A lot of domains are registered with no website associated with them. You won’t be able to determine if a domain is available by typing in the URL and checking for an error message.

You can check current registration by using the whois command.

.com.au requirements

If you are registering for a .com.au domain, then have the following information handy

• Confirmation that the domain name is a close and substantial connection to the legal entity, or that the domain name is an exact match, acronym or abbreviation of the legal entity.

• Entity or Company Type (e.g. Company, Partnership, Individual, Sole Trader, Association)

• Entity or Company Name

• Company Number (ABN, ACN, RBN or Association Number)

• State of Registration (NSW, VIC, QLD, etc..)

Expiring domain names

If a domain is about to expire you have a chance of being the new owner. Its not as simple as it once was.

Here is an article about how to snatch an expiring domain

.uk

nominet manage the .uk domain space. If you own a .uk domain you will have an account with them. A owner change must be done via nominet. This includes updating your address details.