As part of our commitment to keeping your digital presence secure and compliant, we’d like to remind all clients with domains in the .au namespace (including .com.au, .org.au, .net.au and .au) of their obligations under auDA’s eligibility rules — particularly around the use of ABNs/ACNs and trust entities.
What You Need to Know
1. Your ABN or ACN must be active
If your domain is registered using an Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN), it's essential that this identifier remains active and accurate. auDA, the administrator of the .au domain space, now enforces domain cancellations where the registered entity is no longer eligible — such as when an ABN is cancelled or deregistered. You may reactivate your ABN at the Australian Business Register.
2. Trusts must use the trustee as the registrant
Under auDA’s updated enforcement, domains cannot be registered in the name of the trust itself. Instead, they must be registered under the name of the trustee — which could be a person, a company, or a partnership. This is because a trust is not a legal entity that can enter into agreements or hold assets, including domain names.
If your domain is currently registered under a trust ABN (rather than the trustee), this needs to be corrected to avoid future suspension or cancellation.
What you should do
- Check your domain registration to ensure the ABN/ACN is valid and matches the current legal entity.
- If your domain is registered using a trust, please contact us with the full legal details of the trustee, including:
- Trustee name (company or individual)
- ABN or ACN of the trustee (not the trust)
- Any supporting documentation if requested
We’ll assist you in updating the registrant details with the correct trustee entity to ensure your domain remains eligible and compliant with auDA’s rules.
Helpful resources
- Eligibility Requirements for .au Domains – Serversaurus Knowledge Base
- Register or Hold an .au Domain Using a Trust ABN – Serversaurus Knowledge Base
- auDA Domain Administration Rules Licensing
If you’re unsure whether your domain is correctly registered, or need help reviewing your details, our support team is here to help. Reach out to us anytime and we’ll guide you through the process to ensure everything is in order.
Stay compliant. Stay online. Stay secure — with Serversaurus.
Last updated August 1, 2025