If your company is expanding its network, you may run into a practical limit: you need more IPv4 addresses, but there is no free pool left to request from. Regional internet registries handed out their last general allocations years ago, so most businesses acquire additional IPv4 space through a transfer market where address blocks move from one organization to another.
This guide explains how that market works in the ARIN region, which covers the United States, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean and North Atlantic. It covers transfer requirements, costs, timelines, and the due-diligence steps that protect your budget, routing, and email deliverability.
Why Businesses Still Buy IPv4 in 2026
It is tempting to assume IPv4 is on its way out. The IPv6 milestone is real, but reaching half of one platform’s measured traffic does not replace IPv4 across the internet. Most networks still run both protocols side by side, and carrier-grade NAT keeps IPv4 in daily use for many customers, cloud services, and business applications.
Market data also shows steady demand. IPv4.Global reported that in June 2025 the average price per address for /16 blocks fell below $20 for the first time since 2019. IPv4Center’s April 2026 market analysis recorded 110 transactions and 677,632 addresses traded at a weighted average of $19.56 per IP. Prices move, and smaller blocks usually cost more per address, so use these figures as context rather than as quotes.
How the IPv4 Market Works, in Plain English
The internet’s address space is managed by regional internet registries, often called RIRs. ARIN covers the United States, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean and North Atlantic. Other regions have their own registries: RIPE NCC in Europe and the Middle East, APNIC in the Asia-Pacific, LACNIC in Latin America, and AFRINIC in Africa.
When you buy IPv4 space, you are arranging a transfer of registration rights, and the appropriate registry has to approve it. Transfers happen within one region or between compatible registries. ARIN considers APNIC, RIPE NCC, and LACNIC compatible for inter-RIR transfers. AFRINIC was not approved for transfers with ARIN as of June 2026, so treat any offer promising a fast AFRINIC transfer into the ARIN region with caution.
A few ARIN rules shape every purchase. The minimum transfer size is a /24, and reserved-pool addresses covered under NRPM sections 4.4 and 4.10 are not eligible for transfer. Recipients must justify need for up to a 24-month supply. Depending on the request, ARIN may ask for documentation showing deployment plans, 50% use of the requested space within 24 months, or 80% utilization of prior allocations. Because registry policy can change, confirm the current requirements before signing a purchase agreement.
Buying IPv4 in the ARIN Region, Step by Step
Step 1: Set up your ARIN presence
Create an ARIN Online account, establish your organization identifier, and register your points of contact. If you want to reduce delays, you can ask ARIN to pre-approve your need before you find a seller. APNIC offers a similar option in its region, where pre-approvals are valid for 24 months.
Step 2: Choose a compliant sourcing path
You can find sellers through ARIN’s list of qualified facilitators, public marketplaces, or private channels. Whatever route you choose, use escrow so funds are released only when the transfer completes. For organizations that want help with ARIN, RIPE NCC, or APNIC transfers, an advisory or brokerage firm can coordinate pre-approval, escrow, and registry paperwork. If you buy IPv4 this way, compare fees, references, and responsibility for each registry step before committing.
Step 3: Complete diligence on the block and the seller
This is where careful buyers separate themselves from rushed ones. The checklist in the next section covers the main checks to complete before money changes hands.
Step 4: Handle paperwork and fees
ARIN charges a $500 non-refundable processing fee for each IPv4 transfer request, invoiced before evaluation begins. You will also sign a Registration Services Agreement, commonly called an RSA.
Step 5: Confirm the transfer and update records
After ARIN receives a signed RSA and all applicable fees, it completes the resource transfer within two business days. Verify the result in Whois and RDAP so the registration reflects your organization.
Buyer Due-Diligence Checklist
Run these checks before money moves. A cheap block can become expensive if the registration, reputation, or routing history is unclear.
- Verify registration. RDAP and Whois queries against ARIN let you confirm the current registration for an IP block and match it to the seller. Save the records for your files.
- Confirm seller authority. Make sure the party signing the agreement is authorized to transfer the resources. If the seller is using an agent, ask for written authorization.
- Check reputation. Spamhaus maintains blocklists such as the SBL, which lists malicious IPs. Removal must be initiated by the responsible network operator, so a block with active listings can carry baggage you cannot fix quickly. Ask the seller for reputation reports in writing.
- Confirm eligibility. Make sure the space is not reserved-pool address space, which cannot be transferred under ARIN policy.
- Review routing hygiene. Ask whether route origin authorizations and IRR objects already exist, and plan how you will manage them after transfer.
- Plan DNS and geolocation. Set expectations for reverse DNS, geofeed records, and location database corrections. MaxMind accepts geolocation correction requests and aims to apply approved updates within about a week, which matters if customers or fraud systems rely on location data.
Costs, Fees, and Timelines
Budget for three cost buckets: the price you pay the seller, the $500 ARIN processing fee, and any broker or escrow charges. Smaller blocks generally cost more per address than large ones, so a /24 will not track the /16 averages quoted by marketplaces.
The registry step is quick once paperwork is complete. ARIN completes the transfer within two business days after receiving the signed RSA and applicable fees. The full process, including diligence and escrow, often takes several weeks. Inter-RIR transfers can take longer and may add region-specific conditions.
Security and Routing Hygiene After the Transfer
Getting the registration updated is not the finish line. Once the space is yours, protect it and your reputation. Create or update ROAs so other networks can validate that you are the legitimate origin for the routes. Hosted RPKI is usually the easiest starting point. Replace any stale IRR route objects left over from the previous holder, coordinate reverse DNS, and update geofeeds so location databases can catch up.
For the first 30 to 60 days, monitor abuse queues and blocklist status. Catching a listing early gives you time to work with the responsible operator on removal before it affects email or customer-facing services.
Buy, Lease, or Accelerate IPv6
Buying is not the only path. A useful way to decide is to weigh three factors: how long you need the space, how much control you want, and how ready your team is to manage routing.
- Lease when the need is short-term or uncertain. IPv4.Global guidance in 2026 put lease rates commonly around $0.40 to $0.50 per IP per month for ARIN-registered blocks, which can be cheaper than buying if you only need the space for a limited period.
- Buy when the need is long-term and you want full control of the asset. Over enough years, purchase can beat cumulative lease costs.
- Accelerate IPv6 regardless of which route you pick. It will not remove near-term IPv4 needs, but with IPv6 already carrying half of Google’s measured traffic, deployment belongs on your roadmap.
Red Flags to Avoid
A few warning signs should slow your review or stop the deal:
- A seller unwilling to use escrow.
- Blocks with a heavy blocklist history and no clear remediation path.
- Promises of instant inter-RIR transfers to or from regions that are not approved, such as AFRINIC with ARIN.
- Attempts to sell reserved-pool space that cannot transfer under registry policy.
- Missing or unauthorized documentation where signatures or approval are required.
Practical Tips for Growing Businesses
Address space is a real asset, so treat the purchase like any other significant contract. Read the terms closely and avoid agreements that lock you into vague obligations or unfavorable conditions. Document your abuse-prevention controls early, because a clean operational history helps protect the reputation of the space you are buying. As your network grows, related planning may also include outsourcing IT support for teams that need outside help managing digital infrastructure.
Putting It All Together
Acquiring IPv4 in the ARIN region is manageable when you follow a clear sequence: qualify for the transfer, choose a compliant sourcing path with escrow, run diligence on the block and the seller, complete the paperwork and the $500 fee, and finish the routing and reputation work after the transfer lands. Keep expectations grounded in current market data, and keep IPv6 on the plan even as you solve today’s IPv4 need. Done carefully, the process protects your budget, routing, and ability to reach customers.
