[arin-ppml] Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4: Resource Issuance to Natural Persons

Fri May 30 14:40:33 EDT 2025

I’ll double down.

What threat does a hobbyist pose to the global routing or Internet numbers
systems?

Presumably someone going through this process isn’t your average
home-labber; what’s the harm in them having a block of their own unique
IPv6 if they pay the bill on-time? There are plenty of tunnel services that
make this a viable option these days.

I’m prepared to be eaten alive for the suggestion.

Matt Erculiani

On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 12:30 Tyler O'Meara via ARIN-PPML <
arin-ppml at arin.net> wrote:

> Hi Ben,
>
> I don't think a categorical exclusion for "hobbyists" (whatever that
> actually
> means in practice) is necessary or useful. The relevant sections for
> resource
> justifications already require operating an actual network, so someone (or
> organization) who wanted to come in and get IP addresses without running a
> network would already be excluded. I suppose theoretically they could
> request a
> single ASN, but if they're not planning on actually running a network that
> ASN
> is worthless to them anyways.
>
> I'll also note that not all valid use cases for acquiring resources
> necessitate
> participating in global routing, although I doubt those use cases are
> particularly relevant to natural persons. We should be careful not to
> accidentally remove these use cases however.
>
> Tyler
>
> On Fri, 2025-05-30 at 11:12 -0700, Ben Shapiro wrote:
> >  Thank you David, for the thoughtful revisions and to ARIN staff for
> > progressing this discussion.
> >
> > As someone involved in the operation of a small-to-medium Internet
> Exchange
> > Point (IXP), I’d like to offer a complementary perspective from the
> > interconnection and community network operator ecosystem.
> >
> > IXPs—particularly regional, volunteer-run, or lightly incorporated
> > ones—frequently interface with a range of participants, including small
> ISPs,
> > research networks, community fiber projects, and technically capable
> > individuals who operate networks that meaningfully contribute to regional
> > interconnection and resiliency. Some of these operators do not have
> formal
> > corporate structures, yet they are deeply engaged in the technical and
> > operational requirements of network management and peering. From our
> vantage
> > point, the exclusion of natural persons from eligibility can pose an
> > artificial barrier that does not align with real-world routing and
> > interconnection practices.
> >
> > While I agree with David that natural persons operating legal businesses
> > should unquestionably be considered valid organizations, I also see
> > operational value in supporting natural persons who:
> >
> >  * Operate autonomous systems used in peering environments;
> >  * Maintain IPv6 prefixes with global routing visibility;
> >  * Support last-mile, experimental, or community-focused efforts.
> >
> > Such actors are already required to justify their needs under existing
> ARIN
> > policies. Adding verification of identity and residency, as the draft
> > suggests, provides accountability without unduly excluding legitimate
> network
> > operators who do not or cannot register as a business.
> >
> > From the IXP perspective, clarity is important. I support revising the
> policy
> > language to explicitly differentiate:
> >
> >    1. Hobbyists with no operational network or intent to participate in
> global
> > routing (not eligible),
> >    2. Natural persons operating a routable, justified network
> (eligible), and
> >    3. Natural persons operating a legal business (clearly eligible).
> >
> > A possible refinement might be:
> >
> > > An organization is a company, corporation, partnership, sole
> proprietorship,
> > > government agency, non-profit entity, educational institution, or
> natural
> > > person who operates a network consistent with ARIN’s resource
> justification
> > > requirements and, where applicable, provides verification of identity
> and
> > > residency. A natural person solely acting as a hobbyist is not
> considered an
> > > organization.
> >
> > This language allows for policy consistency while acknowledging that
> technical
> > legitimacy can come in many forms.
> >
> > Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I support further refinement
> of this
> > proposal and appreciate ARIN’s responsiveness to community input.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Ben
> >
> >
> > BEN SHAPIRO
> > President | Willamette Internet Exchange
> > president at thewix.net | (541) 255-0280
> >
> >
> >  On May 30, 2025 at 10:59:00 AM, David Farmer via ARIN-PPML
> > <arin-ppml at arin.net> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > I do not support the policy as written. As written, it is unclear
> whether
> > > natural persons not conducting business and acting solely as hobbyists
> are
> > > excluded. However, natural persons operating businesses in their own
> name
> > > should be considered valid organizations.
> > >
> > > Organizations must;
> > >    1. Operate as legal businesses within the ARIN service region.
> > >    2. Operate a network within the ARIN service region with Internet
> number
> > > resources allocated by or registered with ARIN.
> > >    3. Meet other policy or eligibility criteria.
> > >  From a policy perspective, the first two are fundamental criteria
> that must
> > > be included in the definition of an organization.
> > >
> > > I suggest the following revision to the policy text;
> > >
> > > > 2.x Organization
> > >
> > > > An organization is a company, corporation, partnership, sole
> > > > proprietorship, government agency, non-profit entity, educational
> > > > institution, or natural person operating as a legal business within
> the
> > > > ARIN service region. It must also operate a network within the ARIN
> > > > service region with Internet number resources allocated by or
> registered
> > > > with ARIN and meet other policy or eligibility criteria.
> > >
> > > I also want to point out the recent blog post by ARIN Staff about this
> > > subject.
> > > https://www.arin.net/blog/2025/05/28/individual-requests/
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > On Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:33 PM ARIN <info at arin.net> wrote:
> > > > On 15 May 2025, the ARIN Advisory Council (AC) accepted
> ARIN-prop-343:
> > > > Resource Issuance to Natural Persons as Draft Policy.
> > > >
> > > > Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4 is below and can be found at:
> > > >
> > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/drafts/2025_4
> > > >
> > > > You are encouraged to discuss all Draft Policies on PPML. The AC will
> > > > evaluate the discussion to assess the conformance of this draft
> policy
> > > > with ARIN's Principles of Internet number resource policy as stated
> in the
> > > > Policy Development Process (PDP). Specifically, these principles are:
> > > >
> > > > * Enabling Fair and Impartial Number Resource Administration
> > > > * Technically Sound
> > > > * Supported by the Community
> > > >
> > > > The PDP can be found at:
> > > >
> > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/pdp/
> > > >
> > > > Draft Policies and Proposals under discussion can be found at:
> > > >
> > > > https://www.arin.net/participate/policy/drafts/
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > >
> > > > Eddie Diego
> > > > Policy Analyst
> > > > American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Draft Policy ARIN-2025-4: Resource Issuance to Natural Persons
> > > >
> > > > Problem Statement:
> > > >
> > > > ARIN policies currently restrict the issuance of number resources to
> > > > organizations. This limits access for individuals who are running
> networks
> > > > under their own legal name, especially in regions where forming or
> > > > registering a business is not required or feasible. Other RIRs such
> as
> > > > RIPE NCC allow individuals to receive resources directly. ARIN should
> > > > consider similar flexibility to ensure equal and consistent access to
> > > > Internet number resources for all operators, regardless of legal
> > > > structure.
> > > >
> > > > Policy Statement:
> > > >
> > > > This proposal introduces explicit policy text into the NRPM to allow
> > > > number resource issuance to natural persons (individuals) who provide
> > > > valid justification and identity verification.
> > > >
> > > > Amend NRPM Section 2 to add the following definition:
> > > >
> > > > 2.18 Organization
> > > >
> > > > An organization is a company, corporation, partnership, sole
> > > > proprietorship, government agency, non-profit entity, educational
> > > > institution, or a natural person acting in a capacity consistent with
> > > > operating a network and who meets ARIN’s resource eligibility
> criteria.
> > > >
> > > > Comments:
> > > >
> > > > Sections 4.2, 5.1, and 6.5 shall be interpreted to allow
> “organizations”
> > > > as newly defined in Section 2.12, thereby including individuals where
> > > > appropriate.
> > > >
> > > > Staff may develop identity verification and residency requirements
> > > > appropriate to individuals (e.g., government-issued photo ID and
> proof of
> > > > address).
> > > >
> > > > All resource justification, utilization, and RSA signing requirements
> > > > remain unchanged.
> > > >
> > > > There has been extensive discussion of this topic on the ARIN Public
> > > > Policy Mailing List (PPML) in April 2025. Participants have cited
> > > > inconsistencies and barriers created by reliance on state-level
> business
> > > > registries, and called for more inclusive eligibility mechanisms
> similar
> > > > to other RIR regions. The proposal addresses these concerns while
> > > > maintaining accountability and justification requirements.
> > > >
> > > > Timetable for implementation:
> > > >
> > > > Recommend implementation within 3–6 months of ratification to allow
> ARIN
> > > > staff and legal counsel to develop supporting processes.
> > > >
> > > > Anything else:
> > > >
> > > > This proposal does not reduce the level of justification required to
> > > > obtain resources, but merely expands eligibility to natural persons
> who
> > > > operate networks and meet all existing technical and usage criteria.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > ARIN-PPML
> > > > You are receiving this message because you are subscribed to
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> > > > Unsubscribe or manage your mailing list subscription at:
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> > > > Please contact info at arin.net if you experience any issues.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > ===============================================
> > > David Farmer               Email:farmer at umn.edu
> > > Networking & Telecommunication Services
> > > Office of Information Technology
> > > University of Minnesota
> > > 2218 University Ave SE        Phone: 612-626-0815
> > > Minneapolis, MN 55414-3029   Cell: 612-812-9952
> > > ===============================================
> > >
> > >  _______________________________________________
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> > >
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