Transferring IP Addresses & ASNs

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Transfers of IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) issued by ARIN or its predecessors are governed by ARIN policies.

IP addresses and ASNs may only be transferred to another organization when:

  • An organization acquires the assets that are using IP addresses and/or ASNs in a currently operating network, or acquires the network and organization as a whole, via a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or similar transaction.
  • An organization with unused IPv4 address space or an ASN releases it to a specified recipient who qualifies for it under current ARIN policy within the ARIN region.
  • An organization with unused IPv4 address space and/or ASNs releases them to a specified recipient outside the ARIN region who qualifies for it under the recipient RIR’s policy. Note: APNIC and RIPE NCC accept IPv4 addresses and ASNs. LACNIC currently accepts IPv4 addresses only.

Transfer requests must meet the requirements of ARIN transfer policies in order to receive approval.

Submitting a Transfer Request

Note: All transfer requests require an ARIN Online account linked to either an Admin or Tech Point of Contact (POC) record with the authority to request resources for a valid Organization Identifier (Org ID).

Examples: Transfer Request Documentation

To request a transfer:

  1. Log in to ARIN Online.
  2. Select Transfer Resources from the navigation menu.
  3. Follow the instructions presented to you.
  4. Pay the non-refundable processing fee, if required.
  5. Upon approval, pay any other applicable fees.
  6. Submit a signed Registration Services Agreement (RSA) within 90 days.

Once ARIN receives a signed RSA and all applicable fees, your resources will be transferred within two business days. If you need a status update on your transfer request or have any questions, please call ARIN Registration Services at +1.703.227.0660. For fee or RSA questions, call ARIN Financial Services at +1.703.227.9886.

All resource holders are responsible for proper record maintenance with ARIN, including the following:

  • Org ID and Point of Contact information upkeep
  • Responsible IP address reassignment
  • Reverse DNS lookup maintenance (IN-ADDRs)
  • Payment of all annual registration renewal and maintenance fees

Transfers Due to Mergers, Acquisitions, and Reorganizations

(NRPM 8.2)

If your organization acquired assets (such as customers and equipment) from another organization via an acquisition or merger, and those assets are using IP addresses and/or ASNs that are directly registered through ARIN, you may request a transfer of those resources. ARIN will proceed with processing transfer requests even if the number resources of the combined organizations exceed what can be justified under current ARIN policy as defined in NRPM Section 8.5. In that event, ARIN will work with the resource holder(s) to transfer the extra number resources to other organization(s) or accept a voluntary return of the extra number resources to ARIN.

Mergers, acquisitions, and reorganization activity resulting in the surviving entity ceasing to have a real and substantial connection with the ARIN region shall be permitted to continue holding any numbering resources issued (directly or indirectly) by ARIN prior to the merger, acquisition or reorganization activity, but shall not qualify for any additional numbering resources (directly or indirectly) from ARIN, unless and until it once again has a real and substantial connection with the ARIN region as required by the Number Resource Policy Manual.

Requirements

The new organization must provide evidence that they have acquired the assets that use the resources to be transferred in one or more of the following forms:

  • an authenticated copy of the instrument(s) affecting the transfer of assets, such as:
    • asset purchase agreement and bill of sale
    • finalized merger or amalgamation agreement filed with a province/state/federal government
    • finalized court order
    • SEC or other public filings that document the transfer of assets
  • authenticated documentation showing name change, such as:
    • amended articles of incorporation
    • state/province/federal government verification of name change

An organization which serves as the source of an 8.2 IPv4 transfer will not be allowed to apply for IPv4 address space under section 4.1.8 ARIN Waitlist for a period of 36 months following said transfer unless the recipient organization remains a subsidiary, parent company, or under common ownership with the source organization.

If multiple transactions connect the old and new organizations, documentation will be required for each transaction. You are welcome to redact any financial or otherwise sensitive information. If necessary, ARIN has a standard nondisclosure agreement available.

The resources being transferred as part of an 8.2 transfer will not be subject to a needs-based assessment during the process of the 8.2 transfer.

Note: If your organization has undergone a legal name change that was not part of a merger, acquisition, or reorganization, you can update your record using a Name Change Request.

Transfers to Specified Recipients Within the ARIN Region

(NRPM 8.3)

If your organization is in need of, or currently holds, unused ARIN-issued IPv4 address space or an Autonomous System Number (ASN), you may request an 8.3 Specified Recipient Transfer (8.3 transfer).

Both the recipient and source organizations must submit 8.3 transfer requests separately. These ticketed requests will be linked to one another by ARIN staff once they have been reviewed.

If your organization is participating in an 8.3 transfer, please coordinate your request with the other party prior to ARIN approval. ARIN cannot provide information on ticketed requests from other organizations. Also keep in mind that regardless of pre-approval, both the source and recipient organizations must submit an 8.3 transfer request.

Note: If you have not identified the party you wish to transfer resources from, you may request a transfer pre-approval.

Requirements for the Source Organization (Current Registrant)

  • The source organization must be the current registered holder of the resources.
    • If the current registrant no longer exists, an 8.2 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Reorganizations transfer may be required before the 8.3 transfer.
  • The source organization must not be involved in any dispute as to the status of the resources.
  • The source organization must provide a signed and notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter.
  • The minimum transfer size is a /24.
  • The source organization must not have received a transfer, allocation, or assignment of IPv4 number resources from ARIN within 12 months prior to the approval of the transfer. (Note: This requirement does not apply to 8.2 transfers.)
  • Address resources from a reserved pool (including those designated in NRPM Section 4.4 and 4.10) are not eligible for transfer.
  • The source entity will not be allowed to apply for IPv4 address space under Section 4.1.8. ARIN Waitlist for a period of 36 months following the transfer of IPv4 address resources to another party.

Requirements for the Recipient Organization

  • The recipients must meet the transfer requirements as defined in NRPM Section 8.5.
  • The resources transferred will be subject to current ARIN policies.
  • If applicable the recipient will be removed from the ARIN Waitlist and will not be allowed to reapply under section 4.1.8. ARIN Waitlist for a period of 90 days.

Next Steps

Once both the source and recipient (if known) involved in the transfer meet the transfer requirements, the following steps will occur:

  1. The Admin or Tech Points of Contact of both the source and the recipient organizations must submit a transfer request via ARIN Online. Both organizations are issued their own ticket number for their request.
  2. An ARIN Customer Service Resource Analyst links the two tickets after the source and recipient organizations are identified and confirmed.
  3. ARIN invoices the appropriate organization for the non-refundable processing fee.
  4. Upon receipt of the non-refundable transfer processing fee, an ARIN Customer Service Resource Analyst begins processing each request independently. ARIN respects the privacy and confidentiality of each organization and therefore, organizations should coordinate directly with each other to monitor progress on their respective requests.
  5. Upon approval of both transfer requests, an invoice for any other fees will be sent to the appropriate organization along with a Registration Services Agreement (RSA), if applicable.
  6. Upon receipt of all fees and a signed RSA, if applicable, ARIN will complete the transfer.

Inter-RIR Transfers

(NRPM 8.4)

Inter-RIR Transfers (8.4 transfers) allow organizations within the ARIN region who hold unused IPv4 address space or Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to request transfers to a specific qualified recipient in another Regional Internet Registry (RIR) region. 8.4 transfers also allow organizations within another RIR’s region to transfer IPv4 addresses or ASNs to an organization within the ARIN region. In both cases, an 8.4 transfer can only be conducted between RIRs that share reciprocal, compatible, needs-based policy.

Note: Inter-RIR transfers involving ARIN may not include IPv6 addresses.

APNIC, RIPE NCC, and LACNIC are currently the only RIRs with ARIN-compatible inter-RIR transfer policies. Due to the consolidated efforts between multiple RIRs and organizations, the time required to conclude an 8.4 transfer can vary.

Note: If you have not identified the party you wish to transfer resources to or from, you may request a transfer pre-approval.

Requirements for Transfers from ARIN to Another RIR

Source Requirements

  • The source organization must be the current registered holder of the IPv4 resources.
  • If the current registrant no longer exists, an 8.2 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Reorganizations Transfer may be required before the 8.4 transfer.
  • The source organization must not be involved in any dispute as to the status of the resources.
  • The source organization must provide a signed and notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter.
  • The minimum transfer size is a /24.
  • Source entities must not have received a transfer, allocation, or assignment of IPv4 number resources from ARIN for the 12 months prior to the approval of a transfer request, unless either the source or recipient entity owns or controls the other, or both are under common ownership or control. Number resources received as the result of an 8.2 transfer are out of scope for the purposes of this restriction.
  • Address resources from a reserved pool (including those designated in NRPM Section 4.4 and 4.10) are not eligible for transfer.
  • The source entity will not be allowed to apply for IPv4 address space under Section 4.1.8. ARIN Waitlist for a period of 36 months following the transfer of IPv4 address resources to another party.

Recipient Requirements:

  • The conditions on a recipient outside of the ARIN region will be defined by the policies of the receiving RIR.
  • Upon completion, the network record will move to the other RIR and be removed from ARIN’s Whois service and a placeholder record pointing to the new RIR will be added.

Requirements for Transfers from Another RIR to ARIN:

Source Requirement:

  • Source organizations outside of the ARIN region must meet any requirements defined by the RIR where the source organization holds the registration.

Recipient Requirements:

  • Recipients within the ARIN region will be subject to current ARIN policies.
  • Specified recipients within the ARIN region must meet the transfer requirements as defined in NRPM 8.5.
  • Recipients within the ARIN region must demonstrate the need for up to a 24-month supply of IPv4 addresses.
  • The minimum transfer size is a /24.
  • Recipients are required to have an updated and signed RSA and pay for any other applicable fees to complete the transfer.
  • If applicable the recipient will be removed from the ARIN Waitlist and will not be allowed to reapply under section 4.1.8. ARIN Waitlist for a period of 90 days.

Transfer Requirements for Specified and Inter-RIR Transfer Recipients

(NRPM 8.5)

Minimum IPv4 transfer size is a /24.

Recipient organizations without direct assignments/allocations qualify for an initial /24.

Recipient organizations may qualify for a larger initial IPv4 address block by providing documentation which:

  • Details 50 percent of the requested IPv4 addresses will be used within 24 months
  • Demonstrates 50 percent of the sum of all previous IPv4 assignments and allocations is efficiently used

Alternatively, recipient organizations with direct assignments/allocations who demonstrate 80 percent efficient utilization of the sum of all previous assignments/allocations may qualify for a transfer equal to the total size of their current IPv4 holdings (up to a /16). Organizations may only qualify under this policy once every six months.

Organizations with larger direct allocations or assignments than they require may receive transfer of a smaller block for the purpose of renumbering onto the smaller block if they transfer the entire larger block to a qualified recipient under section 8 within one year of receipt of transfer of the smaller block.”

Qualified Facilitator Program

The Qualified Facilitator Program is an optional resource for ARIN customers that helps connect organizations seeking to acquire IPv4 address space or Autonomous System numbers (ASNs) with Qualified Facilitators who have been approved by ARIN to help organizations with the transfer process.

Wait List Restrictions (NRPM 8.6)

Any organization which is on the wait list and submits a request to be the source of a transfer under any provision in section 8 will be removed from the wait list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who may submit a transfer request?

An Admin or Tech Point of Contact for the appropriate organization will need to submit the transfer request.

An 8.2 Mergers, Acquisitions, and Reorganizations transfer request must be submitted by the recipient organization. Both the recipient and source organizations must submit 8.3 Specified Recipient transfer requests separately. 8.4 transfer requests must be submitted by a POC of the organization in the ARIN region, whether they are source or recipient. ​

What kind of documentation will you be asking for?

Not all transfers require the same documentation, but some examples include bills of sale, finalized and filed merger or amalgamation agreement certificates of merger or amalgamation, other finalized contracts, certified deeds, or finalized court orders. ARIN will work with you to determine the appropriate documentation based on your request details.

Do I have to send my entire Asset Purchase Agreement?

No, we will only ask you for five key items:

  • the page(s) that list the parties involved
  • the page(s) that list any excluded parties
  • the page(s) that list the physical assets that were acquired
  • the page(s) that list any excluded assets and
  • the signature page(s)

Can I redact any monetary listings in my merger or acquisition contracts?

Yes, ARIN is not concerned with the associated costs of the merger or acquisition.

Our contracts are confidential and we do not feel comfortable sharing the sensitive data. Is there any other way to complete the transfer?

ARIN is willing to enter into a standard non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with you prior to your organization’s submission of sensitive or confidential data.

Submit your request as normal and we will work with you to obtain as much relevant information, documentation, and evidence as possible. Often, older documents are available on the Secretary of State/State Corporation Commission sites of various states, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission site and other local, state, and federal government sites.

ARIN needs to see documentation showing the original registration was in error. For example, if the organization name was listed as a fictitious name or doing business as (D/B/A) name instead of the legal name, ARIN may ask you to provide a copy of the official business name document which was filed with a local or state government that shows the D/B/A name has always been registered to the actual legal organization name. ARIN will need to confirm and vet the organization in order to effectuate such an update.

How does the transfer of direct allocations affect membership status?

A General membership reliant on a single direct allocation of IP address space from ARIN is terminated when the address space is transferred to another entity. On the day the transfer process is complete, membership and the accompanying voting rights are terminated for the source organization. The recipient organization, depending on several factors, may gain the ability to apply for General membership or will simply maintain an existing membership.

If a Member organization transfers a direct allocation while retaining another direct allocation, the organization will maintain its Member eligibility.

Are there any constraints when transferring address blocks using a third-party brokerage service outside of ARIN?

The negotiations and terms of a transfer of an address block between two parties is a matter for resolution between those parties. The details of such an arrangement and/or the financial terms may be negotiated between the parties directly or through a third-party facilitator. However, all transfers must be made in accordance with current ARIN policies as defined in the NRPM, and only transfer requests in compliance with ARIN policy may be processed. We recommend that parties contemplating a transfer work with ARIN early on in the process to ensure that such a transfer request would be valid under ARIN policy.

Please see this article for a legal perspective on transfers within the ARIN region related to bankruptcy court proceedings.

Does ARIN inform the community about resources that have been transferred either via 8.3 Specified Recipient or 8.4 Inter-RIR transfers?

Yes, a report of number resources transferred per the requirements of NRPM Section 8.4 Inter-RIR Transfers to Specified Recipients or NRPM Section 8.3 Transfers to Specified Recipients is available on the Statistics and Reporting page.

I want to transfer Internet number resources to another party which are currently covered under an ARIN RPKI certificate. What do I need to do to prepare for this?

Upon completion of a transfer, any Internet number resources being transferred to another organization will be removed from the current ARIN RPKI certificate along with any ROAs associated with those resources. Any remaining Internet number resources will be automatically rerolled and their associated ROAs retained.

However, if you are the Recipient of a transfer of Internet number resources, and you have an ARIN RPKI certificate issued by ARIN, you will need to submit an Ask ARIN ticket and let us know you’d like the newly transferred Internet number resources to be certified.

Transferring IP Addresses & ASNs

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