Who is eligible to hold a .com.au domain?

A .com.au domain is reserved for commercial entities with a verifiable connection to Australia, and auDA checks that connection at registration. In practice, an Australian business or company qualifies straightforwardly:

• The Australian connection - you need an Australian presence, most commonly an ABN or ACN, registered to the entity holding the domain.
• The exact-match rule for .au direct - the shorter .au names since 2022 require the same eligibility, with priority that ran for existing .com.au holders.
• Why it is checked - the eligibility requirement is what keeps .com.au meaning an Australian business, rather than open to anyone worldwide.

If you have an active ABN, you can hold a matching .com.au - register it in your business’s name, not an individual’s.