You’ve finally made the big decision. It’s time to buy a domain name in Australia…but how do you do it?
Buying an Australian domain isn’t as straightforward as other country code top-level domains. Every single Aussie domain has special requirements, which can be rather troublesome and hinder your ability to register the perfect domain name, especially if you’re not living in Australia.
The steps you’ll take to successfully buy a domain name in Australia will depend on your situation.
If you’re an Australian citizen and live in Australia, you’ll need to first determine if you want to buy restricted, Australian domain names like a .com.au domain or choose a more open generic, global domain name. After that, you’ll need to find a domain registrar that supports your local AUD currency, like us here at OnlyDomains. Once you’ve chosen your domain registrar then use them to find your perfect domain and then follow their check-out procedure.
If you’re located outside of Australia and aren’t an Australian citizen, whilst it is still possible for you to register a domain in Australia, the procedure is rather convoluted. As mentioned earlier, Australian domains have special requirements and the only proper way for international entities to register an Australian domain is to have an Australian Trademark. If you have one of those, and the trademark name is an exact match to the domain name you want to register, then use a global domain registration company that offers domain registration services in Australia, complete a domain search for a domain extension like .com.au to check availability and then follow the check-out flow.
No matter your situation, you should now know how to buy a domain in Australia but if you’re looking for additional information about each registration procedure, please read on.
I Live In Australia And Want To Buy A Domain
If you’re living in Australia and want to buy a domain, you’ll first need to figure out what domain extension is best for you. There are six Australia specific .au domain extensions available to choose from but you could also opt for a more global domain like .com.
The six Aussie domains are as follows:
- .com.au – intended for businesses
- .net.au – intended for businesses
- .org.au – intended for non-profit organisations
- .asn.au – intended for special bodies like trade unions and sporting entities
- .id.au – intended for individuals
- .au – intended for anyone
Please note that each of these domains has special restrictions that need to be fulfilled before they can be registered. Most of the restrictions involve supplying some type of unique Australian ID number, like an ABN (Australian Business Number) so if you have one of those then you shouldn’t have any issues opting for a .au domain extension.
If you’re weighing up between what Australian domain to choose, you might find our .com.au vs .au and .com.au vs .net.au articles handy.
A global, .com domain is unrestricted so just about anyone can register one, without having to supply an ID number.
Australian domains and global domains both have pros and cons, which we weigh up in our .com.au vs .com article.
Once you’ve chosen the domain extension that’ll suit your needs, you’ll need to find a domain registrar, as they’ll be able to help you buy your domain. If you know friends that have registered domains before, it might be worth asking who they used or you could simply go to a search engine like google.com.au and do a domain search for something like ‘Australia domain names’.
It’s always important to window shop and not simply choose the first domain registrar you see. When comparing registrars, you’ll want to be mindful of the following:
- Competitive price in AUD, without hidden fees
- Excellent customer support backed up with user ratings
- Free services included with domain registrations
- Hosting & email services available in Australia
After you’ve done your research and chosen a domain registrar, use them to perform a domain search to ensure the domain you’re looking to register is available.
If your domain isn’t available, it’s not the end of the world. You can try thinking of another domain or choosing another domain extension. If you must have this one domain and won’t compromise then there are some options available for you, which we go over in our who owns a .com.au domain article.
Once you’ve found a domain that’s available, the procedure should be very simple from here. For most registrars, you’ll need to add the domain to your shopping cart and then proceed to check-out. Next, you’ll most likely need to sign up for an account and supply the contact details (including ID Number if you opt for a .au domain extension) you want associated with the domain. Finally, it’s payment time. Input your payment details, such as a credit card number, and then complete your order. Australian domains and most global domains are registered instantly so you should be able to use your new domain within a few minutes.
I’m Located Outside Australia But Want To Buy A Domain In Australia
If you’re an international business looking to expand into Australia by using an Australian domain extension like .com.au, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s possible. There are multiple Australian domains you can choose from, which are .com.au, .net.au, .org.au, .asn.an, .id.au and .au.
To register most Australian domain names, you need to be a ‘commercial entity’ with links to Australia, provide an ID number as proof of your connection and the ID number must be for an entity whose name is a close or exact match to the domain name you’re looking to register.
The most common ID numbers used to register domains in Australia are:
- Australian Company Number (ACN)
- Business Number (ABN)
- Australian Trademark Number (only available for exact match registrations)
ABNs and ACNs are used exclusively by commercial entities registered within Australia and aren’t really an option for businesses located outside Australia. Your best option is to use an Australian Trademark number. The best website to research Australian trademarks is IPAustralia, which is the Australian government’s official website for trademark search and registration.
If registering a trademark isn’t an option for you then you could opt for .au domain. They’re a newly released Australian domain, intended to be used for all purposes. Due to their more open nature, you don’t need to be a commercial entity to register one. Having an Australian passport or driver’s license is good enough so fingers crossed you have an Australian employee in your international business that can supply their personal ID number.
Once you’ve determined if you’re able to meet the Australian domain requirements, it’s time to start the registration process. We have a handy how to buy a .com.au domain in-depth guide on how the process will flow so please give it a read if you’re looking for more information, but we also have a compact version for you below.
Firstly, find a domain registrar in your country that can support the registration of Australian domain names. The best way to do this would be to use Google it and search for something like ‘Australia domain registration’. If you see a website called domain.com.au, ignore it as that’s a real estate website.
Your Google search should give you several domain registrars to choose from. Compare them against each other whilst keeping these details in mind:
- Preferred currency (AUD, USD, GBP) is supported.
- Pricing is competitive
- Customer service supported in your country
- Free services included with domain registrations
- Email and Hosting services are supported for Australian domains.
After you’ve chosen your preferred domain registrar, go to their website and perform a domain name search to check the availability of the domain.
If the domain is available, add the domain to your cart, check out, and then follow the account sign-up and payment procedure.
If the domain isn’t available, please read our who owns a .com.au domain guide or choose another domain name extension.
Onlydomains Is Here To Help
Whether you live in or outside Australia, OnlyDomains has you covered as we’ve been helping customers register domains in Australia for close to fifteen years. Here’s why you should choose us:
- Official .au accredited registrar
- .com.au currently from 14.99 AUD (9.99 USD)
- .com currently from 15.99 AUD (10.99 USD)
- Support for AUD, USD and thirteen other currencies
- 5-star 24-hour phone, email and chat support
- Free DNS hosting, URL-Forwarding with every domain
- Free email trial with every domain
- Australia-based email and web hosting services for every domain
Even if you don’t intend to use OnlyDomains, you should now know exactly how to buy a domain in Australia. Take the next step and secure that great Australian domain name.
