ARIN pre-approval: what to submit and how long it takes
Before you can receive IPv4 addresses through an ARIN transfer, ARIN checks that your organization qualifies to receive them. Pre-approval lets you get that check done first, before you choose a block or sign with a seller.
In short
- Who it's for: organizations seeking IPv4 space through an 8.3 transfer (within the ARIN region) or an 8.4 inter-RIR transfer into ARIN. For a transfer out of ARIN (for example to RIPE NCC or APNIC), the receiving registry approves the recipient instead.
- What ARIN checks: your 24-month need for the block size you ask for, and, if you already hold an ARIN allocation, how well you use your existing space (NRPM 8.5).
- The main numbers: a first /24 needs no utilization history; larger blocks need a plan to use at least 50% within 24 months; 80% utilization is an alternative route for existing holders. There is no overall maximum block size.
- Timing: ARIN replies within 2 business days, and answers each round of questions within 2 days (ARIN).
- Pre-approval: good for 2 years. Transfers made against it within those 24 months need no new justification or re-verification.
What pre-approval is, and when you need it
ARIN does not sell addresses. It records who holds them, and under its transfer policy a recipient must qualify before addresses move into its name. Pre-approval is ARIN's answer, in advance, to the question "how much IPv4 space does this organization qualify for?"
ARIN offers it to organizations that want space through an 8.3 or 8.4 transfer and have not yet identified the other party. You request it for your organization, and ARIN reviews your 24-month need and approves you for up to a certain block size. You then look for a block that fits within that approval.
Pre-approval does not apply to 8.2 transfers (mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations), which are not needs-based. See 8.2 vs 8.3 vs 8.4.
How much space you can qualify for
ARIN reviews pre-approval requests against NRPM section 8.5, the requirements for any 8.3 or 8.4 recipient. Which rule applies depends on what you already hold:
| Your situation | What you need to show | NRPM |
|---|---|---|
| No IPv4 from ARIN yet, want a /24 | You qualify for an initial /24, ARIN's minimum transfer size. The space must be for an operational network. | 8.5.2, 8.5.3, 8.5.4 |
| Want a block larger than a /24 (first or additional) | Documentation showing you will use at least 50% of the requested block within 24 months. | 8.5.5 |
| Already hold ARIN IPv4 space | Also: you have efficiently used at least 50% of your cumulative IPv4 address blocks, including space reassigned to customers. | 8.5.6 |
| Already hold ARIN space and use at least 80% of it | Alternative route: one or more transfers up to the total size of your current ARIN IPv4 holdings, maximum a /16, and a /16 equivalent in any 6-month period. | 8.5.7 |
The "80% utilization" rule, explained
You will often read that ARIN "requires 80% utilization" before you can get more addresses. For transfers, that is not the general rule. The standard test in NRPM 8.5.5 and 8.5.6 is 50%: 50% of the new block used within 24 months, and, if you hold an ARIN allocation, 50% of your existing IPv4 blocks already used.
80% appears in transfer policy only in NRPM 8.5.7, an alternative route. If you already use 80% of the ARIN space you hold, you can qualify for transfers up to the total size of your current holdings, to a maximum of a /16 through this route. The standard 50% route has no maximum block size. The other 80% figures in the NRPM sit in section 4, which covers addresses issued directly by ARIN, not addresses bought on the transfer market.
What to submit
ARIN's pre-approval page asks for a justification of your 24-month IPv4 needs and may ask follow-up questions. ARIN's documentation examples show what that justification usually contains:
| If you are | Include |
|---|---|
| An end user (addresses for your own network) | Utilization for each previous assignment, and a 24-month projected subnet plan for the block size you request. |
| An ISP (you assign addresses to customers) | A utilization percentage for all previous allocations, detailed utilization of your most recent allocation, and a 24-month projected subnet plan for the block size you request. |
ARIN states that all documentation must be accurate and verifiable, and that it may ask for more information if it cannot verify the data. A subnet plan that names real sites, services or customers is easier to verify than round numbers.
Before you start
- An ARIN Online account linked to an Admin or Tech point of contact (POC) with authority to request resources for your organization.
- A valid Organization ID (Org ID). Creating one costs $50 (ARIN fee schedule).
- Your current utilization data, if you already hold IPv4 space from ARIN.
How to request pre-approval in ARIN Online
The steps below follow ARIN's pre-approval instructions:
- Log in to ARIN Online.
- Go to Your Records → Organization Identifiers, and select the organization you are requesting for.
- In the Org Info section, open Actions and choose Request Transfer Pre-Approval.
- Follow the prompts, including the justification for your 24-month IPv4 needs.
- Submit. ARIN creates a ticket and answers through it.
IPv4 Depot is an ARIN Qualified Facilitator and can help you prepare the request and the 24-month plan before you submit.
How long it takes
| Stage | ARIN's stated timing |
|---|---|
| First response to your request | Within 2 business days |
| Each round of questions and answers | ARIN responds within 2 days of your reply |
| No reply from you to a request for information | Ticket closes after 90 days |
| Pre-approval good for | 2 years; transfers against it within 24 months need no new justification or re-verification |
The calendar time is mostly in your hands: how complete the first submission is, and how quickly you answer ARIN's questions. A request for more information does not mean the request is being denied.
Once you have found a block, the transfer itself is quicker. In IPv4 Depot's experience, when both buyer and seller move promptly, ARIN transfers typically complete in about 7 to 10 business days.
After you're pre-approved
- Find a block within your approved size and agree terms with the seller.
- Both the recipient and the source submit an 8.3 transfer request in ARIN Online (for an 8.4 inter-RIR transfer, ARIN sends the recipient instructions). ARIN links the two tickets.
- The source pays ARIN's $500 transfer request fee and provides a signed, notarized Officer Acknowledgement Letter.
- When ARIN approves, the recipient pays the recipient transfer processing fee and signs a Registration Services Agreement (RSA) within 90 days, if it does not already have one.
- Once ARIN has the signed RSA and all fees, it completes the transfer within two business days.
Fees by block size are on our ARIN fees page. If you are on ARIN's waitlist, receiving a transfer removes you from it, and you cannot reapply for 90 days.
ARIN pre-approval FAQ
Is ARIN pre-approval required to buy IPv4 addresses?
ARIN offers pre-approval to organizations that want IPv4 space through an 8.3 transfer (within the ARIN region) or an 8.4 inter-RIR transfer and have not yet found the other party. Either way, ARIN must find that the recipient qualifies under NRPM section 8.5 before a transfer completes. Pre-approval settles that question before you commit to a seller.
How long does ARIN pre-approval take?
ARIN says it responds to a pre-approval request within two business days, and answers each round of questions and replies within two days. The total depends on how many rounds of questions your request needs. If you don't answer a request for more information within 90 days, ARIN closes the ticket.
How long is an ARIN pre-approval valid?
Two years. Any 8.3 or 8.4 transfer made against the pre-approval within those 24 months needs no new justification and is not re-verified by ARIN.
Can I get a /24 without showing utilization?
An organization that has no IPv4 allocation from ARIN qualifies for an initial transfer of ARIN's minimum transfer size, a /24 (NRPM 8.5.4). The addresses must still be for use on an operational network, and you sign ARIN's Registration Services Agreement.
Does ARIN require 80% utilization before I can buy more addresses?
No, not as the general rule. For transfers, the standard test is 50%: use at least 50% of the requested block within 24 months (NRPM 8.5.5) and, if you already hold an ARIN allocation, have efficiently used at least 50% of your cumulative IPv4 blocks (NRPM 8.5.6). 80% utilization is an alternative route in NRPM 8.5.7 that lets an existing holder qualify for up to the size of its current holdings, with a maximum of a /16.
Does ARIN charge a fee for pre-approval?
ARIN's pre-approval and fee schedule pages list no fee for the pre-approval request itself. Fees come with the transfer: the source pays a $500 transfer request fee, and the recipient pays a recipient transfer processing fee by block size when the transfer is approved.
What if ARIN turns down my pre-approval request?
A request for more information is not a denial. If ARIN does reject the request and you believe your justification met the policy, ARIN says to open an Ask ARIN ticket in ARIN Online.
Sources
Registry facts on this page come from ARIN's own documents, checked on October 26, 2026. ARIN's policies and fees change; where this page and ARIN differ, ARIN is right.
Getting ready for ARIN pre-approval?
IPv4 Depot is an ARIN Qualified Facilitator. Tell us what you need and we'll help you prepare the request and find a block that fits your approval.