Editing AU (section)

== Priority Registrations for Registrants of existing 3rd level .au domains (Grandfathering) ==
In the initial phase of the .au launch, Registrants of existing 3rd level .au domains will have a Priority right to register the corresponding string directly under .au.

During the first 180 days following the launch on March 24th, any string matching an existing 3rd level .au domain will be reserved in the Registry and unavailable for general registration. Only applicants with a Priority right will be able to apply to register the string under .au, using a special authentication token.

AuDA has divided Priority applicants in 2 categories, depending on when their 3rd level .AU domain was registered:

* Priority category 1: 3rd level .AU Names with a creation date on or before February 4, 2018 at 23:59:59 UTC
* Priority category 2: 3rd level .AU Names with a creation date after February 4, 2018 at 23:59:59 UTC and before March 23, 2022 at 23:59:59 UTC.

In those cases where more than one eligible Priority applicant exist, the 2nd level .AU domains will be allocated according to the following criteria:

* Where there are Category 1 and Category 2 applicants, Category 1 applicants have priority over Category 2 applicants.
* Where there are multiple Category 1 applicants, all Category 1 applicants must agree on the allocation. Domains for which an agreement cannot be reached, will remain reserved indefinitely, until a single applicant remains.
* Where there are only Category 2 applicants, the name is allocated to the applicant whose 3rd level .AU domain has the earliest creation date in the .AU registry.

=== Priority Registration Tokens ===
AuDA will make the Priority Registration Tokens available to the Registrars managing the 3rd level domain name. 

This means that the Reseller submitting a priority registration order/pre-order does not need to obtain the Token from the Registrants if the 3rd level domain on which the priority application is based on is managed by HEXONET at the time the application is submitted to AuDA AND is managed by the Reseller that is submitting the application

For pre-orders, this check will take place in the days immediately prior to the launch date of March 24th 2022, in order to account for transfers/deletions of the 3rd level domain used to submit a priority application. Resellers should keep in mind that, while the HEXONET system will accept any pre-orders submitted, any pre-order that does not meet the conditions above will be failed at that point. 

Where the 3rd level domain is currently managed by a different Registrar/Reseller, the Registrant will need to obtain the Token from their current Registrar/Reseller, or directly from AuDA at https://priority.auda.org.au/ .


The registrant will receive a Priority Token and a Priority Contact ID. The 'X-AU-PRIORITY-TOKEN' needs to feature both of these two, joined with a dash:

<Priority Contact ID>-<Priority Token>

Example: m00100000773031-Au2BG3NX%VKc1SWc

=== How to check the Priority status of a 3rd level domain ===
AuDA provides an online tool to allow existing Registrants to check the Priority status of their 3rd level .au domain and whether there are other competing applicants for the same string. After March 24th, the tool will also show whether an application for the matching 2nd level domain has been submitted/withdrawn/declined.

The tool is available at https://www.auda.org.au/tools/priority-status-tool 

=== Using a 3rd level ID.AU domain to claim Priority ===
Please note that due to the more stringent requirements for validation of Natural Persons applying for 2nd level .AU domains, customers using a 3rd level ID.AU domain to claim Priority for the corresponding 2nd level string will also need to complete the validation process of the Registrant handle (see section âValidation of Natural Persons applying to register a .AU domain nameâ below for more information).


=== How to ensure a smooth Priority application experience ===
In order to avoid unnecessary delays or errors, it is recommended that Registrants and Resellers confirm that the Registrant details on the 3rd level .au domain used to claim a priority right on a 2nd level .au domain are correct and up-to-date. If necessary, the Registrant details on the 3rd level domain should be updated before a pre-order for the 2nd level .au domain is submitted.

For details on how to perform this operation, see https://wiki.hexonet.net/wiki/AU#Ownerchange

Please note that once a Priority application has been submitted to AuDA, it will not be possible to transfer or to perform any update to the Registrant details of the 3rd level domain used to claim the priority right until the 2nd level domain has been assigned.

=== When will 2ld.au domains get allocated? ===
Eligible Priority Applicants have to exercise their priority right and actively submit an application within the 6 months of the Priority Application phase. Eligible Priority Applicants can also explicitly renounce their right to apply.

Generally speaking, the allocation of a reserved 2ld.au domain takes place once all eligible Priority Applicants have expressed their intentions.

When there is only one eligible Priority Applicant for a string, the domain name is immediately allocated to that Applicant.

Where there are multiple eligible Priority Applicants for a string, the name is allocated as soon as the contention is resolved.

In the case where there are only multiple Category 2 applicants, if the applicant with the 3rd level domain with the earliest registration date applies, the domain is allocated to them within the following 24 hours and any pending application from other Category 2 applicants is automatically rejected.

Please note that applicants and prospective applicants can also actively withdraw or decline their application on the AuDA portal where priority tokens can be requested.

=== Priority Registrations Timeline ===
[[File:aulaunchtimeline.png]]