Registering a .eth name makes it yours for the time you pay for.
You do it in the ENS App at app.ens.domains, the everyday way to manage names. For more control, see Register a .eth name in ENS Explorer.
You need a connected wallet (see Connect a wallet) holding enough stablecoins (USDC) on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum or Optimism, or ETH, for the fee and the network fee (gas).
Steps
On the ENS App home page, type the name into the search bar. If it's available, the registration page opens.
Choose how long: Starter (1 year), Committed (3 years) or Long-term identity (6 years). Or open Register to date and pick an expiry date, at least 28 days ahead. The summary shows the total.
Select Continue to payment. If the app asks, turn on Smart Sessions.
In the payment window, under Pay with, the app lists your USDC and ETH. Check the one it picked, or pick another.
Select Sign approval, or Swap and Register if you picked ETH, and approve each prompt in your wallet.
Optional: turn on expiry notifications, or skip.
Keep this browser open until the registration confirms. Then the name is yours. Next, edit your profile.
If your wallet has no primary name and owns fewer than five names, this becomes its primary name. Otherwise, you can set a primary name later.
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Common questions
How much does it cost?
The yearly fee depends on how many characters the name has. Names must be at least 3 characters.
Name length | Example | Yearly fee |
5+ characters |
| $8 |
4 characters |
| $160 |
3 characters |
| $640 |
Register for 2 years or more and every year costs less. See Pricing, fees and multi-year discounts.
Can I pay by card?
No. You pay from your connected wallet, in USDC or ETH.
Where did the rest of my USDC go?
Your payment goes through your smart account (HCA), which is topped up with a little extra. Anything that isn't spent stays there and goes towards your next registration or renewal.
To send it back to your wallet, open your account menu and select Withdraw leftover funds, then Withdraw to wallet. Approve each step in your wallet. You need ETH for gas.
Can I cancel or get a refund?
No. A confirmed registration can't be undone or refunded, so check the spelling before you pay.
I refreshed or closed the page partway. Did it go through?
Registering stops partway if you refresh or close the page before it confirms. Check the name before you pay again:
Connect your wallet in the ENS App and turn on Smart Sessions if it asks.
Open the name. If it shows as yours, it went through.
If the app shows a button to resume, select it.
If neither happens, leave a message with the team. Do one registration at a time: a second one started alongside the first fails.
A name just expired. Can I register it?
Not straight away. First it has a grace period, when nobody else can register it. Then it has a Price Cooldown, when it costs extra for a while. See Expiry & grace period and Price Cooldown.
My name is still on ENSv1. Do I register it again?
No. Registering is for names you don't own yet. A name you already own on ENSv1 is upgraded instead. See Upgrade your name to ENSv2.
Can I register a name that doesn't end in .eth?
No. You can't register a DNS name, such as example.com, through ENS. If you already own one, you can import it in ENS Explorer. See Import a DNS name.
Can I transfer the name to another wallet later?
Yes, in ENS Explorer, as long as the name hasn't expired. See Transfer a name.