.com.au Domain Names Explained: Rules, Costs and Choosing a Good One

For an Australian business, a .com.au domain name is the online equivalent of a shopfront sign on a main street. It tells customers you’re local, you’re registered, and you’re here to stay. Here’s how .com.au domains work, who can get one, and how to pick a good name.

What makes .com.au different

Unlike a .com, which anyone in the world can register, a .com.au has eligibility rules set by auDA, the body that manages Australia’s domain names. You need a genuine Australian connection and a reason to hold that particular name. That’s a big part of why Australians trust .com.au addresses.

The eligibility rules

To register a .com.au, you need:

1. An Australian presence. Usually an ABN or ACN, a registered business name, or an Australian trade mark (or an application for one).
2. A close and substantial connection to the name. The domain should match or abbreviate your business or trading name, or relate to a product or service you provide. For example, an electrician trading as Harbour Electrical could register harbourelectrical.com.au, and probably sydneyswitchboards.com.au if that’s a service they provide.

Your registrar checks your ABN or ACN when you register. Registrations run for one to five years and must be renewed before they expire.

.com.au, .au or .com?

For a business serving Australian customers, .com.au remains the first choice. Since 2022 you can also register the shorter .au version of a name. It’s worth registering the .au that matches your .com.au, even if you just redirect it, so nobody else can use it.

Choosing a good domain name

Keep it short. Easier to remember, easier to type on a phone, easier to fit on a ute.

Make it easy to say. Imagine reading it out over the phone. Avoid hyphens, numbers and unusual spellings that need explaining.

Match your business name where you can. If your exact name is taken, try a short addition: your town or region, or your main service.

Consider a keyword, carefully. A domain like brisbanepoolfencing.com.au tells people exactly what you do. Keywords in a domain are a small factor for search, but clarity for customers is the bigger benefit.

Think long term. If you’re likely to expand beyond one suburb or one service, don’t lock yourself in.

Check trade marks. Search IP Australia’s trade mark database before you register, especially for a new business name.

What it costs

Most registrars charge somewhere between $15 and $40 a year for a .com.au. Through Webralia it’s $29 a year, and we handle the setup, renewals and the DNS records for your website and email.

Watch out for:

• Very cheap first-year prices that jump on renewal.
• Registrars that charge extra for basic DNS management.
• Web developers who register your domain in their own name. Always make sure the domain is registered to your ABN and that you can access the account.

Already have a domain?

If you already own your domain, there’s no need to move it. We simply point it at your new website. If it’s registered somewhere you can’t access, such as through a previous developer, we can help you get control of it back.

Protecting your name

Once you’ve chosen your main domain, consider registering:

• The matching .au.
• Common misspellings, if your name is easy to get wrong.
• The .com, if it’s available and you might ever trade internationally.

Each extra domain can redirect to your main website, so you don’t need extra websites.

Your domain, website and email in one place

In your Webralia brief, you can register a new .com.au or tell us the domain you already own. We connect it to your website, set up any business email you need, and look after renewals so it never lapses.

Start your brief and get your name online properly.