The .AU registry, auDA, has the following rules in place:

1. First come, first served
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.

2. Eligibility requirements
Domain name licences may only be allocated to registrants who meet the eligibility requirements for the specific .AU namespace (e.g., .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, or direct .au). Eligibility criteria vary depending on the domain type.

3. Composition of domain names
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 (e.g., ab--cd.com.au).

4. Domain name licence period
The domain name licence period can range from 1 to 5 years. It is not possible to license a domain name for a shorter or longer period.

5. Renewal Requirements

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

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

7. auDA’s Reserved List
auDA’s Reserved List contains names that may not be licensed. The list is available on auDA’s website.

8. Good faith registration
Domain names must not be registered or used in bad faith, including in ways that violate applicable policies or third-party rights.