Who submits an IPv4 transfer request?

It depends on the registry. In the RIPE NCC region the offering LIR, or the sponsoring LIR of an offering End User, submits through the LIR Portal. At ARIN the source and the recipient each file a separate request in ARIN Online, and ARIN links the two tickets. At APNIC both need an APNIC account unless the source is outside the region.

Does the recipient need to justify its need for the addresses?

At ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, and AFRINIC, yes. ARIN lets an organisation with no ARIN IPv4 allocation receive a /24 without further justification; larger blocks need a plan to use half the space within 24 months. RIPE NCC does not assess need for transfers.

What is the smallest block that can be transferred?

In practice a /24, because ARIN sets it as the minimum transfer size and longer prefixes are not routable on the public internet. RIPE NCC allows partial transfers of an allocation, so a /24 can be carved out of a larger block.

Can a block be transferred again straight after it was received?

Usually not. RIPE NCC restricts IPv4 for 24 months after it is received, whether from the RIPE NCC, by transfer, or through a merger. ARIN and AFRINIC do not let a source transfer out if it received IPv4 from the registry in the previous 12 months. APNIC bars transfer of 103/8 space for five years after delegation.

Is a transfer the same as a merger or acquisition?

No. A transfer after a sale is a policy transfer between unrelated holders. When the holder itself is acquired, the registry processes a merger or acquisition update instead, with different documents and, at ARIN, no needs assessment.

IPv4 Transfer Process: Stages and Checkpoints

Reviewed by Philippe Girard, RIR policy & compliance lead

An IPv4 transfer is a change of the holder of record at the regional internet registry. The sale is a private contract; the transfer is what makes it real. Until the registry updates its database, the block still belongs to the seller, whatever the contract says.

Every transfer passes through the same seven stages. The registry-specific differences are in who files the request, whether the recipient’s need is assessed, and which restrictions apply to the block.

Registry differences at a glance

	RIPE NCC	ARIN	APNIC	LACNIC	AFRINIC
Who files the request	Offering LIR (or sponsoring LIR of an End User)	Source and recipient file separate requests; ARIN links them	Both parties, each with an APNIC account	Check current procedure	Both parties, through MyAFRINIC or the transfer form
Recipient need assessed	No	Yes; a first /24 needs none	Yes, detailed usage plan	Yes	Yes
Restriction on the source	Block received less than 24 months ago cannot move	Must not have received IPv4 from ARIN in the past 12 months	103/8 space locked for 5 years after delegation	Check current policy	Must not have received IPv4 from AFRINIC in the past 12 months
Registry fees	None for transfers	Non-refundable processing fee, more on approval	Transfer fee, or membership fee for a new account	Check current fee schedule	Membership and allocation fees for the recipient
Inter-RIR transfers	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Inter-RIR transfers run between RIPE NCC, ARIN, APNIC, and LACNIC, subject to each registry’s conditions; AFRINIC has no inter-RIR policy. Sources: RIPE NCC transfers, ARIN transfers and NRPM section 8, APNIC transfer conditions, AFRINIC resource transfers. Checked October 2026. Policies change through community process; confirm against the registry before relying on a cell.

Confirm both parties are eligible

Do this before anyone spends time on due diligence.

Source. The seller must be the holder of record in the registry database, not a reseller holding an option or a party that “controls” the holder. Check that the block is not inside a restriction window: received less than 24 months ago in the RIPE region, delegated from 103/8 less than five years ago at APNIC, or held by an ARIN or AFRINIC organisation that received IPv4 from its registry in the last 12 months.

A RIPE NCC holder can also place a Voluntary Transfer Lock on its resources for 6, 12, or 24 months. The lock is irrevocable once approved and the RIPE NCC publishes the list of locked resources, so check it.

Recipient. The buyer needs an account the block can land in: RIPE NCC membership (an LIR) for allocated PA space, or a sponsoring LIR for PI; an ARIN Org ID that will sign the Registration Services Agreement; an APNIC account. Opening one takes days to weeks, so start at the same time as the negotiation, not after it.

Verify the block

Check the registry record, transfer history, routing history, RPKI state, reputation, and any disputes. A block that fails here is cheaper to walk away from than to fix. The full list of checks, with what passes and what does not, is in the block verification checklist.

Sign the agreement and fund escrow

The sale contract and the registry’s paperwork are different documents. RIPE NCC requires a transfer agreement signed by both parties’ authorised representatives, separate from the commercial contract. ARIN asks for documentation case by case, accepts redacted copies with prices removed, and offers a standard NDA.

The buyer deposits funds with an escrow holder, and the contract names the event that releases them. Define that event as the registry record showing the recipient, not as “submission of the request”. See escrow and payment.

Get recipient approval where policy requires it

Registries that assess need do it before or during the transfer.

ARIN. An organisation with no ARIN IPv4 allocation qualifies for a /24 without justification. Anything larger needs documentation showing use of at least 50% of the block within 24 months; organisations at 80% utilisation of current holdings can qualify for up to the size of those holdings, capped at a /16. Recipients can get pre-approval before a seller is found.
APNIC. Every recipient account provides a detailed plan for using the transferred space.
LACNIC and AFRINIC. The recipient demonstrates justified need for the space.
RIPE NCC. No needs assessment for transfers.

Submit the transfer request

File through the registry’s portal with the documents it lists for your case. At ARIN, the admin or tech contact of each organisation files its own request in ARIN Online; ARIN links the two tickets and invoices the processing fee before work starts. In the RIPE region only the offering side files, under Resources → Request Transfer in the LIR Portal. Documents by registry breaks these down; the common core is company registration extracts for both sides, proof that the signatories may sign, and identity verification for natural persons.

For inter-RIR transfers, the source registry evaluates first and then hands over to the receiving registry, which assesses the recipient under its own policy. Both registries update their databases on an agreed date.

Answer registry questions and wait for approval

Registry staff check the documents, the signatories’ authority, the policy conditions, and sanctions. RIPE NCC rejects transfers where either party is on the EU sanctions list. At ARIN, approval is followed by an invoice for remaining fees and, where needed, an RSA that must be signed within 90 days; ARIN completes the transfer within two business days of receiving both. Each unanswered clarification adds a full round trip, typically several business days. Timelines by RIR gives the usual durations for each stage.

Confirm the registry update and release funds

The transfer is complete when the public record shows the recipient. Query it yourself rather than relying on an email:

whois -h whois.ripe.net 203.0.113.0/24 | grep -E '^(inetnum|org|status|mnt-by):'
curl -s https://rdap.db.ripe.net/ip/203.0.113.0/24 | jq '.handle, .entities[].handle'

Only then instruct the escrow holder to release. See WHOIS and RDAP for reading the equivalent records at other registries.

Mergers and acquisitions are a different path

When the holder itself changes hands, the registry processes a merger, acquisition, or reorganisation update rather than a policy transfer. The paperwork proves the corporate event: merger agreements, asset purchase agreements, court or registry filings. ARIN does not assess need for these; APNIC still applies the 103/8 five-year rule. The re-transfer restriction in the RIPE region applies after a merger just as after a transfer.

After the update

The registry update moves the block; it does not make it routable for you. Some registries delete associated objects on transfer — APNIC removes route and domain objects, for example — and every ROA issued by the seller has to be replaced. Work through the post-transfer checklist before the first announcement.

Transfer risks — how transfers go wrong and how to spot it early
How to get an ASN — if you will announce the block yourself
Utilization and RIR audits — keeping records clean enough to pass a needs assessment
Buying IPv4 with transfer support and selling a block — if you want the process run for you

Last updated on October 3, 2026

Block verification checklist