RIR Policies Comparison Guide (2026): RIPE, ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC & AFRINIC

RIPE vs ARIN in short: the RIPE NCC (Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia) charges a flat €1,800 per LIR account in 2026, rising to €1,894 in 2027 with the first ASN included (ripe-867), whatever the size of your holdings. ARIN (North America) prices by resource tier from $275 per year in 2026 ($288.75 in 2027). APNIC, LACNIC and AFRINIC also scale their fees with holdings.

Where your network is legally established decides which registry you can join. Fee model, IPv4 availability and transfer rules then decide what it costs and what you can move. Figures are taken from each registry's schedule in force in September 2026; AFRINIC's schedule dates from 2008.

Overview of Regional Internet Registries

The Internet's number resources are managed by five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs), each responsible for a specific geographic region:

• RIPE NCC - Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia
• ARIN - North America (United States, Canada, parts of the Caribbean)
• APNIC - Asia-Pacific region
• LACNIC - Latin America and the Caribbean
• AFRINIC - Africa

The five RIRs coordinate through the Number Resource Organization (NRO), and each sets its own policies through its own community. Fees, IPv4 rules and transfer rules differ, as the rest of this page shows.

Membership Requirements and Structure

RIPE NCC

RIPE NCC operates on a Local Internet Registry (LIR) membership model. Organizations become LIR members to receive allocations directly from RIPE NCC.

Key Requirements:

• Any legal entity or natural person can join (become a member); only the IPv4 waiting list requires an active network element in the RIPE NCC service region
• Signed Standard Service Agreement
• Sign-up fee of €1,000 and annual membership fee of €1,800 per LIR account in 2026 (ripe-848); €1,894 in 2027 with the first ASN included (ripe-867)
• No prior technical requirements for membership approval

Organizations that do not want membership hold ASNs and Provider Independent (PI) assignments through a sponsoring LIR, which signs the contract with the RIPE NCC (ripe-637). The RIPE NCC had 19,977 members and 20,687 LIR accounts in August 2026 (member update).

Reference: RIPE NCC Billing Procedure 2026 and the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2026 (ripe-848)

ARIN

ARIN uses a Registration Services Plan (RSP) model rather than traditional membership. Organizations sign a Registration Services Agreement (RSA) to receive resources.

Key Requirements:

• An active business entity legally formed within the ARIN service region (request guide)
• Signed Registration Services Agreement
• Org ID creation $50; the first Registration Services Plan fee is due when resources are first issued
• Demonstration of need for IPv4 resources (justification-based model)

Reference: ARIN Fee Schedule: updated 1 January 2026 following a Board-approved 5% RSP increase (announcement). The 2027 schedule adds another 5%, approved 19 April 2026 (2027 fee schedule, announcement).

APNIC

APNIC operates a membership system with both direct members and National Internet Registries (NIRs) that serve as intermediaries in some countries.

Key Requirements:

• Legal entity in the APNIC service region
• Sign-up fee of AUD 500
• Annual membership fees based on resource holdings (2026 Base Fee: AUD 1,295, Bit Factor: 1.320)
• Demonstration of technical need for resources
• Technical staff capable of managing allocated resources

Organizations can join APNIC directly or work through a National Internet Registry (NIR) where one exists.

Reference: APNIC Membership and the APNIC Member Fee Schedule

LACNIC

LACNIC offers membership to ISPs and assignments to end users, with different fee structures for each category.

Key Requirements:

• Legal entity operating in the LACNIC service region
• Initial fee plus an annual fee, both indexed on inflation (end user IPv4 annual fee US$600 in 2024, US$614 in 2025, US$633 in 2026)
• Justification for resource needs
• Technical infrastructure to utilize allocated resources

Reference: LACNIC Membership Fees and Categories

AFRINIC

AFRINIC uses a membership model similar to RIPE NCC, with resource members and associate members.

Key Requirements:

• Legal entity operating in Africa
• Initial allocation/assignment fee
• Annual membership fees based on resource category
• Demonstrated need for resources, planned over 8 months under the soft-landing policy (Consolidated Policy Manual 5.4.5)
• Technical capability to manage resources

AFRINIC gives a 50% discount to academic and research institutions and a 100% discount for critical infrastructure (fee schedule).

Reference: AFRINIC Membership and the AFRINIC fees schedule

Fee Structures Comparison

Each RIR uses a different fee model. Figures below are the schedules in force in September 2026, with the 2027 figures where a registry has published them.

RIPE NCC - Flat Fee Model

2026 Fee Structure:

• Sign-up fee: €1,000 (one-time, per LIR account)
• Annual membership fee: €1,800 per LIR account
• Independent resource fee: €75 per PI, anycast or IXP assignment per year, and per legacy IPv4 block held through a sponsoring LIR
• ASN fee: €50 per ASN assignment
• 2027 (ripe-867): €1,894 per LIR account with the first ASN included, €50 per additional ASN, €75 per independent assignment

The fee is the same for a /24 and a /16, so the flat model favors large holders.

Members kept the flat model for 2027 when they adopted ripe-867 at the May 2026 General Meeting. The rejected alternative would have billed 21 categories by PA holdings; the flat model won 1,547 votes to 1,479 (51.12% to 48.88%). See RIPE LIR Membership Costs and Benefits for the full membership budget.

Reference: RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2026 (ripe-848)

ARIN - Size-Based Fee Model

2026 Fee Structure:

• Org ID creation $50; no separate sign-up fee
• Annual Registration Services Plan (RSP) fees by resource size: $275 (3X-Small, up to a /24, a /40 and 1 to 3 ASNs) to $282,240 (5X-Large) in 2026, 5% higher in 2027 ($288.75 for 3X-Small)
• Transfer fees: $500 per transfer request plus a recipient fee from $187.50 (/24)
• Legacy cap: $250 in 2026 for legacy holders whose LRSA was signed before 1 January 2024, rising $25 a year
• IPv6 fee waiver for 3X-Small organizations holding up to /36 of IPv6 space (expires 31 December 2026)

Fees can rise at most 5% a year under the RSP, and the 2027 increase is the full 5%.

Reference: ARIN Fee Schedule

APNIC - Size-Based Fee Model

2026 Fee Structure:

• Sign-up fee: AUD 500 (one-time)
• Base Fee: AUD 1,295; Bit Factor: 1.320 (effective 1 January 2026)
• 2027: Base Fee AUD 1,356, Bit Factor 1.325; the Base Fee rises 4.75% every 1 January
• Annual fee = Base Fee x Bit Factor ^ (log2(addresses) minus offset), offset 8 for IPv4 and 22 for IPv6; APNIC computes both and bills the larger; the first IPv6 /48 PI assignment is excluded
• ASN fees: First 2 ASNs free per Member; AUD 100 annually for each additional ASN; AUD 500 allocation fee for new ASNs beyond the first 2
• From 7 February 2026, temporary assignments attract 25% of the Annual Fee for three months
• 50% discount for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

A new member with a /24 and a /48 pays AUD 1,295 in 2026 plus the AUD 500 sign-up; with a /24 and a /32, AUD 2,256 (how much does it cost).

Reference: APNIC Member Fee Schedule and the Member fees calculator

LACNIC - Size-Based Fee Model

2026 Fee Structure:

• ISP IPv4 annual fees 2026: Nano (smaller than /22) US$633, Micro (smaller than /20) US$1,055, Small (smaller than /18) US$2,215, Medium (smaller than /16) US$6,012 (ISP fees)
• End user IPv4 /24 to /19: US$2,637 initial and US$633 per year in 2026 (end user fees)
• Adhering member without resources: US$600 initial and US$600 per year
• ASN: US$1,000 once, no annual ASN fee (ASN fees)
• Fees are indexed on inflation each year (end user annual fee US$600, 614, 633 from 2024 to 2026)

LACNIC's policy manual does not allow sub-assigning IPv4 to third parties outside the holder's own infrastructure. Proposal LAC-2025-5 creates a recorded and auditable exception. The LACNIC board ratified it on 24 March 2026, and it had not yet been written into the manual (v2.21) in September 2026.

Reference: LACNIC Membership Fees and Categories

AFRINIC - Size-Based Fee Model

Fee structure (2008 schedule, still in force):

• LIR annual membership by category: Micro (/24) US$1,000, Mini (/23) US$1,200, Extra Small (/22) US$1,400; allocation fee US$1,000 for a /24, US$1,350 for a /23, US$1,750 for a /22
• ASN-only assignment: US$400 initial + US$50 annually (the first invoice, US$550, covers the assignment and three years)
• Half-yearly or quarterly billing available, with a US$75 service charge per invoice

Special Discounts:

• IPv6-only Resource Members: 50% allocation-fee discount, 100% first-year membership-fee waiver, then 75%, 50%, 25% discounts for years 2 to 4. No additional allocation fee for further IPv6 requests by IPv6-only holders.
• Academic/Research institutions: 50% discount on all fees
• Critical infrastructure: 100% discount
• Early settlement: 5% off the annual membership fee when paid before the invoice date

The IPv6-only discounts are the largest of the five registries: half the allocation fee, the first year of membership free, then 75%, 50% and 25% off.

Reference: AFRINIC Membership Fees

Fee Model Comparison Table

At the top of ARIN's scale a 5X-Large organization pays $282,240 in 2026; a RIPE NCC member of any size pays €1,800.

IPv4 Allocation Policies

ARIN, the RIPE NCC and LACNIC have no free pool left and run waiting lists. APNIC rations a /23 per member from 103/8. AFRINIC still hands out /24 to /22 under Phase 2 of its soft-landing policy. Why this matters for pricing: IPv4 Exhaustion: Why Leasing Matters.

RIPE NCC

Current IPv4 Policy:

• IPv4 pool exhausted since 25 November 2019
• One /24 per LIR, ever: an LIR that already received any IPv4 allocation from the RIPE NCC cannot join the queue (ripe-826)
• 791 LIRs in the queue on 25 September 2026, the first one waiting 485 days (waiting list); the request itself is processed in around one working day
• The network must have an active element in the RIPE NCC service region
• IPv4 and 16-bit ASNs cannot be transferred for 24 months after receipt (ripe-807 2.2.1)

Reference: RIPE NCC IPv4 Waiting List

ARIN

Current IPv4 Policy:

• IPv4 pool exhausted on 24 September 2015
• Waitlist only: 514 approved requests on 25 September 2026, the oldest from 5 June 2025; next distribution on or about 1 October 2026 (waiting list)
• A request is capped at a /22 and organizations holding more than a /20 cannot apply; waitlist space cannot be transferred for 60 months (NRPM 4.1.8)
• Minimum allocation: /24; recipients justify need over 24 months

Reference: ARIN Number Resource Policy Manual (NRPM)

APNIC

Current IPv4 Policy:

• Reached its final /8 on 15 April 2011, the first RIR to do so
• Any member can receive at most a /23 (512 addresses) from 103/8, since 28 February 2019; the IPv4 waiting list was abolished on 2 July 2019 (APNIC IPv4 exhaustion)
• 103/8 space cannot be transferred for 5 years after delegation
• Additional space only through transfers

Reference: APNIC Policy Manuals

LACNIC

Current IPv4 Policy:

• Exhaustion announced on 10 June 2014, final phase from February 2017, last block assigned on 19 August 2020
• New IPv4 only from the waitlist: requests up to a /22, LACNIC membership and an IPv6 assignment required; LACNIC estimates at least 18 years of waiting for the last request on the list (waitlist)
• Sub-assignment to third parties is not allowed under the current manual; LAC-2025-5 (ratified 24 March 2026) will add a recorded exception once implemented

Reference: LACNIC Policies of Resource Administration

AFRINIC

Current IPv4 Policy:

• Soft-landing Phase 2 since 13 January 2020: /24 minimum and /22 maximum per request, 90% use of all previous space required (IPv4 exhaustion)
• Allocations planned over 8 months of need (CPM 5.4.5)
• 610,304 IPv4 addresses still available in the delegated file of 24 September 2026 (delegated-afrinic-extended)

Reference: AFRINIC Consolidated Policy Manual

IPv6 Allocation Policies

Google's measurements passed 50% on some days from March 2026; the weekly average was about 47% in September 2026 (Google IPv6 statistics). Every RIR still allocates IPv6 generously; what differs is the PI price.

RIPE NCC IPv6

• Initial allocation: /32, up to /29 without further justification (ripe-738 5.1.2); proposal 2024-02 for a /28 initial allocation was withdrawn on 26 February 2026
• PA allocations add nothing to the €1,800 LIR fee
• IPv6 PI: /48 minimum (ripe-738 7.1), €75 per assignment per year, held through a sponsoring LIR without membership; sizes in IPv6 PI Allocation Sizes Explained
• Proposal 2024-01 would allow PI on nibble boundaries up to a /36; its Review Phase closed on 23 September 2026 and it is not policy

ARIN IPv6

• Initial allocation: /32, or a /36 or /40 on request (NRPM 6.5.2)
• Subsequent: expansion of the existing allocation where possible, at 75% utilization (NRPM 6.5.3)
• End-user (PI) assignment up to a /48 per site, for organizations that are IPv6 multihomed with an ASN, will use 2,000 addresses or 200 /64s within 12 months, or meet another NRPM 6.5.8.1 criterion; billed inside the RSP fee
• 3X-Small organizations may hold up to a /36 and stay 3X-Small until 31 December 2026; from 2027 a /36 holder moves to 2X-Small ($577.50)

APNIC IPv6

• Minimum allocation: /32 (APNIC-127 8.1), larger with justification
• Initial PI assignment: /48 (9.1.4.1); the first /48 PI is excluded from the fee calculation
• IPv6 enters the fee formula in /56 units (offset 22) and is billed only when it exceeds the IPv4 result

LACNIC IPv6

• Initial allocation: /32 (Policy Manual 4.4), larger with justification
• End user IPv6 /48 to /35: US$2,500 initial and US$600 per year (IPv6 fees for end users)

AFRINIC IPv6

• Initial allocation: /32 (CPM 6.5.1.2)
• Strong incentives through fee discounts:
  • 50% off allocation fees
  • 100% first-year membership waiver
  • Declining discounts (75% / 50% / 25%) over years 2 to 4
  • No additional allocation fee for further IPv6 requests from IPv6-only holders
• IPv6 PI /48 for End Users: US$2,500 allocation and US$100 per year, IPv6-only discounts apply

Inter-RIR Transfer Policies

Inter-RIR transfers move IPv4 addresses, and between some registries ASNs, from one RIR's registry to another. Steps: How Inter-RIR Transfers Work (2026); who qualifies: Inter-RIR Transfer Eligibility by Region (2026).

Transfer Policy Matrix (September 2026)

IPv6 does not move between RIRs through ARIN (ARIN transfers). In February 2026 AFRINIC's board ratified a Number Resources Transfer Policy covering IPv4 and ASNs, inter-RIR where reciprocal policies exist (communique). It is not yet in AFRINIC's policy manual. On 25 September 2026 ARIN still listed AFRINIC as not approved for transfers, and the RIPE NCC stated that no resources can move to or from the region (inter-RIR transfers).

Key Transfer Requirements

RIPE NCC: no needs test inside the region; inbound from ARIN, APNIC or LACNIC needs a plan to use 50% of the space within five years and an active network element in the region; IPv4 and 16-bit ASNs cannot be re-transferred for 24 months; temporary transfers exist (ripe-807 2.1); free of charge and "in most cases completed within one or two business days" (RIPE NCC transfers).

ARIN: $500 per transfer request plus a recipient fee ($187.50 for a /24); blocks larger than a /24 need 50% use within 24 months (NRPM 8.5.5); the source must not have received IPv4 from ARIN in the prior 12 months and cannot use the waitlist for 36 months after selling; no IPv6.

APNIC: partners are the RIPE NCC, ARIN and LACNIC; recipients show a 24-month use plan; fee 20% of the annual fee for the resources moved, paid by the APNIC source on an outbound inter-RIR transfer; 103/8 space is locked for 5 years.

LACNIC: IPv4 only, both directions since 2020 (LAC-2019-01); minimum /24; transferred space is locked for 1 year and the source gets no IPv4 from LACNIC for 1 year; space allocated by LACNIC cannot be transferred for 3 years; LACNIC charges an administrative fee for inter-RIR transfers (inter-regional transfers).

AFRINIC: intra-region IPv4 transfers since 2017 (CPM 5.7); no inter-RIR transfers until the 2026 policy is implemented and accepted by the counterpart RIRs.

What a transfer costs in September 2026

Small blocks carry the premium: about $23.50 per address for /22 to /24 and about $14.30 for /16 and larger in August 2026. These are monthly averages of online and private sales reported by broker IPv4.Global. Registry charges sit on top: the RIPE NCC transfers free of charge, ARIN charges $500 plus the recipient fee, APNIC 20% of the annual fee, LACNIC its inter-RIR administrative fee. The RIPE NCC registered 5,935,616 IPv4 addresses in transfers in July 2026 alone (member update, August 2026).

ASN Allocation Policies

Every RIR assigns ASNs, but the eligibility test and the price differ. Requirements in detail: ASN Registration Requirements by RIR (2026); full budgets: ASN Registration Cost Breakdown (2026).

What each RIR asks for an ASN

• RIPE NCC: "A network must be multihomed in order to qualify for an AS Number" (ripe-679), with a routing policy in RPSL; €50 per ASN per year in 2026 (ripe-848); from 2027 the first ASN of an LIR account is included in the €1,894 and each additional ASN costs €50 (ripe-867). Proposal 2026-01 would drop the needs test for a holder's first ASN; it is in drafting, not policy (2025-01 was withdrawn on 6 July 2026).
• ARIN: "Any organization may be issued a single Autonomous System Number (ASN) upon request" (NRPM 5); additional ASNs need a unique routing policy or other technical justification; no issuance fee since 1 January 2024, 1 to 3 ASNs sit in the $275 3X-Small tier ($288.75 in 2027).
• APNIC: eligible if the network "is currently multihomed, or has the need to interconnect with other AS" (APNIC-127 10.1); the first 2 ASNs are free per member, then AUD 500 once plus AUD 100 per year each.
• LACNIC: must interconnect with other independent ASes now or within 6 months, with a routing policy listing peer ASNs and prefixes (Policy Manual s.3); US$1,000 once with no annual ASN fee, US$500 for a first ASN of a Nano or Micro ISP and, until the end of 2026, of an IPv6 Small ISP.
• AFRINIC: a resource member that interconnects with more than one AS, or shows a unique routing policy or technical need, within 6 months (CPM 7.2); multihoming has not been required since 29 May 2020; US$400 plus US$50 per year.

Governance and Policy Development

RIPE NCC

• Community-driven policy development
• Open Policy Development Process (PDP)
• Proposals discussed on mailing lists and at RIPE meetings
• Transparent, consensus-based approach
• Two RIPE meetings a year; RIPE 93 and the General Meeting run 26 to 30 October 2026 in Sofia (agenda), with no charging-scheme vote on the agenda

ARIN

• Public Policy Process with defined stages
• Advisory Council reviews proposals
• Board of Trustees final approval
• Two Public Policy and Members Meetings a year (ARIN 58: 22 to 23 October 2026, Miami) (meetings)

APNIC

• Policy SIG (Special Interest Group) process
• Proposals discussed at APNIC conferences
• Consensus-based decision making
• NIR participation in some countries

LACNIC

• Policy development through mailing lists and meetings
• Community consensus required
• Board approval for policy implementation

AFRINIC

• Public Policy Development Process, discussion on mailing lists, consensus-driven
• AFRINIC elected a new board in September 2025, but a court-appointed receiver was still in place in August 2026 and litigation is ongoing. A new CEO starts on 1 January 2027 (appointment notice).
• The board ratified the Number Resources Transfer Policy in February 2026; it is not yet implemented

Compliance obligations

Common documentation needs:

• Legal entity registration documents
• Technical contact information
• Network infrastructure descriptions
• IP address utilization plans
• Routing policies and AS relationships

Ongoing compliance:

• RIPE NCC: Annual fee payment, contact updates, resource reviews
• ARIN: Annual RSP fees, reassignment reports, updated POC information
• APNIC: Annual fee payment, resource audits, contact maintenance
• LACNIC: Strict payment deadlines, resource justification reviews
• AFRINIC: Annual fees, 8-month planning horizon on allocations, contact updates

Failure to maintain compliance can result in resource revocation or account termination.

Which RIR Should You Join?

Mostly, you do not choose. ARIN issues resources only to an active business entity legally formed within its service region, LACNIC requires legal establishment in its region, and AFRINIC serves networks operating in Africa. RIPE NCC membership is open to any legal entity or natural person. A /24 from its waiting list and an inbound inter-RIR transfer both need an active network element in the RIPE NCC service region.

Inside the RIPE region, one ASN or one IPv6 PI /48 needs no membership at all: a sponsoring LIR holds the contract with the RIPE NCC (ripe-637). Through our sponsorship an ASN costs €130 per year and an IPv6 PI /48 €435 the first year, then €135 per year (as of September 2026).

Small holders (up to a /22 of IPv4)

ARIN bills $275 (3X-Small, up to a /24) or $550 (2X-Small, up to a /22) in 2026, against €1,800 a year plus €1,000 sign-up at the RIPE NCC. In the RIPE region the sponsored path is the cheaper one at this size. Membership pays off once you need PA allocations of your own.

Medium holders (/22 to /18)

ARIN's X-Small tier (above /22 to /20) costs $1,100 and Small (above /20 to /18) $2,205 in 2026, so the RIPE NCC's flat €1,800 crosses ARIN's scale around a /20. At APNIC a /24 with a /48 costs AUD 1,295 and a /24 with a /32 AUD 2,256 in 2026.

Large holders (larger than /18)

The RIPE NCC's fee does not grow with holdings, while ARIN's Large tier (/16 to /14) costs $8,820 and its 5X-Large tier $282,240 in 2026. A second LIR account is no discount: every account pays the full annual fee (€1,800 in 2026, €1,894 in 2027), and each account can hold one waiting-list /24.

Multi-regional organizations

A legal entity in each region is the prerequisite for resources from that region's RIR. IPv4 moves between the RIPE NCC, ARIN, APNIC and LACNIC; ASNs only between the first three; IPv6 does not cross RIRs through ARIN. A block received by the RIPE NCC from a needs-based region must be 50% used within five years.

How Via-Registry.com Can Help

In the RIPE NCC region we sponsor independent resources under our LIR, at the prices given above: ASN registration and IPv6 PI /48 assignments, with no RIPE NCC membership on your side. If your sponsoring LIR is closing or you want to leave it, you can change your sponsoring LIR and keep your number and your RIPE Database objects. We quote inter-RIR transfer work between the RIPE NCC, ARIN and APNIC, and LIR consulting for organizations that do want RIPE NCC membership.

Conclusion

Location decides the registry more than price does: ARIN, LACNIC and AFRINIC serve their own regions, and only the RIPE NCC takes members from anywhere. Inside the RIPE region the flat fee (€1,800 in 2026, €1,894 in 2027) favors large holders, and one ASN or IPv6 PI block needs no membership at all through a sponsoring LIR. Across regions, IPv4 moves between the RIPE NCC, ARIN, APNIC and LACNIC and ASNs between the first three. AFRINIC stays closed to inter-RIR transfers until its 2026 policy is implemented and accepted by the others.

Official References

• RIPE Policies, the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2026 (ripe-848), the Charging Scheme 2027 (ripe-867) and the IPv4 waiting list
• ARIN Number Resource Policy Manual, the ARIN Fee Schedule and the 2027 fee schedule
• APNIC Policy Manuals and the APNIC Member Fee Schedule
• LACNIC Policies of Resource Administration
• AFRINIC Consolidated Policy Manual and AFRINIC fees and payment
• NRO Internet Number Resource Reports: cross-RIR statistics