ARIN to RIPE Transfer Requirements (2026)

An ARIN to RIPE transfer moves IPv4 addresses or an ASN (Autonomous System Number) from ARIN's registry to the RIPE NCC's, and both registries must approve it. The RIPE NCC's rule for space arriving from a needs-based registry such as ARIN is a plan to use at least 50% of the block within five years (ripe-807 section 3). ARIN checks the seller: an NRPM 8.4 request with a notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter, a $500 fee, and no IPv4 received from ARIN in the previous 12 months. The RIPE NCC checks the buyer, needs at least one active network element in its service region, and charges nothing for the transfer.

Transfer Overview

The move covers IPv4 addresses and ASNs, legacy ones included, going from ARIN's region to the RIPE NCC service region (Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia). IPv6 cannot move between ARIN and any other RIR. Legacy space can keep its LEGACY status in the RIPE Database.

What each registry checks:

• ARIN, on the seller: no IPv4 transfer or allocation received from ARIN in the previous 12 months, a signed and notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter, a $500 source transfer request fee, and a 36-month ban from the ARIN waitlist after the sale (NRPM 8.4).
• The RIPE NCC, on the buyer: at least one active network element in its service region, a contract in place (membership or a sponsoring LIR) before it evaluates the request unless the space stays LEGACY, and for IPv4 a plan to use 50% of the space within five years.
• Minimum transfer size at ARIN: /24 (256 addresses).
• Neither registry publishes a duration for the move.

For the steps common to every inter-RIR move, see how inter-RIR transfers work. For who qualifies in each region, see inter-RIR transfer eligibility. The reverse direction has its own RIPE to ARIN transfer guide.

Understanding the Key Difference: RIPE's 50% Requirement

The RIPE NCC applies one rule to space arriving from a registry with needs-based policies such as ARIN, and it is more relaxed than the rule ARIN applies to its own recipients.

The 50% Over 5 Years Rule

RIPE NCC's requirement: a plan to use at least 50% of the transferred resources within five years. The rule is section 3 of the RIPE transfer policy, ripe-807; the RIPE NCC applies it through its inter-RIR procedure, ripe-769, and describes the current steps on its inter-RIR transfers page.

Five years instead of 24 months leaves room for a plan that grows in steps, and a plan that is easier to keep.

Use means addresses in service on your network or assigned under the status you hold. Holding space for resale does not count.

Comparison to Other Requirements

ARIN's own recipients get a first /24 without justification. For more, they must show that 50% of the requested space will be used within 24 months (NRPM 8.5, ARIN transfers page). ARIN's rule binds recipients in the ARIN region, so it plays no direct part in an ARIN to RIPE move.

The one link between the two tests: ARIN may ask the RIPE NCC to certify that the buyer passed a needs check compatible with ARIN's policies. Your 50% plan is what the RIPE NCC certifies.

Pre-Transfer Requirements

ARIN Seller (Source) Requirements

• Organization status: the registered holder in ARIN's registry, with an ARIN Online account whose Admin or Tech POC is authorised for the Org ID. If the registered organisation no longer exists, ARIN may require an 8.2 merger or acquisition transfer first.
• 12-month rule: the source organisation must not have received any IPv4 transfer or allocation from ARIN in the 12 months before ARIN approves the request. Space received through an 8.2 merger or acquisition does not count, and the rule does not apply between companies under common ownership or control (NRPM 8.4).
• Resource rules: minimum /24; IPv4 or an ASN, never IPv6; nothing from ARIN's reserved pools (NRPM 4.4 and 4.10); space received from the ARIN waitlist cannot be transferred for 60 months.
• Officer attestation: a signed and notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter from an officer with authority to bind the organisation.
• After the sale: the seller cannot apply to ARIN's IPv4 waitlist for 36 months (NRPM 8.4), and it is expected to take the prefixes out of its ROAs and route objects before the move.

RIPE Buyer (Recipient) Requirements

What the RIPE NCC checks: the network that will use the space has at least one active element (a router or server) in the RIPE NCC service region. There is no requirement that the company itself be registered in the region. Be ready to show where that network runs: a colocation contract, an upstream, a router location.

Contract first: a contract with the RIPE NCC (membership) or with a sponsoring LIR must exist before the RIPE NCC evaluates the transfer; space that stays LEGACY is the one exception.

Status decides the route. The RIPE NCC agrees the status of the incoming IPv4 with you:

• ALLOCATED PA: RIPE NCC members only; you can assign addresses from it to customers.
• ASSIGNED PI: members or non-members through a sponsoring LIR; you cannot assign it on to other organisations.
• LEGACY: stays LEGACY with no contract at all, or converts to another status once you have a contract. Without a contract the RIPE NCC provides no RPKI certification for the block (legacy services).

Fees for the route you pick: direct membership is €1,000 sign-up and €1,800 per year under the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2026 (ripe-848), €1,894 with one ASN included in 2027 (ripe-867, adopted May 2026). A sponsored PI or legacy block costs the sponsoring LIR €75 per year in RIPE NCC fees, on top of the sponsor's own fee.

Needs assessment: the five-year plan of the next section.

The 50% Utilization Plan: What RIPE Needs

The RIPE NCC evaluates the plan below; it is the one document a buyer writes from scratch.

Plan Components

1. Business overview:

• Company description and business model
• Current operations in the RIPE NCC service region
• Services provided or planned
• Customer base and target markets

2. Current infrastructure:

• Existing network deployment
• Current IP address usage (if any)
• Infrastructure locations
• Technical capabilities

3. 5-year growth projection:

• Realistic expansion plans
• Customer acquisition estimates
• Infrastructure deployment timeline
• Geographic expansion within the region

4. IP address utilization schedule:

• Year 1: [X addresses] for [specific use cases]
• Year 2: [X addresses] for [specific use cases]
• Year 3: [X addresses] for [specific use cases]
• Year 4: [X addresses] for [specific use cases]
• Year 5: [X addresses] for [specific use cases]
• Total by Year 5: more than 50% of the transferred block

5. Technical justification:

• Why IPv4 is still required for this service (customer or platform constraints)
• The architecture that consumes the addresses

Example Utilization Plan

Scenario: a hosting company receiving a /22 (1,024 addresses) as ALLOCATED PA, so as a RIPE NCC member, because it assigns addresses to customers.

Result: 62.5% in service by year 5, above the 50% the RIPE NCC asks for. A company that only needs a /24 for its own platform can hold it as ASSIGNED PI under a sponsoring LIR instead.

Supporting Documentation

Business documentation:

• Business plan excerpts
• Customer contracts or letters of intent
• Revenue projections

Technical documentation:

• Network topology diagrams
• Infrastructure deployment schedule
• Current IP use (if any)
• Where the network runs in the RIPE NCC service region (colocation or upstream contract)

Step-by-Step Transfer Process

Phase 1: Preparation and Documentation

Step 1: Check Your Presence in the Region

Check that the network which will use the space has at least one active element in the RIPE NCC service region and that you can document it. Nothing else about location is required.

Step 2: Put a RIPE NCC Contract in Place

Choose the route by the status you need (previous section). Direct membership: apply at ripe.net, sign the Standard Service Agreement, pay the €1,000 sign-up fee and the €1,800 annual fee (ripe-848). Sponsoring LIR: sign an End User Assignment Agreement for ASSIGNED PI or a Legacy Agreement for legacy space with the sponsor; the sponsor then handles the RIPE NCC side of the request. The contract must exist before the RIPE NCC evaluates the transfer.

Step 3: Prepare 50% Utilization Plan

Write the five-year plan described above.

Plan structure:

• Executive summary
• Current state assessment
• 5-year projections
• Utilization timeline
• Supporting evidence

Review and refine:

• Check that the projections are realistic and tied to the business
• Include specific use cases and numbers
• Provide supporting documentation

Step 4: Identify and Secure ARIN Resources

Locate suitable IPv4 addresses registered with ARIN.

Source options:

• Direct from ARIN resource holders
• Via transfer facilitation services
• Broker listings

Due diligence:

• Verify the registration in ARIN Whois (whois.arin.net)
• Confirm the seller is the registered holder
• Check that the seller has received no IPv4 from ARIN in the last 12 months (allocation, transfer or waitlist)
• Check the block's reputation (blocklists, spam databases)
• Confirm there are no disputes or liens

Negotiate agreement:

• Price and payment terms
• Transfer timeline
• Responsibility for fees
• Escrow arrangements
• Conditions for completion

Phase 2: Initiate Transfer with ARIN

Step 5: ARIN Seller Submits Transfer Request

The seller starts an NRPM 8.4 transfer request in ARIN Online, naming the block, the receiving organisation and the RIPE NCC as destination RIR, and uploads the signed and notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter plus any transfer agreement ARIN asks for. ARIN charges the seller a $500 source transfer request fee, non-refundable and the same on the 2027 fee schedule.

Step 6: ARIN Review Process

ARIN evaluates the transfer request.

ARIN verification:

• Confirm the source is the registered holder
• Confirm the 12-month rule on the source
• Validate the officer attestation
• Review documentation completeness

ARIN says the time to conclude an 8.4 transfer "can vary".

Possible outcomes:

• Approved: ARIN approves and contacts the RIPE NCC
• Request for information: provide additional details
• Corrections needed: fix documentation issues
• Denied: address the deficiencies and resubmit

Phase 3: RIPE Processing

Step 7: ARIN Contacts RIPE NCC

Once ARIN approves, it contacts the RIPE NCC, which then contacts the buyer (or its sponsoring LIR) and starts its due diligence.

Step 8: Recipient Submits Documentation to the RIPE NCC

The RIPE NCC contacts the buyer directly or through the sponsoring LIR. What it asks for:

1. For a company, a recent registration document from the relevant national authority. For a natural person, a passport or ID document, verified through iDenfy.
2. The RIPE NCC's own confirmation letter for transfers to the RIPE NCC service region, signed by a director authorised to act for the buyer. Legacy space received without a contract uses a separate version.
3. For IPv4, the status you want: ALLOCATED PA, ASSIGNED PI or LEGACY.
4. Where needed, the End User Assignment Agreement with your sponsoring LIR or a Legacy Agreement.
5. The plan to use at least 50% of the space within five years.

The RIPE NCC checks every signing party and authorised representative against Dutch and EU sanctions lists under its due diligence procedure, ripe-863.

Step 9: RIPE NCC Needs Assessment

The RIPE NCC evaluates the 50% utilization plan.

What the RIPE NCC reviews:

• The 50% utilization plan is realistic and credible
• The business case supports the requested amount
• The documentation is complete and accurate

Assessment process:

• Review of the submitted utilization plan
• Evaluation of the business case
• Check of the contract (membership or sponsoring LIR)
• Requests for additional information or clarification where needed

Possible requests from the RIPE NCC:

• More detailed utilization breakdown
• Details of the network element in the region
• Clarification on the business model
• Updated company documents
• Infrastructure evidence

Step 10: RIPE NCC Approval

Once satisfied, the RIPE NCC approves the transfer.

RIPE NCC confirmation:

• Approves the recipient to receive the resources
• Confirms to ARIN that it is ready to complete the transfer
• Agrees the completion date with ARIN

Phase 4: Transfer Execution

Step 11: Coordinate Transfer Timing

Once both registries approve, they agree a date and update their records together.

Step 12: RIRs Execute Transfer

Both registries complete the transfer.

ARIN actions:

• Removes the record from ARIN Whois and leaves a placeholder pointing to the RIPE NCC
• Applies the 36-month waitlist restriction to the seller

RIPE NCC actions:

• Creates the inetnum (and the aut-num for an ASN) with the agreed status
• Notifies the buyer or its sponsoring LIR
• Issues an RPKI resource certificate within minutes if the space is certifiable

Route and domain objects are yours to create.

Step 13: Verify Transfer Completion

Confirm the transfer is complete in both systems.

Registry check:

# Check the RIPE Database
whois -h whois.ripe.net [IP-RANGE]

# Verify removed from ARIN
whois -h whois.arin.net [IP-RANGE]

Confirmation checklist:

• The inetnum or aut-num shows your organisation and the agreed status in the RIPE Database
• ARIN Whois shows the placeholder
• The resources appear in your LIR Portal or your sponsoring LIR's, and in the RPKI Dashboard

Phase 5: Post-Transfer Actions

Step 14: Update Routing Information

Before transfer:

• Tell your upstreams the date
• Prepare the BGP and ROA changes

After transfer:

• The seller removes the prefixes from its ARIN ROAs and route objects; you create RPKI ROAs in the RIPE Database and route objects for the new origin
• Until your ROAs exist the prefixes show as RPKI Unknown, not Invalid
• Reverse DNS delegation can take up to 24 hours to appear
• Check the result with the RPKI checker and keep a rollback plan for the announcement

Step 15: Complete Payment and Administration

Finalize financial and administrative items.

Escrow release (if used):

• Confirm transfer completion
• Buyer authorizes escrow release
• Funds transferred to seller

RIPE NCC ongoing obligations:

• Keep the membership or the sponsoring relationship
• Keep the RIPE Database data current
• Pay the annual fees
• Follow the utilization plan

Step 16: Maintain Compliance

Deploy along the plan you filed and keep records of assignments and usage. The RIPE NCC can ask how the space is used.

Timeline and Milestones

Neither registry publishes a duration for inter-RIR transfers. ARIN says the time to conclude an 8.4 transfer "can vary" and commits only to executing the move within two business days once it holds the signed RSA and the fees. The RIPE NCC says transfers between RIRs take longer than its one or two business days for transfers inside its own region. Two things set the pace: how fast the seller produces the notarized letter, and whether the buyer's contract and 50% plan are ready when the RIPE NCC calls. The stage-by-stage view is in our inter-RIR transfer timeline.

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Insufficient 50% Utilization Justification

Problem: the RIPE NCC questions whether 50% usage by Year 5 is realistic.

Solutions:

• Provide a more detailed breakdown by year
• Add customer estimates or letters of intent
• Show existing use on your network
• Scale back the requested amount if needed

Issue 2: Regional Presence Verification Challenges

Problem: the RIPE NCC cannot see a network element in its service region.

Solution: show the colocation or upstream contract and the router or server location; offices, bank accounts and staff are not what it asks for.

Issue 3: Seller Received ARIN Space in the Last 12 Months

Problem: the seller received IPv4 from ARIN (allocation, transfer or waitlist) in the last 12 months.

Solutions: check the date in ARIN Online, wait it out, or use a different seller; the rule does not apply between companies under common control.

Issue 4: Documentation Issues

Problem: the RIPE NCC rejects submitted documentation.

Solutions:

• Check that the exact legal name matches across all documents
• Get the proper authorization level (director or officer)
• Use official company letterhead
• Check that signatures are original
• Provide certified translations if needed
• Double-check all details for accuracy

Issue 5: No Contract in Place When the RIPE NCC Calls

Problem: the RIPE NCC will not evaluate the request until the buyer has a contract.

Solutions: decide the status early (PA needs membership, PI or legacy can sit under a sponsoring LIR) and sign before ARIN approves.

More refusal patterns and their fixes: common inter-RIR transfer rejections.

Cost Analysis

The registries are the small line; the addresses are the big one.

Brokers, escrow agents and lawyers charge on their own terms; get quotes before you sign. ARIN fees are not prorated and not refunded, so the seller's annual fee for the year of the sale stays due.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

ARIN posted guidance for 8.3 and 8.4 sources and recipients on 13 November 2025 (ARIN blog): the seller takes the prefixes out of its ROAs and reviews its route objects before the move, confirms the buyer's nameservers are ready, and the buyer creates its own ROAs, IRR objects and reverse DNS afterwards. The RIPE NCC replaced its due diligence procedure with ripe-863 on 20 July 2026. ARIN's 2027 fee schedule raises Registration Services Plan fees by 5% and leaves the $500 transfer fee unchanged. The RIPE NCC's 2027 scheme (ripe-867, adopted May 2026) sets membership at €1,894 with one ASN included.

Via-Registry ARIN to RIPE Transfer Services

We handle ARIN to RIPE transfers on quote. That covers checking eligibility on both sides, the RIPE NCC documents and the 50% plan, and following the request through both registries until the RIPE Database shows your block. Ask for a transfer quote. If you receive the block as ASSIGNED PI, we can act as its sponsoring LIR afterwards: IPv4 PI sponsorship costs €135 per year per block (as of September 2026; €75 of it is the RIPE NCC fee at cost), setup on quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move an ASN from ARIN to the RIPE NCC?

Yes. The RIPE NCC accepts IPv4 and ASNs from ARIN, legacy ones included, and ARIN lists the RIPE NCC as accepting both. The ASN needs a contract on the RIPE side, membership or a sponsoring LIR, like any sponsored ASN.

Can IPv6 move from ARIN to the RIPE NCC?

No. ARIN's inter-RIR transfers exclude IPv6. Get IPv6 in the RIPE region instead: a RIPE NCC member gets an allocation, a non-member can hold an IPv6 PI /48 through a sponsoring LIR.

Does the RIPE NCC charge for a transfer from ARIN?

No, all RIPE NCC transfers are free of charge. ARIN charges the seller $500. The buyer pays the RIPE NCC only for the route it picks: membership at €1,800 per year in 2026, or €75 per year through a sponsoring LIR for a PI or legacy block.

Do I need to become a RIPE NCC member to receive ARIN space?

Only if you need ALLOCATED PA, the status that lets you assign addresses to customers. ASSIGNED PI and legacy space can be held through a sponsoring LIR, and legacy space can even stay without a contract, at the price of no RPKI certification.

Does the seller need 12 months of holding the block?

No, the rule is on the seller as an organisation: it must not have received any IPv4 transfer or allocation from ARIN in the 12 months before approval. A 20-year-old block owned by a company that took a /24 from the waitlist last spring is blocked; a block acquired through an 8.2 merger last month is not.

Summary

ARIN checks the seller, the RIPE NCC checks the buyer, and each registry applies its own rules until both update their records on the same day. Decide the status first: ALLOCATED PA needs membership, ASSIGNED PI can sit under a sponsoring LIR but cannot be assigned to customers, legacy can stay legacy. With the contract signed, the confirmation letter and the 50% plan ready before ARIN approves, the RIPE NCC side has what it asks for.