Questions and answers

Understand your result before you act.

Simple answers about the free search, Australian domain rules, paid reports, monitoring and what Name Ledger cannot guarantee.

What does the free Name Ledger search check?

It checks the exact Australian business name you enter, plus the matching .com.au, .au, .com and .net.au domains. The check does not register or hold the name or domains for you.

Is an available result a guarantee that I can use the name?

No. It means the name looked available when we checked it. The result can change, ASIC makes the final registration decision, and registering a business name does not give you trade mark protection.

What does ‘review required’ mean?

It means we did not receive a clear yes or no. ASIC may need to review the name, or you may need consent or more information. Treat this result as unresolved until you know what is required.

Why is .com.au treated as the required domain?

.com.au is familiar to Australian customers. Every name in a paid report must have the matching .com.au available. We also prefer the matching .au and show .com and .net.au for extra context.

Does registering a business name protect my brand?

No. A business name identifies the name you trade under. A trade mark is a separate form of protection. If the name will be valuable to your business, consider advice from an Australian trade marks professional.

Is Name Ledger affiliated with ASIC, IP Australia or auDA?

No. Name Ledger is an independent Tech Builders service. We use specialist data services to perform the checks, but the government and industry bodies named here do not operate or endorse Name Ledger.

Why can I run only three free searches?

Each search costs us money to run through our providers. The three-search limit helps keep the service free and available for genuine visitors. If you repeat the same search soon afterwards, we may show the recent result again.

Will the paid report show unchecked generated names?

No. A paid report will show five name ideas only after each one passes the required business-name and matching .com.au checks. We will not show a long list of unchecked suggestions.

Can I buy a domain through Name Ledger?

Yes. When a search finds available domains, you can register one or several of them in a single secure checkout. Some Australian domains require proof that you are eligible. A domain is not yours until the registry confirms the registration.

How will saved-name monitoring work?

For A$12 a month, monitoring will check up to five saved names and their matching domains once every 24 hours. You will be able to pause names, remove them, control email alerts and cancel. Monitoring does not reserve anything.

What should I do after a promising result?

Check for similar trade marks and businesses, make sure you are eligible for the domain, decide who will own the name and domain, then register when you are ready. Get professional advice if choosing the wrong name could cause a serious loss.