Holders of Australian domain names ending in .au (e.g. spruson.com.au, spruson.net.au) have until 20 September 2022 to apply for the identical .au direct domain via the Priority Allocation Process.
If no application is made via the Priority Allocation Process, the .au direct domain name will become available for registration by the general public on a first come, first served basis from 4 October 2022.
In our previous article, we advised domain name owners to check the priority status of .au direct domain names with the auDA priority status tool.
To prevent registration of identical .au direct domain names by third parties, it is essential that eligible domain name holders apply to register .au direct domain names via the Priority Allocation Process before the 20 September 2022 deadline.
To be eligible for a .au direct domain name, holders must have an Australian presence. Foreign entities can meet the Australian presence requirement with an Australian trade mark application or registration.
Existing .au domain names will not be impacted by the introduction of the .au direct domain names and will continue to operate as usual.
Spruson & Ferguson can advise brand owners in relation to the eligibility requirements for domain names in the .au space, and can assist in registering domain names and resolving domain name disputes.