Registering .au and .com.au Domains on Squarespace
TL;DR:
- Only Australian residents can register .au or .com.au domains through Squarespace
- You'll need an Australian address and may need an ABN or ACN depending on your business type
- Existing .au or .com.au domains can't be transferred to Squarespace but can be connected
- These domains don't offer privacy protection – your details will be publicly visible
- Domain verification happens automatically after registration
Eligibility Requirements
To register a .au or .com.au domain with Squarespace, you need to prove you have an Australian presence. This means providing a local Australian address and, depending on your business type, either an Australian Business Number (ABN) or Australian Company Number (ACN).
Make sure the details you provide match exactly with any Australian Government issued ID. Getting this wrong can cause verification problems down the line.
Registration Process
The actual registration is straightforward once you have your details ready. Squarespace handles the verification automatically, so you won't need to jump through extra hoops once the domain is registered.
Double-check everything before submitting. Small typos in your registration details can create headaches later, especially since these domains have stricter requirements than standard .com domains.
Managing Your Domain
Renewals and Expiry
You can only renew your domain in the 90 days before it expires. If you miss the renewal date, you get a 30-day grace period to renew through your Squarespace dashboard before the domain gets deactivated.
Updating Information
Minor changes to your domain information need to go through Squarespace customer support. If you need to make multiple changes, this counts as a "domain trade" which starts a new registration year and wipes out any time you had left on the existing registration.
Important Limitations
No Incoming Transfers
You can't transfer an existing .au or .com.au domain into Squarespace. If you already own one of these domains, you can connect it to your Squarespace site, but the domain registration stays with your current provider.
You can transfer these domains out of Squarespace to another provider if needed.
No Privacy Protection
Unlike many other domain types, .au and .com.au domains don't offer privacy protection. Your registration details will be publicly visible in the Whois database.
FAQs
Can I transfer my existing .au or .com.au domain to Squarespace?
No, Squarespace doesn't support incoming transfers for these domains. You can connect your existing domain to your Squarespace site instead.
Do I need an ABN or ACN to register these domains?
It depends on your business type and the specific domain you're registering. Check the requirements during the registration process to see what applies to your situation.
What happens if my domain expires?
You have 30 days after expiration to renew through your dashboard. After that, the domain may be deactivated and eventually released back to the public.
Can I keep my registration details private?
No, privacy protection isn't available for .au and .com.au domains. Your registration information will be publicly accessible.
Jargon Buster
- ABN (Australian Business Number): An 11-digit identifier for businesses operating in Australia
- ACN (Australian Company Number): A unique nine-digit number given to companies incorporated in Australia
- ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain): Domain extensions reserved for specific countries or territories
- Whois Privacy: A service that hides domain owner details from public view (not available for Australian domains)
Wrap-up
Registering Australian domains through Squarespace is fairly straightforward if you meet the eligibility requirements. The main things to remember are that you need an Australian presence, your details will be public, and you can't transfer existing domains in. Make sure your registration information is accurate from the start to avoid complications later.
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