Guide Leasing •

IP Address Leasing: Complete Guide

Comprehensive guide to IP address leasing covering IPv4 and IPv6 leasing processes, costs, benefits, and best practices for organizations seeking flexible IP resource management.

IP Address Leasing: Complete Guide

IP address leasing has emerged as a critical solution for organizations facing IPv4 exhaustion and needing flexible IP resource management. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about leasing both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, from understanding the fundamentals to navigating contracts and optimizing costs.

What is IP Address Leasing?

IP address leasing is an arrangement where one organization (the lessor) grants another organization (the lessee) the right to use IP addresses for a specified period in exchange for recurring payments. Unlike purchasing IP addresses outright, leasing provides temporary access to IP resources without requiring ownership transfer.

The leasing model operates similarly to real estate rentals:

  • The lessor retains ownership of the IP addresses
  • The lessee gains usage rights for a defined term
  • Monthly or annual payments cover the lease period
  • Addresses must be returned when the lease expires

Why IP Leasing Exists

IP address leasing emerged in response to several market dynamics:

IPv4 Exhaustion: With IANA exhausting its IPv4 pool on January 31, 2011, and all five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) subsequently depleting their reserves by 2019, new IPv4 allocations became virtually impossible. Organizations now depend on the secondary market for IPv4 addresses.

High Purchase Costs: IPv4 addresses reached prices of $35-$55 per IP in 2025, making outright purchases prohibitively expensive for many organizations, particularly startups and small businesses.

Flexible Demand: Many organizations need IP addresses for specific projects, seasonal operations, or temporary infrastructure expansions, making short-term leasing more economical than permanent acquisition.

IPv6 Transition Period: While IPv6 offers virtually unlimited addresses, the slow adoption rate means organizations still require IPv4 addresses for compatibility, creating sustained demand for IPv4 leasing.

Types of IP Address Leasing

IPv4 Leasing

IPv4 leasing dominates the IP leasing market due to address scarcity. Organizations lease IPv4 blocks ranging from small allocations (/24 with 256 addresses) to large blocks (/16 with 65,536 addresses).

Common IPv4 lease scenarios:

  • Web hosting companies serving customers requiring dedicated IPs
  • Data centers expanding capacity for new clients
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) establishing regional points of presence
  • ISPs providing temporary capacity during peak demand
  • Organizations testing new services before committing to purchases

IPv6 Leasing

Despite IPv6's abundant address space, leasing remains relevant in specific scenarios:

IPv6 leasing use cases:

  • ISPs offering IPv6 services without RIR membership
  • Organizations testing IPv6 deployment before requesting allocations
  • Temporary projects requiring IPv6 connectivity
  • Multi-homed networks needing provider-independent addressing

IPv6 leasing typically costs significantly less than IPv4 due to availability, but serves a smaller market segment.

The IP Leasing Process

Step 1: Assess Your Requirements

Before entering the leasing market, determine your specific needs:

Address Quantity: Calculate how many IP addresses you require based on:

  • Current infrastructure needs
  • Projected growth over the lease term
  • Redundancy and failover requirements
  • Development and testing environments

Block Size: Choose appropriate CIDR block sizes:

  • /24 (256 addresses) - Small deployments, hosting providers
  • /23 (512 addresses) - Growing organizations
  • /22 (1,024 addresses) - Medium enterprises
  • /21 (2,048 addresses) - Large deployments
  • /20 (4,096 addresses) - Major infrastructure
  • /19+ (8,192+ addresses) - ISPs, large data centers

Geographic Requirements: Consider where your addresses need to be announced:

  • Regional Internet Registry (RIR) coverage area
  • Specific countries or continents
  • Proximity to your network infrastructure

Lease Duration: Estimate your usage timeframe:

  • Short-term (1-6 months) - Project-based needs
  • Medium-term (6-24 months) - Testing and evaluation
  • Long-term (24+ months) - Ongoing operations

Step 2: Find a Reputable Lessor

The IP leasing market includes various types of lessors:

LIR (Local Internet Registry) Members: Organizations holding direct allocations from RIRs:

  • May offer more competitive pricing
  • Direct control over address reputation
  • Ability to handle routing and registration

Data Centers and Hosting Providers: Infrastructure companies leasing excess capacity:

  • Often bundle IP addresses with other services
  • Geographic diversity of address blocks
  • Integrated network services

Via-Registry Services: We provide comprehensive IP leasing services including:

  • Vetted, clean IP address blocks
  • Flexible lease terms tailored to your needs
  • Full technical support and routing assistance
  • Compliance with all RIR policies

Evaluation criteria for lessors:

  • Reputation and track record in the market
  • Address block reputation (not blacklisted)
  • Transparent pricing and contract terms
  • Technical support availability
  • RIR policy compliance
  • Financial stability

Step 3: Verify Address Quality

Before finalizing any lease agreement, thoroughly verify the IP addresses:

Reputation Checks:

  • Blacklist Status: Check major DNS blacklists (DNSBL) including Spamhaus, Barracuda, and SORBS
  • Historical Usage: Research previous use to identify potential reputation issues
  • Clean Record Verification: Ensure addresses haven't been used for spam, malware, or other malicious activities

Technical Validation:

  • Routing Status: Verify addresses are properly announced in BGP
  • RIR Registration: Confirm proper registration in RIR databases (WHOIS)
  • Geolocation Data: Check that geolocation databases correctly identify address locations
  • Reverse DNS: Verify proper reverse DNS configuration capability

Tools for verification:

# Check blacklist status
host -t A ip-address.bl.spamcop.net
host -t A ip-address.zen.spamhaus.org

# Verify BGP routing
whois -h whois.radb.net <IP-ADDRESS>

# Check RIR registration
whois <IP-ADDRESS>

Step 4: Negotiate Lease Terms

Key elements to negotiate in your IP lease agreement:

Pricing Structure:

  • Per-IP monthly or annual rates
  • Volume discounts for larger blocks
  • Payment schedules and methods
  • Price adjustment clauses
  • Early termination fees

Lease Duration:

  • Initial term length
  • Renewal options and procedures
  • Automatic renewal clauses
  • Notice periods for termination

Technical Terms:

  • Routing announcement responsibilities
  • BGP configuration support
  • DNS and reverse DNS management
  • IP reputation maintenance
  • Technical support availability

Legal Provisions:

  • Usage restrictions and acceptable use policies
  • Liability limitations
  • Dispute resolution mechanisms
  • Compliance with RIR policies
  • Insurance requirements

Step 5: Complete RIR Registration

Proper registration with the relevant RIR is crucial:

RIPE NCC Region (Europe, Middle East, Central Asia):

  • Lessor updates RIPE database with lessee information
  • Assignment marked as "transferred" or with reference to lease
  • Lessee contact information added
  • Reverse DNS delegation configured

ARIN Region (North America):

  • ARIN policies are silent on leasing but permit it
  • Registration updates may be required
  • Proper justification documentation maintained
  • Compliance with ARIN's transfer policies

APNIC Region (Asia-Pacific):

  • APNIC has stricter policies regarding leasing
  • Addresses must relate to network connectivity services
  • Leasing may require special arrangements
  • Verify compliance with APNIC policies before leasing

LACNIC and AFRINIC Regions:

  • Specific policies vary by registry
  • Consult with lessor regarding registration procedures
  • Ensure compliance with local policies

Step 6: Configure Routing and Networking

Once registration is complete, configure your network to use the leased addresses:

BGP Configuration:

  • Obtain necessary ASN (Autonomous System Number)
  • Configure BGP sessions with upstream providers
  • Announce leased IP blocks with proper origin AS
  • Implement appropriate route filtering

DNS Configuration:

  • Set up forward DNS records for your services
  • Configure reverse DNS (PTR records)
  • Coordinate with lessor for DNS delegation
  • Implement DNSSEC if required

Network Integration:

  • Assign addresses to servers and infrastructure
  • Update firewall and security rules
  • Configure load balancers and proxies
  • Test connectivity and routing

Monitoring:

  • Implement BGP monitoring for route propagation
  • Set up blacklist monitoring services
  • Monitor address reputation continuously
  • Track IP utilization and efficiency

Cost Analysis: Leasing vs. Purchasing

Understanding the financial implications of leasing versus purchasing is essential for informed decision-making.

Current Market Prices (2025)

IPv4 Purchase Prices:

  • Average: $35-$55 per IP address
  • Regional variations:
    • ARIN (North America): $45-$50 per IP
    • RIPE NCC (Europe): $40-$45 per IP
    • APNIC (Asia-Pacific): $50-$55 per IP
  • Block size impacts pricing (larger blocks may have volume discounts)

IPv4 Lease Prices:

  • Average: $0.25-$0.55 per IP per month
  • Typical range: $0.40-$0.47 per IP per month
  • Regional variations:
    • APNIC region: Often premium pricing above $0.60 per IP per month
    • RIPE/ARIN regions: $0.38-$0.45 per IP per month
  • Block-specific pricing examples:
    • /24 (256 IPs): $150-$350 per month
    • /22 (1,024 IPs): $450-$500 per month
    • /20 (4,096 IPs): $1,600-$2,300 per month

Break-Even Analysis

To determine whether leasing or purchasing makes financial sense, calculate the break-even point:

Formula:

Break-even period (months) = Purchase Price per IP ÷ Monthly Lease Cost per IP

Example Calculation:

  • Purchase price: $45 per IP
  • Monthly lease cost: $0.45 per IP
  • Break-even: $45 ÷ $0.45 = 100 months (8.3 years)

General Break-Even Guidelines:

  • If you need addresses for less than 3-4 years: Leasing is typically more cost-effective
  • If you need addresses for 4-8 years: Marginal difference, consider other factors
  • If you need addresses for more than 8 years: Purchasing is usually more economical

Hidden Costs Consideration

Purchasing Additional Costs:

  • Inter-RIR transfer fees ($500-$3,000 per transaction)
  • RIR membership fees (if required)
  • Legal and documentation costs
  • Ongoing RIR annual fees
  • Capital tied up in IP assets
  • Potential depreciation of IP address values

Leasing Additional Costs:

  • Setup fees (some lessors charge initial fees)
  • Early termination penalties
  • Price adjustment clauses
  • Technical support fees
  • Address replacement costs if reputation degrades

Cash Flow Considerations

Leasing offers significant cash flow advantages:

Lower Upfront Investment:

  • A /22 block (1,024 IPs) purchased at $45/IP costs $46,080 upfront
  • The same block leased at $0.45/IP/month costs $460.80 monthly
  • Initial capital requirement is 100x lower with leasing

Operational Expense vs. Capital Expense:

  • Leasing payments are operational expenses, often easier to budget
  • Purchases require capital expenditure approval, often more difficult
  • Leasing preserves capital for core business investments

Scalability:

  • Easy to scale up or down based on actual needs
  • No sunk costs if requirements decrease
  • Can test market demand before committing to purchases

Legal Considerations in IP Leasing

Essential Contract Components

Every IP lease agreement should clearly define:

Parties and Addresses:

  • Complete legal names and addresses of lessor and lessee
  • Specific IP address blocks covered by the agreement
  • CIDR notation and exact address ranges

Lease Term and Renewal:

  • Start and end dates of the lease period
  • Automatic renewal clauses and opt-out procedures
  • Notice periods required for termination or non-renewal
  • Conditions under which either party may terminate early

Payment Terms:

  • Per-IP pricing or total lease cost
  • Payment schedule (monthly, quarterly, annually)
  • Accepted payment methods
  • Late payment penalties and grace periods
  • Price adjustment mechanisms (fixed, inflation-indexed, market-based)

Usage Rights and Restrictions:

  • Permitted uses of the IP addresses
  • Prohibited activities (spam, malware distribution, illegal content)
  • Geographic usage limitations
  • Sublease prohibitions or permissions
  • Transfer restrictions

Responsibilities and Obligations:

  • Lessor's obligations:
    • Maintain proper RIR registration
    • Ensure addresses remain unblocked
    • Provide routing support
    • Handle RIR communications
  • Lessee's obligations:
    • Use addresses responsibly
    • Maintain good reputation
    • Pay fees promptly
    • Comply with RIR policies
    • Return addresses upon termination

RIR Policy Compliance

Different RIRs have varying policies regarding IP leasing:

RIPE NCC (Europe, Middle East, Central Asia):

  • Most permissive regarding leasing arrangements
  • No explicit prohibition on leasing
  • No needs assessment for transfers
  • 24-month hold period after receiving transferred addresses
  • Allows both permanent and temporary transfers within region

ARIN (North America):

  • Policies silent on leasing but permits it
  • Lessors can lease out allocated addresses
  • Leased addresses don't qualify as "efficient utilization" for transfer justification
  • 12-month restriction after receiving transfers
  • Requires operational use of transferred addresses

APNIC (Asia-Pacific):

  • Strictest policies regarding leasing
  • Addresses must be assigned "in relation to network connectivity services"
  • May revoke addresses from organizations leasing them out
  • If LIR ceases providing connectivity services, addresses must be returned
  • Leasing requires careful structuring to comply

LACNIC (Latin America and Caribbean):

  • Generally permits leasing arrangements
  • Requires proper registration updates
  • Compliance with local policies mandatory

AFRINIC (Africa):

  • Emerging policies regarding leasing
  • Verification of compliance recommended before leasing

Liability and Risk Management

Address key risks in your lease agreement:

Blacklisting and Reputation:

  • Define who bears responsibility if addresses become blacklisted
  • Specify remediation procedures (replacement addresses, delisting efforts)
  • Address reputation monitoring responsibilities
  • Include provisions for reputation-based early termination

RIR Policy Changes:

  • Include clauses addressing potential policy changes
  • Define how parties will adapt to new regulations
  • Specify renegotiation triggers for material policy changes

Service Interruptions:

  • Define acceptable downtime or routing issues
  • Specify service level agreements (SLAs) if applicable
  • Include remedies for breaches (fee reductions, termination rights)

Indemnification:

  • Protect lessor from lessee's misuse of addresses
  • Protect lessee from pre-existing reputation issues
  • Define limits of liability for both parties

Dispute Resolution:

  • Specify governing law and jurisdiction
  • Include arbitration or mediation clauses
  • Define escalation procedures for disputes

Insurance Considerations

Some organizations require insurance provisions in IP lease agreements:

Professional Liability Insurance:

  • Coverage for errors or omissions in service provision
  • Minimum coverage amounts
  • Proof of insurance requirements

Cyber Liability Insurance:

  • Coverage for data breaches or cyber incidents
  • Protection against reputation damage
  • Defense cost coverage

Best Practices for IP Address Leasing

For Lessees (Organizations Leasing IP Addresses)

1. Conduct Thorough Due Diligence:

  • Verify lessor's reputation and track record
  • Check address history and reputation extensively
  • Review sample contracts before committing
  • Verify proper RIR registration of addresses

2. Start Small and Scale:

  • Begin with minimum required addresses
  • Monitor actual utilization before expanding
  • Take advantage of leasing flexibility to right-size
  • Build relationship with lessor before large commitments

3. Implement Robust Monitoring:

  • Continuously monitor blacklist status
  • Track BGP routing and announcements
  • Monitor address utilization and efficiency
  • Set up alerts for reputation issues

4. Maintain Excellent Reputation:

  • Implement strict abuse prevention measures
  • Respond rapidly to any abuse reports
  • Maintain clean network operations
  • Document security practices

5. Plan for Transition:

  • Don't become overly dependent on leased addresses
  • Maintain documentation for potential migration
  • Consider gradual transition to owned addresses if long-term need
  • Keep alternative solutions in mind

6. Negotiate Favorable Terms:

  • Seek flexible termination clauses
  • Negotiate volume discounts for larger blocks
  • Include price caps or adjustment limits
  • Ensure address replacement provisions

For Lessors (Organizations Providing IP Leases)

1. Maintain Clean Address Inventory:

  • Regularly check address reputation across all blocks
  • Remove addresses from service if blacklisted
  • Implement systematic reputation monitoring
  • Document address history and previous use

2. Implement Strong Vetting Procedures:

  • Verify lessee identity and business legitimacy
  • Assess lessee's technical capabilities
  • Review intended use of addresses
  • Check references from previous service providers

3. Use Standardized Agreements:

  • Develop comprehensive standard lease agreements
  • Include all necessary RIR compliance provisions
  • Have agreements reviewed by legal counsel
  • Update agreements as RIR policies evolve

4. Provide Technical Support:

  • Offer assistance with BGP configuration
  • Help with RIR registration procedures
  • Provide routing support and troubleshooting
  • Maintain responsive support channels

5. Ensure RIR Compliance:

  • Keep detailed records of all lease arrangements
  • Update RIR databases appropriately
  • Maintain proper documentation for audits
  • Stay current with RIR policy changes

6. Implement Usage Monitoring:

  • Monitor leased addresses for abuse
  • Detect policy violations promptly
  • Maintain ability to quickly revoke addresses if necessary
  • Document all monitoring activities

Technical Implementation

BGP Configuration for Leased IP Addresses

Proper BGP configuration is essential for using leased IP addresses:

Prerequisites:

  • Autonomous System Number (ASN) - either your own or provided by lessor
  • BGP-capable router or network equipment
  • Upstream provider(s) willing to accept your announcements
  • Letter of Authorization (LOA) from lessor for route announcements

Basic BGP Configuration Example (Cisco IOS):

! Configure BGP with your ASN
router bgp 65001

! Announce your leased IP block
network 192.0.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0

! Configure BGP neighbor
neighbor 198.51.100.1 remote-as 65000
neighbor 198.51.100.1 description Upstream-Provider

! Apply route filtering
neighbor 198.51.100.1 prefix-list ANNOUNCE out

! Define prefix list for announcements
ip prefix-list ANNOUNCE permit 192.0.2.0/24

Route Filtering Best Practices:

  • Only announce leased blocks you're authorized to announce
  • Implement strict prefix-list filtering
  • Set appropriate BGP communities
  • Configure maximum prefix limits
  • Implement RPKI validation where possible

DNS Configuration

Proper DNS setup ensures services work correctly with leased addresses:

Forward DNS:

; Example forward DNS records
www.example.com.     IN  A     192.0.2.10
mail.example.com.    IN  A     192.0.2.20
ftp.example.com.     IN  A     192.0.2.30

Reverse DNS (PTR Records):

; Example reverse DNS zone (coordinated with lessor)
10.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa.  IN  PTR  www.example.com.
20.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa.  IN  PTR  mail.example.com.
30.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa.  IN  PTR  ftp.example.com.

Reverse DNS Delegation:

  • Coordinate with lessor for reverse DNS zone delegation
  • Ensure proper NS records for reverse zones
  • Test reverse DNS resolution thoroughly
  • Maintain accurate PTR records for all used addresses

Monitoring and Maintenance

Implement comprehensive monitoring for leased IP addresses:

Reputation Monitoring:

  • Use automated blacklist checking services (MXToolbox, MultiRBL)
  • Monitor major DNSBLs hourly
  • Set up alerts for new blacklist listings
  • Maintain logs of reputation checks

Routing Monitoring:

  • Use BGP looking glasses to verify route propagation
  • Monitor route advertisements with RIPE RIS, RouteViews
  • Set up alerts for routing anomalies
  • Track BGP hijacking detection services

Utilization Tracking:

  • Monitor which addresses are actively used
  • Track utilization percentages
  • Plan capacity based on utilization trends
  • Optimize costs by right-sizing lease blocks

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Addresses Appear on Blacklists

Symptoms: Email delivery failures, service blocks, reputation problems

Causes:

  • Previous misuse by prior lessees
  • Spam or abuse from your infrastructure
  • Collateral damage from nearby address blocks
  • Overly aggressive blacklist policies

Solutions:

  • Request immediate address replacement from lessor
  • Follow delisting procedures for each blacklist
  • Implement stronger abuse prevention measures
  • Consider using dedicated addresses for critical services (email, etc.)

Issue 2: Routing Issues and Connectivity Problems

Symptoms: Intermittent connectivity, unreachable services, routing loops

Causes:

  • Improper BGP configuration
  • Missing or incorrect route announcements
  • Prefix filtering by upstream providers
  • Letter of Authorization (LOA) issues

Solutions:

  • Verify BGP configuration with lessor
  • Ensure LOA is distributed to all necessary parties
  • Check route propagation using looking glasses
  • Coordinate with upstream providers on filtering policies
  • Verify RIR registration is current

Issue 3: RIR Registration Problems

Symptoms: WHOIS information incorrect, registration disputes, compliance issues

Causes:

  • Lessor failed to update RIR databases
  • Incorrect information provided
  • RIR policy non-compliance
  • Documentation inadequacies

Solutions:

  • Contact lessor immediately to correct registration
  • Verify all required documentation is filed
  • Ensure compliance with applicable RIR policies
  • Maintain copies of all registration correspondence

Issue 4: Contract Disputes

Symptoms: Pricing disagreements, term interpretation conflicts, service issues

Causes:

  • Ambiguous contract language
  • Misaligned expectations
  • Service level disagreements
  • Price adjustment disputes

Solutions:

  • Review contract provisions carefully
  • Engage in good-faith negotiation
  • Utilize dispute resolution mechanisms in contract
  • Seek legal counsel if necessary
  • Document all communications

Issue 5: Unexpected Lease Termination

Symptoms: Notice of termination, forced return of addresses

Causes:

  • Lessor's business changes
  • RIR policy violations
  • Non-payment or breach of terms
  • Lessor's loss of address ownership

Solutions:

  • Maintain relationships with multiple potential lessors
  • Keep migration plans updated
  • Maintain adequate notice periods in contracts
  • Consider gradually transitioning to owned addresses
  • Purchase critical address blocks if possible

Using Via-Registry for IP Address Leasing

Via-Registry provides comprehensive IP address leasing solutions designed to simplify the process and ensure compliance:

Our Leasing Services

IPv4 Leasing:

  • Clean, reputation-verified IPv4 address blocks
  • Flexible lease terms from monthly to multi-year
  • Competitive pricing with volume discounts
  • Full BGP routing support

IPv6 Leasing:

  • Provider-independent IPv6 allocations
  • Suitable for ISPs and large enterprises
  • Transition support for IPv6 deployment
  • Integration with existing IPv4 infrastructure

Comprehensive Support:

  • Expert assistance with RIR registration
  • BGP configuration and routing support
  • DNS setup and reverse DNS delegation
  • Ongoing reputation monitoring
  • 24/7 technical support

Key Advantages:

  • All address blocks thoroughly vetted for reputation
  • Compliance with all RIR policies guaranteed
  • Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
  • Flexible terms tailored to your specific needs
  • Proven track record serving enterprises and ISPs

Get Started:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lease IP addresses without being an LIR member?

Yes, you can lease IP addresses without Local Internet Registry (LIR) membership. When you lease from an established lessor or LIR member, they handle all RIR relationships and registration requirements. This is one of the primary benefits of leasing versus obtaining direct allocations.

How long does it take to get leased IP addresses?

The timeframe varies by lessor and complexity:

  • Simple leases with clean addresses: 1-3 business days
  • More complex arrangements requiring RIR registration updates: 1-2 weeks
  • Custom blocks with specific requirements: 2-4 weeks

Via-Registry typically provisions standard leases within 2-3 business days.

Can I convert a lease to a purchase later?

Many lessors, including Via-Registry, offer lease-to-own options where lease payments can be credited toward eventual purchase. This provides flexibility to test address blocks before committing to full ownership. Terms vary, so discuss this option when negotiating your initial lease.

What happens if my leased addresses get blacklisted?

Reputable lessors provide address replacement provisions if addresses become blacklisted due to previous use. However, if blacklisting results from your activities, you're typically responsible for delisting efforts. Review your lease agreement's reputation clauses carefully.

Are leased IP addresses less reliable than owned addresses?

When leased from reputable providers with proper contracts, leased IP addresses are equally reliable as owned addresses. The key factors are:

  • Lessor's stability and reputation
  • Contract terms protecting your usage rights
  • Proper RIR registration
  • Clean address reputation

Can I sublease IP addresses I've leased?

Most lease agreements prohibit subleasing without explicit permission. Some lessors may allow subleasing under specific conditions with additional fees. Always check your contract and RIR policies before attempting to sublease addresses.

What are my obligations when returning leased addresses?

When a lease expires, you must:

  • Remove all BGP announcements of the leased blocks
  • Update DNS records to remove references
  • Cease using the addresses in your infrastructure
  • Coordinate with the lessor on RIR database updates
  • Provide confirmation of de-configuration

How do different RIRs view IP leasing?

RIR policies vary significantly:

  • RIPE NCC: Most permissive, allows leasing with proper registration
  • ARIN: Permits leasing though policies are silent on it
  • APNIC: Strictest policies, requires connectivity services relationship
  • LACNIC/AFRINIC: Generally permit with proper procedures

Work with your lessor to ensure compliance with applicable RIR policies.

Can I lease IP addresses internationally?

Yes, IP addresses can be leased internationally, though considerations include:

  • RIR policies in both lessor's and lessee's regions
  • Geolocation database accuracy
  • Routing efficiency and latency
  • Legal jurisdictions and applicable laws

Via-Registry provides international leasing services compliant with all RIR requirements.

Is IP address leasing legal?

Yes, IP address leasing is legal and recognized by most RIRs, with RIPE NCC explicitly supporting it and ARIN permitting it. However, compliance with RIR policies and proper registration is essential. APNIC has more restrictions, so careful structuring is required for Asia-Pacific leases.

Summary

IP address leasing provides a flexible, cost-effective solution for organizations needing temporary or scalable access to IP resources:

Key Takeaways:

  • Leasing is ideal for short-to-medium-term needs (less than 3-4 years)
  • IPv4 leasing costs $0.25-$0.55 per IP per month in 2025
  • Proper due diligence on address reputation is critical
  • RIR policy compliance varies by region and must be verified
  • Comprehensive lease agreements protect both parties
  • Technical implementation requires BGP configuration and DNS setup
  • Ongoing monitoring ensures address reputation and routing stability

When to Choose Leasing:

  • Temporary projects or seasonal demand
  • Testing new services before major investment
  • Startup or small business with limited capital
  • Uncertain long-term IP address requirements
  • Need for flexible scaling up or down

When to Consider Purchasing:

  • Long-term needs exceeding 4-5 years
  • Core infrastructure with stable requirements
  • Strategic IP asset accumulation
  • Sufficient capital available for investment

Next Steps

Ready to lease IP addresses for your organization? Via-Registry makes the process simple and secure:

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