What is a Local Internet Registry (LIR)?
A Local Internet Registry is a term used to describe the members of the RIPE NCC. They are called LIRs because they are responsible for the distribution of address space & registration of the address space on a local level. The LIRs also ensure that policies and procedures are followed on the local level. Organisations that become LIRs are mainly Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that assign and allocate address space on to their customers, Telecom and Enterprise organisations, as well as Academic institutions. Academic institutions are organisations that require large blocks of address space that cannot be obtained from an upstream provider. For more information about Local Internet Registries please see the membership section.
