You need routable IPv4 space without surprises. Maybe a new region is coming online, your current allocation is tapped out, or a deployment is waiting on addresses you do not yet have. Buying IPv4 is simple in theory, but the gap between a clean deal and a messy one is wide. This guide covers decisions, costs, transfers, and warning signs.
First decisions before you shop
Before contacting a seller, settle two questions: how much space you need and whether buying beats leasing.
How many IPs do you really need?
Translate your growth plans into block sizes. Be honest about what you will use in the next year or two, not a number that only feels safe. One practical limit matters: ARIN lists the minimum IPv4 transfer size as a /24, or 256 addresses. That sets the floor for most buyers. RIPE, APNIC, and LACNIC follow similar minimums, so a /24 is the common entry point.
Buy versus lease
Buying is a capital expense you hold; leasing is an ongoing operating cost. Mid-2026 commentary from IPv4.Global cited lease rates of roughly $0.38 to $0.50 per IP per month during a price correction. Q1 2026 data from IPv4 Center estimated about 3.36 million addresses traded across 284 transactions at an average near $19.90 per IP. Treat these figures as snapshots, not guarantees.
What a safe transaction looks like
Get recipient pre-approval first
If you buy in the ARIN region, request recipient pre-approval before you shop. It is based on a 24-month need and stays valid for 24 months for 8.3 or 8.4 transfers. Having approval in hand tells sellers you are ready.
Decide how you will pay
Use escrow. Established marketplaces often support escrowed closings through in-house escrow or Escrow.com. A wire paired with licensed escrow protects both sides because funds release only when the registry change is confirmed.
Submit the registry transfer
In the ARIN region, this is an 8.3 in-region transfer or an 8.4 inter-regional transfer. ARIN charges a non-refundable $500 processing fee per IPv4 transfer request, billed to the source organization before evaluation begins. Other registries differ. RIPE NCC restricts re-transfer of received IPv4 for 24 months after receipt or events such as mergers. APNIC requires payment of an annual membership fee before completing an initial transfer into a new or empty account. LACNIC allows inbound and outbound inter-regional transfers subject to policy conditions.
Real-world costs to budget
The sticker price per IP is only part of the bill. Plan for fees, internal time, and network setup.
Purchase price and registry fees
Per-IP price varies by block size and region, so lean on current market trackers rather than a single figure. ARIN’s 2026 Fee Schedule includes a $500 Source Transfer Request Fee for 8.3 and 8.4 transfers, plus annual registration service provider fees you will carry going forward. Note the APNIC membership requirement above if you transact there.
Implementation costs
Budget time for routing setup, publishing ROAs, creating IRR route objects, configuring reverse DNS, and updating geolocation feeds. Getting these wrong can lead to misrouted traffic or services that place users in the wrong country. If you also run physical gear in the path, understanding network scaling considerations helps ensure your infrastructure can handle traffic growth alongside your addressing plan, so the deployment is not limited by a weak router, switch, or power setup.
Where to buy and who does what
You have three broad paths. Marketplaces list inventory and usually bundle escrow and paperwork. Private brokers curate deals and coordinate registry steps. Direct sellers can work if you are confident handling the process yourself. Each route offers a different mix of convenience, control, and oversight.
If you prefer a provider-neutral advisor that helps coordinate purchases and registry transfers across ARIN, RIPE, and APNIC, look for support with block qualification, blacklist checks, and transfer coordination. Some brokers advise a typical end-to-end timeline of roughly two to three weeks, depending on the registry and documentation. Whichever route you pick, keep escrow and registry verification in the loop. After comparing those routes, you can explore options to buy IPv4 through a provider-neutral advisory or brokerage option.
Due-diligence checklist you should not skip
Verify the space before money moves. A low price is not useful if the block cannot transfer cleanly or route reliably.
Chain of custody
Check WHOIS and RDAP records to confirm the seller holds registration rights to the block. Remember that registries grant registration rights, not legal ownership. Confirm hold periods or eligibility limits, such as the RIPE 24-month rule. Under ARIN policy, source entities generally must not have received an IPv4 allocation or transfer within the previous 12 months, with limited control-relationship exceptions.
Reputation scan
Run the block against blocklists before you pay. Spamhaus offers a free tool to check an IP’s reputation against its datasets. Document any delisting paths so you know the cleanup effort upfront.
Routing safety
Require a post-transfer plan for ROAs and updated IRR route objects, and confirm that stale objects from the previous holder will be removed. A Route Origin Authorization in RPKI authorizes a network to originate specified prefixes, so publish yours promptly after the transfer.
Red flags that should stop a deal
Walk away when you see these signs:
- The seller will not open a formal registry transfer ticket.
- You are asked for crypto-only payment or pushed away from escrow.
- The seller cannot document registration rights to the block.
- The price sits far below market and comes with rush-to-close pressure.
- The seller refuses transparency on blocklist status.
- There is no plan for ROAs or IRR route objects after handover.
What to do right after you receive the block
Closing is not the finish line. A few practical steps protect your new space and help traffic flow correctly.
Publish ROAs and route objects
Create your ROAs and IRR route objects, then verify that your upstreams accept the announcement. This keeps your prefixes routable and harder to hijack.
Set reverse DNS and a geofeed
Configure reverse DNS and publish a geofeed so services place your users in the correct location. If a provider still shows the wrong country, submit corrections to the relevant geolocation data source.
Watch your reputation
Start clean-traffic monitoring and keep an eye on blocklists for the first weeks. Catching an issue early is far cheaper than explaining bounced mail or blocked traffic later.
Conclusion
A safe purchase follows the same calm pattern every time: size your need, get pre-approval where it applies, pay through escrow, verify registration rights and reputation, and clean up routing as soon as the block is yours. Fees, rules, and prices shift, so date-check every figure you rely on.