WHOIS Domain Lookup

Registering a domain name is simple with HSJ Host:

1. Search for your desired domain name using our domain search tool
2. Select the domain extensions you want (.com.au, .com, etc.)
3. Add the domain(s) to your cart
4. Complete the checkout process
5. Provide accurate contact information (required by ICANN)

Once registered, your domain will be active within 24-48 hours, though most domains activate much faster.

Both .com.au and .au are Australian domain extensions, but there are key differences:

• .com.au domains are traditionally for commercial entities and require an ABN (Australian Business Number) to register.
• .au domains were introduced more recently as a shorter alternative and have more flexible eligibility requirements, making them available to more users.

Both extensions establish an Australian identity for your website, which can be beneficial for local businesses targeting Australian customers.

ID Protection (also called WHOIS Privacy or Privacy Protection) is recommended if you want to keep your personal contact information private. When you register a domain, your contact details (name, address, email, phone) are typically stored in the public WHOIS database. ID Protection replaces this information with proxy details.

Benefits of ID Protection include:

• Reduced spam and unwanted marketing
• Protection against identity theft
• Prevention of domain hijacking attempts
• Privacy for personal or home-based businesses

Note that ID Protection is not available for all domain extensions, particularly some country-code domains like .com.au which require public information by law.

Domain registrations typically last for a minimum of one year, and you can register domains for multiple years at once (up to 10 years for most domain extensions). Australian domains (.com.au, .au, etc.) can be registered for 1-5 years.

Benefits of multi-year registration include:

• Securing your domain for a longer period
• Reducing the risk of forgetting to renew
• Sometimes getting a discount on the per-year price
• Potentially improving SEO (Google considers registration length as a trust factor)

We'll send reminder emails before your domain expires, but we recommend setting up auto-renewal to ensure you never lose your domain.

Transferring a domain to HSJ Host is a straightforward process:

1. Unlock your domain at your current registrar
2. Obtain the EPP/authorization code from your current registrar
3. Start the transfer process on our website
4. Enter your domain name and authorization code
5. Complete the checkout process

The transfer typically takes 5-7 days to complete. Most transfers add one year to your existing registration (except for some country-specific domains). Note that domains cannot be transferred within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer.

For Australian domains (.com.au, .au), the process is slightly different and requires a registry key instead of an authorization code. Our support team can assist with the specific requirements.