DOMAIN NAME RULES

Domain Names have a variety of basic rules. Please scroll down to browse the rules for the various domain extensions.

Please note that we only register or transfer domain names that can be registered by anybody around the world. We are unable to help with domain names that have restrictions such as the requirement to have a local business or licence.

RULES FOR TRANSFERS OF EXISTING DOMAIN NAMES
Click here for rules for registration of new domain names.

Transfers From $10.00!

• Contact your current Domain Registrar and obtain Authorization (EPP) codes for each domain name you want to transfer.
• Unlock each domain name.
• Turn off any privacy protection for each domain name.
• Make sure all contact email addresses are up to date and working.

• Less than 60 days since the original registration or a previous transfer.
• The domain name is locked.
• Contact email addresses are out of date or not working.
• The domain name is unpaid or under a dispute.
• Within the 30-day Redemption Grace Period (RGP). After a Registrar deletes a domain name, it is held in RGP for another 30 days to give the Registrant more time to recover a domain name and avoid losing it.

RULES FOR REGISTRATION OF NEW DOMAIN NAMES

• .COM - intended for commercial sites.
• .NET - intended for companies involved in Internet infrastructure.
• .ORG - intended for not-for-profit organizations.
• .INFO - intended for information sites.
• .BIZ - intended for business sites.
• .NAME - intended for personal sites.
• .XXX - intended for adult sites or sites with adult content.
• These domain names can only use letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• They cannot begin or end with a dash.
• They must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 63, not including .COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, .INFO, .NAME or .XXX extension.
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• There is a 72 hour setup period. During this period names can be changed if there is an error in the registration. 
• Transfers are allowed between registries. Domain names must be unlocked and security procedures completed before a transfer can be processed.
• A successful domain transfer will add an additional year to the current registration term.
• Domain names cannot be transferred for up to 60 days after registration, renewal or transfer.
• If a domain name is not renewed by its expiry date, there is usually a 30-day "grace period" to allow for late renewals.
• After the "grace period", another 30-day "redemption period" applies during which domain registrants can pay a fee to reactivate the domain name. These processes are designed to help registrants keep their domain names.

Over 200 New Domain Names

A large number of new Top Level Domain names have recently been released for registration. Here's the current list of the new domains now available:

• These domain names can only use letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• They cannot begin or end with a dash.
• They must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 63, not including the extension.
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Domain names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.

• .US - intended for registration by U.S. individuals and corporations, anybody can register these domain names.
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 63, not including .US
• There is a 72 hour setup period. During this period names can be changed if there is an error in the registration. 
• Transfers are allowed between registries. Domain names must be unlocked and security procedures completed before a transfer can be processed.
• A successful domain transfer will add an additional year to the current registration term.
• Domain names cannot be transferred for up to 60 days after registration, renewal or transfer.
• If a domain name is not renewed by its expiry date, there is usually a 30-day "grace period" to allow for late renewals.
• After the "grace period", another 30-day "redemption period" applies during which domain registrants can pay a fee to reactivate the domain name. These processes are designed to help registrants keep their domain names.

• .COM.AU - intended for Australian businesses and commercial sites, anybody can register these domain names.
• .NET.AU - recommended for Australian companies involved in Internet infrastructure, anybody can register these domain names.
• .ORG.AU - can only be registered by Australian charities and non-profit organisations.
• .ASN.AU - recommended for incorporated associations, political parties, trade unions, sporting and special interest clubs.
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, not including .COM.AU etc.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration. 
• Transfers are allowed between registries. Domain names must be unlocked and security procedures completed before a transfer can be processed.

• .CO.UK - UK TLD used for both commercial and personal sites.
• .ORG.UK - UK TLD used for both commercial and personal sites.
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 22, not including .CO.UK and .ORG.UK
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration. 
• Transfers are allowed between registries. Domain names must be unlocked and security procedures completed before a transfer can be processed.

• .CC - Cocos Islands, to be used by all enterprises
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Cannot have more than 26 characters, including .CC
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .TO - Tonga, to be used for commercial and personal sites
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 25, not including .TO
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .CO.NZ - New Zealand, intended organizations pursuing commercial aims & purposes
• .NET.NZ - New Zealand, intended organizations or services providers related to the NZ internet
• .ORG.NZ - New Zealand, intended for non-profit organizations
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 25, not including .CO.NZ, .ORG.NZ, and .NET.NZ
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration. 
• Transfers are allowed between registries. Domain names must be unlocked and security procedures completed before a transfer can be processed.

• .AT - Austria, to be used for both commercial and personal sites
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must contain at least one letter
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 30, not including .AT
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .CO.IL - Israel, intended organizations pursuing commercial aims & purposes
• .ORG.IL - Israel, intended organizations pursuing commercial aims & purposes
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Must have at least 2 characters, but no more than 25, not including .IL
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .TV - Tuvalu, to be used for commercial and personal sites
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Standard names must have at least 4 characters, but no more than 59, not including .TV and cannot be generic.
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .WS - Samoa, to be used for commercial and personal sites
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Standard names must have at least 4 characters, but no more than 59, not including .WS
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

• .CO.ZA - South Africa, to be used for commercial and personal sites.
• Use only letters, numbers, or dash ("-")
• Cannot begin or end with a dash
• Cannot have more than 26 characters, including .CO.ZA
• Anybody can register these domain names.
• Doman names cannot be changed if there is an error in the registration.
• Transfers are not allowed between registries.

If you have specific questions, you can find more information in our Help Center.