Most founders don't think about IP addresses until a launch date is on the calendar. Then someone realizes the production network needs its own address space, and the lead time can surprise an unprepared team.
Free IPv4 pools are nearly exhausted. The regional internet registries, or RIRs, now move addresses through policy-governed transfers and occasional waitlist releases. ARIN, for example, fulfilled 67 IPv4 waitlist requests during its 2 April 2026 distribution, which shows how limited that channel is.
If funding and go-to-market dates are linked, put address space on the same planning list. A plan to raise capital covers the money side; this guide covers the infrastructure choices so both timelines stay realistic.
Buy, Lease, or Use Provider IPs?
Start with four questions. How long do you need the space: 12 to 36 months, or only for a short campaign? Do you need your own IP reputation for outbound email, or is shared provider space enough? Is this a capital expense you want to own, or an operating expense you would rather lease? And do you plan to bring your own IP, or BYOIP, to a cloud provider?
Buying tends to make sense when you want long-term control and your own email deliverability reputation. Leasing fits short campaigns, seasonal spikes, or uncertain scale.
Provider-assigned IPs work when you have no special reputation needs. Shared provider pools behave a bit like residential proxy IPs, where the reputation you inherit depends on who used the space before you.
Market prices move, so treat any figure as a rough reference rather than a quote. IPv4.Global reported that average /16 prices fell below $20 per IP in December 2025, and IPv4Center reported a May 2026 average of $19.57 per IP.
How Big a Block Should You Buy?
A /24 is the smallest block that is commonly routable on the global internet. Longer prefixes are often filtered by other operators, so going smaller usually means your traffic will not reliably reach much of the world.
A /24 is also the floor for AWS BYOIP, which does not accept anything smaller. That makes it the practical starting point for many early-stage teams.
Map your needs honestly. A single product with staging and modest outbound email usually fits inside one /24. A /23 makes sense only when you can name concrete reasons for the extra space. Avoid overbuying addresses you will not route for a year.
Step-by-step: How an RIR-approved IPv4 Transfer Actually Works
First, consider a pre-approval. ARIN offers IPv4 transfer pre-approvals based on a 24-month need, and approved requests are not re-verified for 8.3 or 8.4 transfers submitted within 24 months. This step is optional, but it can remove a verification delay later.
Second, identify a clean block. ARIN policy permits specified-recipient transfers within the region under NRPM 8.3 and inter-RIR transfers into ARIN under NRPM 8.4. APNIC requires both source and recipient to be account holders for in-region transfers, and RIPE NCC runs a documented email process for inter-RIR moves with ARIN and APNIC.
Third, sign terms and arrange funds by wire or escrow. Fourth, open the transfer tickets with the relevant registry. Fifth, the registry verifies both parties. Sixth, Whois records update on approval. Seventh, you handle post-transfer operations, which we cover below.
If you want a managed path through ARIN, RIPE or APNIC paperwork, a facilitator can research candidate blocks, coordinate escrow and help with transfer tickets. Brander Group is one option for teams that need to buy IP addresses and want support through that process.
Risk Checks Before You Wire
Start with reputation. Spamhaus offers a free IP and Domain Reputation Checker you can use to verify and remediate blocklist issues before you commit. Ask the seller for a blocklist report as well, and treat both as inputs rather than guarantees.
Confirm there are no stale records waiting to cause problems. Old Route Origin Authorizations, or ROAs, and existing IRR route objects can conflict with your routing once you take over the space.
Plan for IP geolocation too. Inherited address space often carries outdated location data, so know in advance that you can submit a GeoIP correction request through MaxMind and publish an RFC 8805 geofeed to keep updates current.
Lighting Up the Block on Cloud
After the transfer settles, BYOIP lets you announce your own space from a cloud provider. AWS accepts ranges down to a /24 and advertises the most specific prefix. Azure supports a Custom IP Prefix, and Google Cloud offers its own BYOIP flow.
Routing is only part of day one. Build ROA and IRR work into the same project plan. ARIN advises updating or creating ROAs after resource issuance or revocation so your routing origin stays authorized, and ARIN also operates an IRR that lets holders publish authoritative route objects operators use for filtering.
Costs to Plan For
Registry fees apply. ARIN implemented an updated fee schedule on 1 January 2026 that includes recipient transfer processing fees for NRPM 8.3 and 8.4 transfers. RIPE NCC involves LIR and sign-up costs, and APNIC involves membership. If you use escrow, add that fee.
If you involve Brander Group or another facilitator, ask whether advisory, escrow coordination or registry support fees are separate from the address price.
Do not forget internal time. Updating ROAs and IRR objects and correcting geolocation all take engineering hours, even when the dollar amounts are small.
FAQ
How long do transfers typically take?
Timelines vary by registry and by how complete your paperwork is. Pre-approval can remove a verification step, since ARIN does not re-verify approved requests for 8.3 or 8.4 transfers submitted within 24 months. Plan for a multi-week process rather than a same-day one.
Do I need an ASN?
If you plan to announce your own space and manage your own routing policy, you will generally need an Autonomous System Number. If you only use cloud BYOIP, the provider often announces the prefix for you.
Can I use less than a /24?
Usually not for public routing. A /24 is the practical minimum for global routing and for common cloud BYOIP requirements.
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