More than 2.7 million domain names registered in Australia face the risk of non-renewal unless their owners also register a business name identical to the domain, under a recommendation set to be considered for approval by the au Domain Administration (auDA) in December. The move aims to tighten the link between .au domain names and registered business identities.

auDA, the industry self-regulatory body endorsed by the federal government to manage the .au country code, released a final report following a multi-stakeholder review of its licensing rules. The review, initiated in September 2025 by an external policy expert panel, was intended to ensure that domain registration requirements align with community expectations and remain effective over time.

The report recommends removing a provision currently protecting domain owners whose business names do not exactly match their registered domains. If the recommendation is implemented, owners of millions of domains will have to verify or obtain a business name matching their web address to maintain their registrations. This process would require registering the business names with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), with minimum direct costs estimated at $126 million for 2.7 million registrations.

Industry voices have expressed concern about the potential financial and operational impacts on businesses. David Warmuz, chief executive of domain registration company Trillion, said most registrars oppose the changes, which they believe would result in compliance costs and possible loss of domain names. He noted that some well-known domain names, such as theage.com.au and realestate.com.au, do not correspond exactly to their owners’ business names and would be affected. Warmuz also highlighted that many small businesses rely on accountants to handle business name registrations, which could amplify costs and administrative burdens.

In addition to ASIC’s $47 fee per business name, registrars typically charge $25 for changes or corrections, with further time costs for domain owners needing to navigate the new requirements. Trillion has developed a tool to help domain owners check their eligibility against the proposed rules.

Angelo Giuffrida, owner and founder of Nexigen Digital, the third-largest auDA-accredited registrar supporting over 250,000 small businesses, described the changes as a “tax by stealth” during challenging economic times. He acknowledged the need for reform but criticized the proposed approach as disproportionate and potentially damaging to businesses that may not meet the new criteria in time.

In response, an auDA spokesperson clarified that no final decision on the recommendations has been made. The board has approved the panel’s proposals in principle, but auDA is developing an implementation plan that will carefully consider the impact on current domain holders, the scope of affected registrations, and appropriate transition arrangements. The authority emphasized that the overarching goal is to maintain trust in .au domain names by reinforcing the tie to legitimate business identities.