RIPE NCC: What Is It and What Does It Do?

First published on 16 April 2025 and updated on 21 August 2026. NRS’s clarifications of 5 October 2026 separate RIPE community policy from RIPE NCC association governance and bring the 2023 charges up to date.

What is RIPE?

RIPE is The regional Internet register (RIR) for portions of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It's known as RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre). RIPE's main office is in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and a branch office is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

NRS clarification. RIPE is an open community; RIPE NCC is the registry and membership association. The article uses the two names interchangeably, but they are different bodies with different decision processes.

You can also open the current NRS guide to regional registries directly.

RIPE is like any RIR, responsible for managing the distribution and registration of Internet number resources (including IPv4 and IPv6 addresses as well as autonomous system numbers) in the areas that RIPE represents.

The coordination of the Internet's technical and administrative aspects is supported by the RIPE NCC. RIPE is a non-profit membership organization with more than 10,000 members, spread over more than 76 nations in its service area.

NRS clarification. The membership and country figures date from the article’s writing and refer to the RIPE NCC association, not to RIPE community participation.

RIPE NCC is open to joining from any person or organization. Internet service providers (ISPs), telecom organizations, educational institutions, governmental agencies, and regulatory.

NRS clarification. RIPE NCC membership is subject to its admission requirements. RIPE community participation does not require that membership.

RIPE's History

In April 1992, the RIPE NCC launched its activities in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The academic networks EARN and EUnet, which are members of Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE), supplied the initial funding. When the Dutch translation of the Articles of Organization was filed with the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce on November 12, 1997, the RIPE NCC was formally created. In May 1991, the initial RIPE NCC Action Plan was released.

NRS clarification. Operational launch, incorporation and the start of the association structure are distinct milestones: RIPE NCC started operating in April 1992, and the association structure has operated since 1998. The funding description above dates from the early years.

On November 25, 2019, RIPE NCC published the following announcement: "With the last remaining addresses in our accessible pool, we have made our final /22 IPv4 allocation. The supply of IPv4 addresses has now ran out. When allocating IPv4 addresses, RIPE NCC will only accept applications from organizations that have closed, gone out of business, or or from networks that return addresses they no longer require or are closed. Our members (LIRs) will receive these addresses based on where they are on a new waiting list. Also, the message urged support for the rollout of IPv6.

NRS clarification. Closed networks and returned addresses supply the recovered pool; eligible applicants receive allocations from it through the waiting list, as recovered resources become available. The current rule permits one /24 allocation (256 addresses) per eligible LIR account that has never received an IPv4 allocation from RIPE NCC; the /22 mentioned above was the earlier size.

RIPE's Activities

Throughout its service area and beyond, RIPE NCC supports technical coordination of the Internet infrastructure. It engages in a variety of activities in this field, such as:

Resource allotment and registration for Internet numbers (IP addresses and autonomous system numbers)

For a number of reasons, IP address distribution is crucial. Public addresses must be distinct; if a network had two identical internet addresses, network traffic might be sent to the incorrect host. The RIRs guarantee that only one organization receives public speeches. This is carried out by the RIPE NCC for its own service area. IANA assigns blocks of addresses to the RIRs globally, who then pass these addresses on to end users via the LIRs (normally ISPs).

NRS clarification. “Public speeches” is a slip; the subject is unique address registration, which by itself does not prevent routing errors or hijacks.

Due to the scarcity of IPv4 addresses, it's crucial to ensure that IP addresses and AS Numbers are only assigned to one user and that the remaining addresses are distributed in a systematic way. Since RIPE Document ripe-498 was published, the RIPE NCC has strictly adhered to the rules established by the RIPE Community for allocating IPv4 numbers. Only a limited number of new IPv4 addresses will be available for allocation by the RIPE NCC because the final /8 block has already been distributed among all the RIRs by IANA.

NRS clarification. ripe-498 and the last /8 description belong to an earlier policy period; check the current allocation, waiting-list, transfer and IPv6 conditions.

- Development, operation and maintenance of the RIPE Database.

- Development, operation and maintenance of the RIPE Routing Registry.

- Operation of K-root, one of the world's root name servers.

- Coordination support for ENUM delegations.

NRS clarification. ENUM support belongs to the service description of the time; check RIPE NCC’s current service list before relying on it.

- Collection and publication of neutral statistics on Internet development and performance, notable via the RIPE Atlas global measurement network and RIPE state; a web-based interface providing information about IP address space, autonomous system numbers, and related information for hostnames and countries.

NRS clarification. The service name is RIPEstat, not “RIPE state”. Measurement and information services do not themselves confer administrative control over a network.

RIPE organizational structure

RIPE NCC is made up of:

Members

Members have direct control over the RIPE NCC's operations and offerings. Members are in charge of proposing and choosing candidates for the RIPE NCC executive board, as well as adopting the organization's billing structure and approving its annual financial report. Members also offer feedback and suggestions regarding the RIPE NCC's operations and services.

NRS clarification. Members exercise rights through the association’s procedures; this does not mean each member directs staff or independently decides number-resource policy. RIPE community consensus is a separate process.

Executive board

RIPE NCC members nominate and elect the executive board. The board consists of between three and seven members and is responsible for appointing the RIPE NCC's managing director, for the overall financial situation of the RIPE NCC and for keeping records that allow the financial situation of the organization to be evaluated at any time.

RIPE NCC staff

Staff members perform the activities of the RIPE NCC, provide services to its members and provide administrative support to RIPE.

RIPE Databases

RIPE Registry

The IP addresses and AS numbers that were initially assigned to members by the RIPE NCC are registered in the public database known as the RIPE Database. It displays who currently owns which Internet number resources, when the allocations were made, and contact information for those organizations or people. Information in the database must be updated by the organizations or people who own these resources.

NRS clarification. Registration and contact information do not by themselves settle every legal question of address ownership. Responsible organisations must maintain their records.

RIPE Routing Registry

A portion of the RIPE Database, the RIPE Routing Registry (RR) stores routing data in RPSL. The Internet RR, a group of databases that mirror one another, includes the RIPE RR.

NRS clarification. Registered routing policy, observed BGP announcements and other IRR records are separate things to check; they do not always match.

RIPE NCC Charging Fees 2023

The 2023 Charging Scheme was approved by the RIPE NCC membership at the May 2022 General Meeting (GM).

NRS clarification. The charges and billing dates below are the 2023 schedule. The 2026 schedule lists EUR1,800 per LIR account annually, EUR75 per independent assignment, EUR50 per ASN assignment and a EUR1,000 sign-up fee, subject to its definitions and conditions.

RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2023

An increase of EUR 150 in the 2023 annual contribution (service fee) per LIR account was approved at the May 2022 GM. This increase was in response to rising economic uncertainty, inflation, and a potential reduction in the number of paying members.

The separate charge of EUR 50 per Independent Internet Number resource assignment will be continued. Resources falling under this charge are IPv4 and IPv6 PI assignments; Any-cast assignments; IPv4 and IPv6 IXP assignments; and Legacy IPv4 resource registrations through a sponsoring LIR. AS Numbers are excluded from this charge.

NRS clarification. The ASN exclusion in the 2023 description no longer applies; the 2026 schedule linked below is the current one.

Charge basis:

per LIR account

Annual fee:

EUR 1,550 per LIR account + (EUR 50 per Independent number resource assignment – see definition above)

Sign-up fee:

EUR 1,000

Billing and Invoicing

The Independent Internet number resource information for members will be determined based on data gathered on 31 December 2022. Invoices will be sent in the first quarter of 2023.

References:

- https://www.ripe.net

- Regional Internet Registries

The link above is the article’s own; a direct NRO reference is also available.

- ripe-ncc-rir-overview-and-main-terms-ip-owners-should-know

Take the issue to the body that can decide it

• Resource policy: contribute reasoned proposals through RIPE working groups and mailing lists. The PDP seeks consensus; it is not a membership ballot.
• Association governance: check membership standing, meeting registration, voting eligibility and proxy procedures before elections or financial votes. Additional LIR accounts do not give the same member extra votes.
• Since 29 September 2026, acquiring additional LIR accounts under existing memberships is temporarily restricted, including pending requests. Existing accounts are not ordered closed, and the decision does not itself amend IPv4 policy.
• NRS’s position: operators whose businesses depend on these records need meaningful influence. Participation must make it possible to raise objections, organise support and hold decision-makers accountable for outcomes.

Sources, verified 5 October 2026

The RIPE–RIPE NCC relationship, Articles of Association and PDP distinguish responsibilities. The IPv4 waiting-list guidance, 2026 charging scheme and 195th Board minutes document current conditions. The article’s own references are above.

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