa.gov.au
|sa.edu.au
|-
|[[Tasmania]]
|tas.gov.au
|tas.edu.au
|-
|[[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]
|vic.gov.au
|vic.edu.au
|-
|[[Western Australia]]
|wa.gov.au
|wa.edu.au
|-
|Catholic Education System
|N/A
|catholic.edu.au<ref>{{Cite web |title=Review of the edu.au Domain's Governance Arrangements and Eligibility and Allocation Policies |url=http://www.domainname.edu.au/pdf/Issues%20Paper.pdf |access-date=March 12, 2022 |website=www.domainname.edu.au}}</ref>
|}

===Historic second-level domains===
Some second-level domain names are no longer actively used. Whilst registrations are [[grandfather clause|grandfathered]] for some, no new registrations are accepted.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Domain
!Users
!Current status
|-
|.archie.au
|Host of the [[Archie search engine|Archie]] information service of the early 1990s
| rowspan="5" |Deleted
|-
|.gw.au
|Gateways and miscellaneous [[AARNet]] routing equipment
|-
|.info.au
|General information
|-
|.otc.au
|Mapping domain for [[X.400]] addresses; was obsoleted by telememo.au
|-
|.telememo.au
|Mapping domain for [[X.400]] addresses
|-
|.conf.au 
|Conferences and other short-lived events
|Only exists for [[linux.conf.au]].
|-
|.oz.au 
|Historical domain name for Australian sites; later moved to .oz.au
|In April 2011, many subdomains under [https://web.archive.org/web/20110405044937/http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/index.php cs.mu.oz.au] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20120420182510/http://www1.ee.mu.oz.au/ ee.mu.oz.au] were still in use within the CSSE and EEE departments of the University of Melbourne.  This continued until a restructure of the University of Melbourne changed the names of departments in 2018.
|}

==Registration policies and rules==
The .au domain namespace has strict licensing and eligibility requirements, compared to other gTLDs. This "policy rich"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pearcey.org.au/2013-hall-of-fame/ |title=2013 Pearcey Hall of Fame |date=8 August 2013 |website=Pearcey Foundation |access-date=10 February 2017 |archive-date=21 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221063606/https://pearcey.org.au/2013-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=live }}</ref> approach to the name space, begun by Robert Elz and continued by auDA, has meant the .au domain space has avoided the [[cybersquatting]] and fraudulent uses of domains prevalent in other more permissive domains.

auDA has been known to suspend or cancel domain registrations that potentially breach this policy in response to public outcry, such as when the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] redirected Albanese.com.au&nbsp;— the surname of [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] leader [[Anthony Albanese]]&nbsp;— to its own homepage in during the [[2022 Australian federal election]] campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crellin |first1=Zac |title=Albanese.com.au taken down over 'misleading' Liberal Party redirect |url=https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2022/04/06/liberal-albanese-domain-website-redirect/ |access-date=18 November 2022 |publisher=[[The New Daily]] |date=6 April 2022}}</ref>

auDA maintains a set of formal published policies and rules which apply to all domains registered in the .au namespace.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/policies|title=.au Published Policies|website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref>

===''Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policy Rules'' (2002 to 2021)===
The ''Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policy Rules'' were first adopted in May 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-10/auda-2002-07.pdf?VersionId=NCnHprXJXmtVTodPW0CbShlDCLansCPv|title="Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policy Rules for the Open Second Level Domains (2LDs) (2002–07)|website=auda.org.au|access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref> Several revisions were subsequently introduced in 2005,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-10/auda-2005-01.pdf?VersionId=NjGA4IzeF8OagutFgH_b_KW9oKQJtFLe|title=Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Rules for Open 2LDs (2005-01)|website=auda.org.au|access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref> 2008,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-10/auda-2008-05.pdf?VersionId=5agdraROVzbiJk.A_abKSDWsuqzzf_Hh|title=Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policy Rules for Open 2LDs (2008-05)|website=auda.org.au|access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref> and 2012 (subsequently updated in 2018).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.auda.org.au/policy/2012-04-domain-name-eligibility-and-allocation-policy-rules-open-2lds|title=Domain Name Eligibility and Allocation Policy Rules for the Open 2LDs (2012-04)|website=auda.org.au|access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref>

Under the 2012 Eligibility Rules, registering a domain in the "open" .au namespace required that:
* the registrant must:
** be an Australian organization or individual, the holder of an Australian trade mark, or a foreign company licensed to trade in Australia; and
** conform to the specific registrant eligibility requirements the second-level domain; and
* the domain name must:
** be an exact match, abbreviation, or acronym of the registrant's name or trade mark; or 
** have a "close and substantial connection"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/policies/index-of-published-policies/2012/2012-05/ |title=Guidelines on the Interpretation of Policy Rules for Open 2LDs |date=17 December 2012 |website=.au Domain Administration Ltd |access-date=10 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213164617/https://www.auda.org.au/policies/index-of-published-policies/2012/2012-05/ |archive-date=13 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> to the registrant.

=== auDA rules: Licensing (2021–present) ===
auDA adopted revised rules for domain names in 2021. The new rules (known as the ''.au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing'')<ref name="auDA Licensing Rules 2021">{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing |title=.au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing |website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-02-14 }}</ref> apply to all domain names created or renewed after 12 April 2021.

The new rules provide an "Australian presence" requirement for all domain name holders. To satisfy the Australian presence requirement, an individual must be an Australian permanent resident or citizen, while an organisation must either be incorporated in Australia or hold an [[Australian Business Number]] (ABN). Holders of an Australian trade mark also satisfy the Australian presence requirement, provided the domain name is an exact match of the trade mark.

For most domain types, the licensing rules also require that the domain name must be:
* a match, acronym or abbreviation of the name of the holder; or
* a match of the name of products, services, events, programs, premises or activities associated with the domain name holder; or
* a match of the holder's Australian trade mark.

Sublicensing of a domain name is prohibited, unless the domain name holder is a parent company of the licensee.

Domain name monetisation is prohibited in the .org.au, .asn.au, .id.au and .edu.au and State/Territory geographic namespaces. Domain Name Monetisation is defined in the Licensing Rules as the practice of "application for a licence by a Person with the sole purpose of selling, leasing or holding the applied for Domain Name to generate revenue." and includes warehousing or acquiring domain name licenses for the sole purpose of transfer to another purpose.<ref name="auDA Licensing Rules 2021" />

===.au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP)===
Domain name disputes between parties are handled under the ''.au Dispute Resolution Policy'' (''auDRP''),<ref name="auDRP">{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/policy/au-dispute-resolution-policy-audrp-2016-01 |title=.au Dispute Resolution Policy (auDRP) (2016-01) |website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-02-11 }} </ref> which was adapted from the [[Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy|UDRP]] by Philip Argy for auDA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/complaints-and-disputes/dispute-resolution |website=auda.org.au |title=Dispute Resolution |access-date=2022-02-11 }}</ref>

The auDRP was adopted in 2016, and applies to all domain names in the Australian open 2LD's registered after 2002. All domain registrants and registrars are contractually required to agree to the auDRP under the terms of registration or accreditation, and are bound by decisions issued by auDRP Dispute Resolution Providers.<ref name="auDRP" />

auDRP complaints are determined by an external accredited dispute resolution provider. The resolution provider is chosen by the complainant. As of 2022, there are two auDA-approved dispute resolution providers:
* the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]]; and
* the Resolution Institute (formerly LEADR & IAMA).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.resolution.institute/resolving-disputes/domain-name/auda-process |title=Resolution Institute |access-date=2022-02-11 }}</ref>

A single domain name dispute may concern one or more Australian domain names.

The decision-making panel comprises either a single panelist or three panelists, at the complainant's election. If the complainant elects a single panelist, the respondent (domain holder) may elect to have the proceeding determined by three panelists instead. The decision is made "on the papers" (that is, on the basis of written submissions by the complainant and the respondent) and no hearings are required.

Upon lodgement of an auDRP complaint, the domain name's registrar of record is required to impose a registry lock on the domain name until the completion of the proceeding. This is to prevent the respondent from altering or transferring the domain name during the dispute.

Panelists must follow the auDRP. In addition to the formal auDRP Rules, each Resolution Provider may prescribe Supplemental Rules, relating to their requirements for format of submissions, timing and processes. Panellists are not bound to follow formal rules of evidence, or precedent. However, there are published practice guidelines for auDRP panelists.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-11/auDRP-Overview-2014b.pdf?VersionId=yjOrxJkeDYxTarz7Uc8EOpML_5KCE9z1 |title=auDRP Overview |access-date=2022-02-11 }}</ref>

To succeed in a domain name complaint under the auDRP, the complainant must establish all three of the following grounds:
# the complainant has rights in a trademark and the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to that trademark;
# the respondent (domain holder) has no legitimate rights or interests in respect of the domain name; and
# the respondent has registered ''or'' used the domain name in bad faith. (This criterion is a key difference from the UDRP, which requires registration ''and'' use in bad faith.)

There are two remedies available to a successful complainant:
* cancellation of the domain name (the domain name is dropped and returned to the pool of available domain names); or
* transfer of the domain name to the complainant, provided the complainant satisfies the eligibility requirements to hold the domain name.
If a successful decision is issued, then unless Court proceedings are commenced within 10 business days, the remedy is implemented automatically by the domain name's registrar of record without input from the respondent.

Decisions issued under the auDRP are published in an archive database.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-dispute-resolution-policy/audrp-proceedings-database |website=auda.org.au |title=auDRP Archive |access-date=2022-02-11 }}</ref>

== Domain statistics ==
auDA issues an Annual Report as at the end of each financial year (30 June). Since 2019, auDA has also issued quarterly statistical reports. These reports contain statistical information about the performance of the .au domain and other information about auDA's operations during the reporting period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.auda.org.au/news-and-insights/corporate-reporting |title=Corporate and Research Reports |website=auda.org.au |access-date=2022-03-03}}</ref>

According to auDA's Annual Reports, the total domains under management (being the total number of active domain names) and average new domains created per month are as follows:
{| class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:right
|-
! scope=col | Financial year
! scope=col | Total domains under management
! scope=col | Average new domains created per month
! scope=col class=unsortable | Reference
|-
|2021–22
|3,603,924
|61,000
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-10 |title=auDA Annual Report 2021-22 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2022-10/auda_annual_report-2021-22.pdf |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=auDA |archive-date=18 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118184831/https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2022-10/auda_annual_report-2021-22.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| 2020–21 || 3,339,032 || 51,300 || <ref name="auDA 2021 Report">{{cite web |date=2021-09-21 |title=auDA Annual Report 2020-21 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2021-10/auDA_2020-21_Annual_Report.pdf?VersionId=2pUHN8HL7bOKHhajx5mWVkYBDmvvULKL |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=auDA |publisher= |pages=34–35}}</ref>
|-
| 2019–20 || 3,180,395 || 44,700 || <ref>{{cite web |date=2020-09-24 |title=auDA Annual Report 2019-20 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-11/au-Domain-Administration-Annual-Report-2019-2020.pdf?VersionId=7A_zI6eRNkwnNkRx8NHP1Iw0HrZ3akcl |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=auDA |publisher= |pages=16–17}}</ref>
|-
| 2018–19 || 3,193,421 || rowspan="3" | Not stated || <ref>{{cite web |date=2019-10-18 |title=auDA Annual Report 2018-19 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-11/auDA-Annual-and-Performance-Reports-2018-2019.pdf?VersionId=hilFFTH62zkpKpeo0gbGbGZy3md_0yIO |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=auDA |publisher= |page=7}}</ref>
|-
| 2017–18 || 3,153.979 || <ref>{{cite web |date=2018-10-29 |title=auDA Annual Report 2017-18 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-11/auDA-Annual-Report-2017-2018-.pdf?VersionId=Kv2rFu96CvR_.ILFOT5k4sBHsu2Wrz4G |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=auDA |publisher= |page=7}}</ref>
|-
| 2016–17 || 3,111,507 || <ref>{{cite web |date=2017-10-16 |title=auDA Annual Report 2016-17 |url=https://assets.auda.org.au/a/2020-11/2016-17-auDA-Annual-Report.pdf?VersionId=Q9IlEsYitHDMoQTAxZ3wxO3Ae2GPVtfG |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=auDA |publisher= |page=8}}</ref>
|}
The .com.au second-level domain namespace accounts for the vast majority of domain name registrations. In 2020–21, the number of .com.au domains registered exceeded 3 million for the first time.<ref name="auDA 2021 Report" />

==Other Australian domain names==
.au is not the only top-level domain name assigned to Australia. Some Australian territories have their own [[ISO 3166-1 alpha-2]] code, and therefore have their own ccTLD as well:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Domain
!Territory
|-
|[[.cx]]
|{{Flag|Christmas Island}}
|-
|[[.cc]]
|[[Cocos (Keeling) Islands]]
|-
|[[.nf]]
|{{Flag|Norfolk Island}}
|-
|[[.hm]]
|{{Flag|Heard Island and McDonald Islands}}
|}
As the appropriate authorities were late in recognising the need to manage these, most were registered by entrepreneurs for use as vanity domains unrelated to the locale they serve. .cc, for example, is now operated by [[VeriSign]]. .hm represents a nature preserve with no human inhabitants.

Some Australian local government authorities have adopted *.cc domains as a convenient abbreviation for "City Council". For example, the [[Brisbane City Council]] uses the domain name "bne.cc" as a URL shortener.

There are also two geographic top-level domain names assigned to Australia in which are used by individuals and businesses within a particular region, they are:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-12/new-melbourne-domain-names-become-available-to-public-in-austr/5884990 | title=New Melbourne domain names become available to the public in Australian first | publisher=ABC News (Australia) | date=11 November 2014 | access-date=16 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927152553/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-12/new-melbourne-domain-names-become-available-to-public-in-austr/5884990 | archive-date=27 September 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Domain
!Usage
|-
|.melbourne
|For Victorian registered businesses, entities associated with the state of Victoria or Australian citizens and residents with a Victorian address
|-
|.sydney 
|For New South Wales registered businesses, entities associated with the state of New South Wales or Australian citizens and residents with a New South Wales address
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/au.html IANA WHOIS for .au]
* [http://www.auda.org.au/ auDA]
* [https://afilias.info/ Afilias]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150227055018/http://namepros.com.au/ Australian Domainer Forum]
* [http://www.dntrade.com.au Australian Domainers Community]

{{Australia top-level domains}}
{{ccTLD|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Au}}
[[Category:Internet in Australia]]
[[Category:Country code top-level domains]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in Australia]]

[[sv:Toppdomän#A]]