Our preferred registrar of domain names is Melbourne IT. This listed company [ASX code MLB] is Australia's original, largest and most trusted registrar having been in the domain name business for some 10 years.

When selecting a domain name, consider protecting your brand or company name by registering both the .com.au and .com variations.

Remember, we can register and manage domain names on your behalf which can save valuable time and some confusion at a later date when renewal time comes around. When registering your name, we take into account the following guidelines:

Choosing a Domain Name

The .com.au domain is governed by a national registry and certain strict rules must be met before your domain name will be approved. The domain name which you request must be derived from your existing registered company or business name. (Supply your RBN). This is the preferred choice for Australian companies.

The .com domain is unrestricted with no rules on eligibility. It is the preferred name for businesses operating in a global market and if possible should be purchased to protect your business identity or product name.

The .org.au domain is also commonly used by incorporated associations such as clubs and charities who have an IA number.

If you simply operate under your own name (and do not have a registered business name) a domain can still be registered which is derived from your name. (Supply your Australian Business Number or ABN) Alternatively, you may simply register as a .com , .biz, .info, .net, .org, or similar domain names which have fewer restrictions but indicate a global origin. Many businesses use 2 or more domain names which are all set as pointers to the one website.

Checklist

Take the time to go through the following guidelines to ensure your .com.au domain name will not be rejected:

• Supply the legal name of the organisation
• Provide Business Registration Number ( for sole traders an ABN is acceptable)
• Domain Name must be at least two characters long, with a maximum number of 26 characters
• Use only alphanumeric characters (ie a-z, A-Z, 0-9) and hyphens (-)
• Domain Name must not start or finish with a hyphen
• Domain names must be directly derived from the legal name of the commercial entity. This means that the domain name can only be derived from the characters in the full legal name of the commercial entity in the order in which they appear. Additional characters which do not appear in the full legal name of the commercial entity cannot be used
• Domain Name must not be a generic word describing products (goods or services), industries, industry sectors, or organisations. Example of unacceptable domain names include: cotton (product), banking (industry), industrial (industry), company (organisation type). Generic phrases comprising of two or more generic words are allowed
• Domain Name must not be a Australian place name

Final Tips

• DO NOT use your domain name in advertising material, office stationery until it is officially approved
• Keep the number of letters in your domain name to a minimum
• Domain names are not case sensitive, so the use of upper and lower case can improve the readability of your domain name eg. www.YourBusiness.com.au
• If in doubt, contact us to purchase and delegate your domain name correctly.