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

Fri May 30 15:03:04 EDT 2025

 Thanks, Matt. I think it’s fair to say that a technically capable
individual who operates a real, justified network—even if it’s small and
not commercially driven—poses minimal risk to the global routing system,
especially under current ARIN policies that already require resource
justification and accountability. That said, policy needs to balance
inclusivity with safeguards against speculative requests or identity
obfuscation, which could increase the complexity of ARIN’s governance and
enforcement. By drawing a clear line between "hobbyist" and "operator"
based on intent and routing visibility—not legal entity status—we can
support legitimate individual participation without undermining stewardship
of the number resource pool.

Best,
Ben

*BEN SHAPIRO*
President | Willamette Internet Exchange
president at thewix.net | (541) 255-0280

On May 30, 2025 at 11:40:33 AM, Matt Erculiani <merculiani at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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:
>> > > > https://lists.arin.net/mailman/listinfo/arin-ppml
>> > > > 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
>> > > ===============================================
>> > >
>> > >  _______________________________________________
>> > > ARIN-PPML
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>> > >
>> > >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > ARIN-PPML
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