Registration takes about 3 minutes at app.ens.domains — two transactions in your wallet with a 60-second wait between them. You'll need ETH on Ethereum Mainnet for the registration fee and gas — no other cost.
Good to know
Registration is two on-chain transactions (commit, then register). The 60-second pause stops front-running.
You need ETH on Ethereum Mainnet for the registration fee and gas — no other cost.
You can register by number of years or pick a specific expiry date.
You can set your Primary Name and fill in your profile during the same flow.
The flow at a glance
Request to register (commit)
A 0 ETH transaction that records the name you want. You pay only gas.Wait 60 seconds
The timer prevents front-running.Register
The second transaction. You pay the registration fee and gas. The NFT lands in your wallet.
The two transactions exist because if registration were one transaction, someone could see your transaction in the mempool, copy it with higher gas, and grab the name first. The commit hides the name until the second transaction reveals it.
Step 1: Set up the registration in the app
Go to app.ens.domains and connect your wallet, then search for the name you want. If it's free, you'll see the option to register.
Pick how long to register:
By years — pick the number of years.
By date — click the calendar icon and choose an expiry date.
Two optional setup steps follow. You can complete either now, or skip and do them later from the name's profile.
Set as Primary Name. A Primary Name tells apps to show yourname.eth instead of your 0x address across ENS-aware apps. Learn about The Primary Name.
Fill in your profile. You can pre-fill any of these records and they'll be live the moment registration completes:
Wallet addresses — ETH and other cryptocurrency addresses.
Social handles — X, Discord, Telegram, and others.
Decentralised website — link a site via contenthash.
Avatar and header images — upload a file or pick an NFT.
Other records — email and custom text records.
Tip: pick Upload Image for your avatar — that record is gasless to change later.
Step 2: Approve the commit transaction
Needs ETH on Ethereum Mainnet for the registration fee and gas — no other cost.
Click Begin and approve in your wallet. The commit is a 0 ETH transaction — you pay only gas. It stores a secret in your browser that links your wallet to the name you picked.
Important: don't clear your browser cache or switch browsers before you complete the registration in Step 4. You have 24 hours to complete registration before the commit expires. The name is not reserved for you during this window.
Important: don't speed up this commit transaction. The ENS App tracks a hash stored in your browser — replacing the commit strands your registration on "Almost there". If the commit is slow, wait it out.
Step 3: Wait 60 seconds
A 60-second timer starts. This is what prevents front-running — by the time anyone else could see your commit, you've already moved on.
Step 4: Approve the registration transaction
Click Complete Registration and approve in your wallet. This is the second transaction — you pay the registration fee and gas. Most confirm in 1–2 blocks (12–24 seconds); busy networks can take longer. Once it lands, the name is yours and the NFT shows up in your wallet.
Pricing
3-character names $640/yr · 4-character $160/yr · 5+ character $5/yr. See full pricing.
Fees are paid in ETH on Ethereum Mainnet. Gas is on top and varies with network activity.
Troubleshooting
Common questions
How much does it cost?
3-character names $640/year, 4-character $160/year, 5+ character $5/year. Paid in ETH on Ethereum Mainnet, plus gas. See full pricing.
What's the minimum length of registration?
28 days. You can register by date or by years.
Can I use any wallet?
Yes. Any wallet that supports Ethereum — MetaMask, Rainbow, Coinbase Wallet, and others — can register and manage a .eth name.
Can I register a name that's in Grace Period?
No. A name in Grace Period can only be extended, not registered.
Can I register a name in Temporary Premium?
Yes. Anyone can register a name during Temporary Premium by paying the listed premium fee on top of the normal registration fee.
Can I register names other than .eth?
No — the ENS App only registers .eth names. DNS domains can be imported as ENS names, but that's a different flow.
Is the name reserved after the commit?
No. The commit doesn't reserve the name. If someone else completes their registration first, they get it. Finish Step 4 promptly.
Can I cancel or get a refund?
No. ENS names aren't refundable. Once registered, the name belongs to your wallet until you transfer it or it expires.
What if I don't finish registering?
The commit expires after 24 hours. If you miss that window, you can start over from Step 1.
Can I transfer a name after registering?
Yes. You can transfer ownership any time. See How to Edit Roles.
Why doesn't a name I searched show as available?
It might already be registered, in Grace Period, too short, or in an unsupported format. The search bar shows the status next to the name.