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Guidelines for Requesting an
AS Number

This is an overview of how to request and manage an Autonomous System Number (ASN) from ARIN.

An Autonomous System is a connected group of IP networks that adhere to a single and clearly defined routing policy. An ASN is a globally unique number used to identify an Autonomous System. An ASN enables an AS to exchange exterior routing information with neighboring AS numbers. Sites that do not require a unique ASN should use one or more of the ASNs reserved for private use. Those numbers are 64512 through 65535.

Obtaining an AS Number

Step 1 - Requirements

Review ARIN's AS policies to ensure your request meets the requirements. Requesting resources from ARIN indicates you have read and agree to abide by these policies.

Your organization must first have established Point of Contact (POC) handles and an Organization Identifier (Org ID) with ARIN. Additional information about creating and managing POCs and Org IDs is available in ARIN's Guidelines for Managing Organization and Contact Identifiers.

Once POCs and an Org ID are registered in the ARIN database, complete and submit the AS Number Request template. All AS number requests must be sent from the Admin or Tech Point of Contact (POC) associated with the organization's Org ID.

Step 2 - Completing the Template

ARIN assigns both 2-byte and 4-byte ASNs. Formerly, ASNs were always 2 bytes, starting at AS1 and ending at AS65535. Four-byte ASNs extend the assignable range from AS65536 through AS4294967295 (also represented as AS1.0 through AS65536.65536).

Field 04 on the template asks if you would like to request a 4-byte ASN. If you answer "YES," ensure your routing equipment and any transit providers or peers are ready and able to accept 4-byte ASNs when exchanging routing information via BGP.

If you are unsure whether to request a 2-byte or 4-byte ASN, ARIN advises you to indicate "NO" in field 04. Doing so will result in the assignment of a 2-byte ASN.

When completing the template, your organization must first establish justification for the request. Justification can be made by meeting at least one of the following two requirements.

Multi-homed:

If your organization is multi-homed, or intends to be multi-homed within the next thirty (30) days, you must show exactly how your organization is connected to the Internet by providing the following information:

  1. Exterior gateway protocol to be used
  2. The IP network addresses presently in use on the network
  3. The AS number and name of each upstream provider and/or peer

Unique Routing Policy:

Your organization must demonstrate how the routing policy of the AS will differ from the routing policies of its border peers

Instructions for completing and submitting the template are provided at the bottom of the document. To ensure prompt and accurate processing of your AS Number Request Template, follow these instructions exactly. Any errors found may result in the template being returned for correction.

Step 3 - Submittal of Template and Auto Response

Upon successfully submitting the template, ARIN verifies its receipt of the request and issues a ticket number via e-mail to the individual who submitted the request. Based on the volume of requests, this may take up to 60 minutes.

Step 4 - Review Process

ARIN reviews and responds to a resource request within three (3) business days.

The response may include a request for additional information. For each question and response cycle, ARIN responds within three (3) business days. If ARIN does not receive a response within ninety (90) days, the ticket is considered closed and the request must be resubmitted. A response from ARIN requesting additional documentation or information does not imply a request will be denied; it simply means that additional information is needed to evaluate the request.

For questions about requests, communicate via e-mail to hostmaster@arin.net or call ARIN's Registration Services Help Desk at +1.703.227.0660. When contacting the Help Desk, have appropriate ticket numbers and other request documentation readily available, and have access to the ARIN website. In follow-up communication, supply the name of the ARIN Help Desk Resource Analyst that provided previous assistance. Click here for additional guidance on calling the Help Desk.

Step 5 - Request Approval

ARIN notifies your organization, via e-mail to the individual who submitted the request, whether the request was approved or not. The approval is good for ninety (90) days. If your organization does not follow up on the approval within that time, you must resubmit the request.

If a request is rejected and you feel that it has the proper justification for receiving the requested resource, you may contact ARIN to further explain its position.

Step 6- Fee Payment and Registration Services Agreement

As outlined in the Fee Schedule, ARIN charges a one-time registration fee of $500 (US) for each ASN assigned. After receiving approval confirmation and a ticket number from ARIN, submit a completed ASN Billing Account Form. Additional fee and payment information is available in the Billing section.

ARIN does not accept purchase orders as the equivalent of payment and payment information is not accepted by phone. The approval of a request can be dependent on the billing status of the Org ID in question. Outstanding fees due to ARIN must be paid before additional resources are allocated.

Submission of Signed Registration Services Agreement (RSA)

All applicants requesting resources from ARIN are required to sign the Registration Services Agreement (RSA). The RSA must be signed and returned before ARIN allocates resources. The RSA cannot be altered or modified. If the organization already has a signed RSA on file with ARIN, a new one is not needed unless the request for resources will be issued under a new Org ID. Organizations may fax a signed, but otherwise unaltered, RSA to +1.703.227.0671. ARIN requests that the organization also forward two (2) signed originals via postal mail to:

ARIN
Attention: Financial Services Department
3635 Concorde Parkway, Suite 200
Chantilly, VA 20151

Submission of Payment

When completing ARIN's online billing forms, organizations may choose between two payment options:

Immediate online payment by credit card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa)

If payment is by credit card, an automatic receipt is e-mailed to the organization, along with instructions on how to download the Registration Services Agreement (RSA).

Receive an invoice for payment by check or wire transfer

For organizations choosing to receive an invoice, ARIN sends an invoice within three (3) business days and instruction on how to download the Registration Services Agreement (RSA). For instructions to send payment by wire transfer, call +1.703.227.9886 or e-mail billing@arin.net.  For wire instructions by e-mail, include the ARIN ticket or invoice number, the organization name, and Org ID. For payments by check, send payment to:

American Registry for Internet Numbers
P. O. Box 79010
Baltimore, Maryland  21279-0010

Step 7- Assignment of AS Number

ARIN completes the ASN assignment within two (2) business days of ARIN's receipt of the organization's registration fee and a signed Registration Services Agreement (RSA). The assignment of an ASN does not qualify organizations for ARIN membership. Only organizations that receive and pay for a direct allocation of IP address space from ARIN are automatically accorded membership.

As membership is open to all interested parties, any organization or individual may become a member of ARIN by completing a Membership Application Form and paying an annual membership fee.

Managing an AS Number Assignment Record

Organization and Contact Identifiers

To ensure efficient and accurate processing of all requests, promptly update Org ID and POC records after any change. Additional information about Org IDs and POCs is available in ARIN's Guidelines for Managing Organization and Contact Identifiers.

Maintenance Fee and Exemptions

ARIN assesses a single consolidated annual maintenance fee to each Org ID for certain resources registered with it. This single fee covers all ASNs, end-user assignments, and transfers registered with ARIN per Org ID. This fee is due on the anniversary date of the organization's first resource registration associated with its Org ID. ISPs that are current ARIN subscription holders are not charged the annual maintenance fee.

ISPs that are current ARIN subscription holders will not be charged the annual maintenance fee.

Additional information about ARIN's fees is available on the Fee Schedule and the Guidelines for Billing Procedures pages.

Modifying or Returning an AS Number Assignment

There are two types of changes that can be made to an ASN assignment record.

Modification

The AS Number Modification (ASN-Mod) template can be used to change the POC handle associated with an ASN or to modify an AS name. Modifications are submitted by the Administrative or Technical POC for the appropriate Org ID, or the Technical POC for the resource.

If you wish to change POCs associated with an ASN assignment record, the POCs must already exist. If the POCs are not currently registered in the ARIN database, submit a POC template prior to submitting the ASN-Mod template.

Return

The AS Number Modification template can also be used to return unused ASNs to ARIN. Returns can only be submitted by the Administrative POC.

Transfers of AS Numbers

Transfers of ASNs are handled similarly to the transfer of any ARIN resource. Specific guidelines for this process are provided in ARIN's Guidelines for Transferring Internet Number Resources.