How to Check the Status of Your IPv4 Waitlist Request
Joining an IPv4 waitlist is a smart long-term move in a world where IPv4 space is scarce and expensive. But once your request is submitted, the big question is: “Where am I in the queue, and how long will it take?”
While each Regional Internet Registry (RIR) handles waitlists slightly differently, the overall process of checking your request status follows similar patterns. Understanding what to look for—and how to interpret the updates will help you plan better while you wait for your allocation.
Step 1: Log In to Your RIR Portal
The first place to check your IPv4 waitlist status is your RIR’s member portal. After submitting a request, most registries create or update a ticket associated with your organization.
Typical portals include:
- ARIN Online (for North America and parts of the Caribbean)
- RIPE NCC LIR Portal (for Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia)
- APNIC, LACNIC, or AFRINIC portals (for their respective regions)
Once logged in, look for:
- Open tickets or requests related to IPv4 resources
- A label like “IPv4 Waiting List” or “IPv4 Request – Pending.”
- Status fields such as In Review, Approved – Waiting List, or Closed.
If your request has been formally placed on the waitlist, the ticket usually reflects that with wording that confirms “added to waiting list” or “approved for future allocation.”
Step 2: Check Your Request Details Carefully
Before worrying about your position in the queue, make sure your request itself is solid. Confirm that:
- Your organization’s information (legal name, addresses, contacts) is correct.
- You have provided valid justification for IPv4 need (e.g., usage plans, multi-homing, growth)
- Any required supporting documents (such as network plans or existing utilization) are attached.
If anything is missing or incorrect, your request may stall or be returned for clarification. That can delay your place on the waitlist, so correcting it early is crucial.
Step 3: Understand What “Status” Really Means
RIRs rarely show an exact “number in line” like a deli ticket. Instead, they tend to provide:
- Request state – e.g., Pending Review, Approved – Awaiting Space, or Completed.
- Approval notice – indicating that your organization is eligible and is now waiting for reclaimed space
- Policy notes – such as minimum holding periods and size limits (for example, many waitlists only allocate/24 to each qualified member)
It’s helpful to think of your status in three broad stages:
- Submitted – RIR received your request but has not yet approved it.
- Approved/On Waitlist – Your request is valid and waiting for available space.
- Fulfilled – A block has been assigned; your ticket will show details of the allocation.
If you are “approved and on the waitlist,” your status is as good as it can be until the registry receives enough returned or reclaimed space to serve your request.
Step 4: Monitor RIR Announcements and Statistics
While you may not see your exact position, you can still track the overall movement of the waitlist by watching:
- Public waitlist statistics (some RIRs publish counts of requests and fulfilled allocations)
- Policy updates that affect eligibility, maximum prefix size, or holding times
- News about large address returns or reclaimed space
These signals won’t tell you your exact date, but they help you estimate whether the queue is moving quickly, slowly, or barely at all.
Step 5: Contact RIR Support If Needed
If your ticket has been stuck with no movement or if you are unsure whether you are actually on the waitlist, it is perfectly acceptable to open a support inquiry.
When reaching out:
- Reference your ticket or request ID.
- Ask clearly whether your request is approved and placed on the waitlist.
- Confirm if there’s anything else your organization needs to provide
- Ask whether your contact details and organization records are fully up to date.
Support teams cannot guarantee allocation dates, but they can confirm your formal status and help resolve issues that might block your request.
Step 6: Plan for Interim Solutions
Even with a confirmed waitlist request, it’s common for organizations to wait months or even years before receiving space. That’s why smart network planners:
- Use leased IPv4 space for immediate growth.
- Consider transfers from other organizations when budgets and policies allow
- Start or accelerate IPv6 deployment, especially for new services.
- Reserve the waitlist allocation as a future, stable core for their addressing plan.
Instead of viewing the waitlist as the only path, treat it as one important piece of a larger IPv4 and IPv6 strategy.
About IPv4Hub.net
While you’re waiting in the queue, IPv4Hub.net can help bridge the gap between your current needs and your future RIR allocation. IPv4Hub.net specializes in leasing and brokering clean, reputation-checked IPv4 space, giving you flexible, immediately usable ranges while your waitlist request is pending. Their team can also help you understand RIR policies, prepare justification, and align your long-term addressing strategy. By combining temporary leased space with future direct allocations, IPv4Hub.net helps businesses grow now without sacrificing governance, compliance, or control over their IP strategy. Reliable IPv4 info available here.
Checking the status of your IPv4 waitlist request is less about watching a countdown and more about understanding where you stand in the RIR process. By using your member portal, reviewing your ticket details, staying aware of policy updates, and communicating with support when necessary, you can be confident that your request is in good shape even if the timeline is long.
While you wait, working with partners like IPv4Hub.net ensures that your network growth does not stall. With the right combination of leased space, waitlisted allocations, and careful planning, you can keep your business moving forward in 2025 and beyond, even in a tight IPv4 market.