1. Scope and related terms
These terms apply to domain registration, renewal, transfer and administration services supplied by Refined IT. They are intended to be read with the accepted quote or order, our general Terms and Conditions and the applicable registrar, registry and domain-policy requirements disclosed for the order.
Different domain extensions have different rules. Refined IT’s role and the registrar of record must be identified for the service; Refined IT is not represented by these terms as an accredited registrar.
Hosting, email, website development, SSL certificates and domain registration are separate services unless the accepted order expressly bundles them. Cancelling one does not automatically cancel the others.
2. Domain rights and registrant details
A domain registration gives the registrant rights to use a domain for a defined period, subject to the applicable rules. In the .au namespace, it is a domain name licence; the registrant does not own the name outright.
The registration must identify the correct person or legal entity entitled to hold it. An administrative or technical contact is not automatically the registrant. If you instruct us on behalf of another person or business, you must have authority to do so.
Please check the proposed domain spelling, registrant name, eligibility details and contact information carefully before authorising an order. Notify us promptly if those details change or an error is identified.
3. Registration and activation
A domain search result, quote, order acknowledgement or payment does not guarantee registration. Availability can change, and a registrar or registry can require checks or reject an application under the applicable rules.
We confirm the outcome once the application is processed. If an application cannot be completed, we explain the position and deal with any payment according to the circumstances, the accepted order and applicable law. We do not substitute another spelling or extension without your agreement.
Registration is separate from connecting a domain to hosting, email or another service. DNS changes can take time to become visible across networks. Any included setup work is described in the order and our Delivery Policy.
4. Eligibility and use of a domain
You must meet the eligibility and allocation rules for the chosen extension throughout the registration period. For .au domains, these requirements are set out in the auDA Licensing Rules. Different .au namespaces can have different eligibility requirements.
Provide accurate information and any evidence reasonably required to verify eligibility. A change to a business, legal entity, trade mark or other basis of eligibility can affect a licence and may require more than updating a contact name.
A domain’s availability does not establish that you are entitled to use another party’s business name, trade mark or other protected material. We can assist with administration, but a domain search is not legal clearance of the name.
5. Fees and registration periods
The order must identify the domain, registration or renewal period, applicable price, GST treatment and any agreed administration work. Renewal prices can differ from introductory registration prices.
Any proposed transfer, late-renewal, restoration or redemption fee must be disclosed before you authorise the corresponding charge. Relevant renewal and recovery prices, and the method used to deliver expiry notices, must also be made available with the domain service information where required by the applicable registrar or policy rules.
We do not assume authority to buy additional years, related extensions or optional services merely because you have ordered one domain. A price change does not retrospectively alter the price of a completed registration. Future recurring or renewal charges must be handled under the agreed order and applicable notice requirements.
6. Renewal instructions and reminders
Domain registrations expire. Please keep registration and account contact information current, monitor expiry dates and act on renewal notices in time. A hosting invoice or a working website is not proof that a domain has been renewed.
The order and account settings must explain whether renewal requires a separate instruction or is set to renew automatically, when any authorised payment is attempted and how to change that instruction. An automatic renewal arrangement requires appropriate authorisation; it is not a guarantee of successful payment or renewal.
Required renewal and expiry notices must be sent using the applicable registrar’s rules and the confirmed notification arrangements. Your responsibility to keep contact details current does not remove any notice or service obligation that applies to us or the registrar.
If a renewal attempt fails or a payment issue arises, contact us promptly. Do not assume a domain is renewed until the renewed registration is confirmed.
7. Expiry of .au domains
The current auDA rules provide a 30-calendar-day grace period after a .au licence expires during which an eligible registrant can renew it. The domain cannot be used or updated during that grace period, so connected website and email services stop working.
If the licence is not renewed within the applicable period, the domain is removed from the registry and can become available to another eligible applicant. Re-registration or recovery is not guaranteed. Any applicable recovery charge must be disclosed before you authorise it.
The grace period should not be treated as an extension of the normal due date. See auDA’s renewal guidance for the current rules.
8. Expiry of other domain extensions
Other extensions, including generic domains such as .com, can have different expiry, deletion and recovery arrangements. Do not rely on the .au grace period for another extension.
The relevant registrar’s registration agreement and current policies determine the available steps after expiry. A recovery period can carry additional charges, and a domain can become unavailable or be deleted if renewal is not completed.
For generic domains covered by ICANN policies, required expiry notices and recovery information must be provided through the applicable registrar arrangements. General information is available in ICANN’s domain renewal and expiration guidance. The service-specific renewal and restoration fees must be confirmed before ordering.
9. Transfers and changes of registrant
Moving a domain to another registrar is different from transferring the registration to another person or legal entity. Tell us which change you require so the correct eligibility, authorisation and policy checks can be followed.
We take reasonable steps to verify an instruction before releasing an authorisation code or changing control of a domain. Relevant registry rules, a legitimate transfer lock, an active dispute or a court order can affect whether or when a transfer is permitted.
Any agreed assistance or administration fee must be disclosed in advance. We do not create an arbitrary restriction on an otherwise permitted transfer. A dispute about an unrelated service does not itself establish a domain-transfer restriction.
Plan a transfer before expiry and keep services active during the change where required. A registrar transfer does not necessarily move website files, email accounts, DNS hosting or billing arrangements. For .au names, see auDA’s transfer guidance.
10. DNS, access and security
DNS records control where services connected to a domain are directed. A change can affect a website, email delivery or verification of another service. Instructions must come from an authorised contact and should identify the intended change clearly.
Protect account credentials and recovery methods, limit access to authorised people and tell us promptly about suspected unauthorised access or changes. We verify sensitive instructions using an appropriate process; do not send passwords or transfer codes through the general website enquiry form.
Responsibility for DNS hosting, ongoing administration, monitoring and support must be specified in the order. Registering a domain does not automatically include every related configuration or recovery service.
11. Cancellation and refunds
Tell us whether you want to cancel an unprocessed order, stop a future renewal or cancel an existing registration. These are different actions with different consequences. Cancelling a registered domain can interrupt services and ultimately allow another party to register it.
Completed registration and renewal transactions can involve registry or registrar charges that cannot be recovered on a change of mind. We explain the applicable position before an irreversible cancellation where practicable and return any amount required by law or the agreed order.
Any available registry cooling-off or cancellation process depends on the extension and transaction. These terms do not create a blanket no-refund rule or remove remedies for an error, failure to supply or breach of a non-excludable guarantee.
12. Disputes, restrictions and suspension
A registrar, registry, regulator or court can require a domain to be locked, suspended, transferred or cancelled under applicable rules. Name disputes can also be subject to a specific domain dispute process.
Where an issue is within our control, we act proportionately, explain the reason where permitted and provide an opportunity to respond or remedy the issue where appropriate. Immediate action can be necessary to comply with law or address a genuine security or abuse risk.
Domain registration does not authorise unlawful or harmful use. Related service conduct is addressed in our Acceptable Use Policy. Nothing in this section allows an arbitrary cancellation merely because a customer raises a complaint.
13. Registration information and privacy
Registration requires information to be provided to the applicable registrar and registry and, where required, through registration-data or directory services. The information required and made available depends on the extension and current rules.
We explain relevant collection and disclosure arrangements in our Privacy Policy and the order’s registrar information. A privacy or proxy service is included only if expressly offered and accepted; it does not remove the need to provide accurate underlying information where required.
14. Your rights and changes to these terms
Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies a consumer guarantee, statutory remedy or other right that cannot lawfully be excluded. Describing a registrar or registry dependency does not remove responsibility for our own agreed services or conduct.
Changes to domain-policy requirements are handled as the applicable rules require. Changes to our own service terms apply through the agreed contractual process, with appropriate notice and any rights required by law. Updating this webpage does not automatically replace an existing accepted contract or authorise a new charge.
An adopted version will identify its revision or effective date. Keep the order and terms supplied when you authorise a domain transaction.
15. Domain questions and related services
For registration, renewal, transfer or billing questions, call (08) 9291 3284 or use our contact form. Include the domain name and a description of the request. We will confirm the authority and information needed for an account change.
For connected services, read our Hosting Terms and Conditions, Delivery Policy and general Terms and Conditions.