Good to Know
You need ETH on Ethereum Mainnet for both the registration fee and gas costs.
Registration involves two onchain transactions: a commit transaction and a register transaction.
You can register for a set number of years or select a specific expiry date.
During registration, you can set your Primary Name and customise your profile.
Search and Set Details Before Registration
Step 1: Search for an Available Name
Navigate to the ENS App.
Enter your desired name in the search bar.
If the name is available, you'll see the option to proceed with registration.
Step 2: Select Registration Duration
Choose how long to register the name:
By years: Select the number of years for your initial registration.
By date: Click the calendar icon to choose a specific expiry date.
Step 3: Set Your Primary Name (Optional)
Connect your wallet and decide whether this name should become your wallet's Primary Name. When set, your Primary Name displays as your identity across ENS-compatible applications instead of your wallet address.
Learn about The Primary Name
Step 4: Create Your Profile (Optional)
Add information to your ENS profile before registering. Including:
Wallet addresses: ETH and other cryptocurrency addresses
Social handles: Twitter, Discord, Telegram, and other accounts
Decentralised website: Link via contenthash
Avatar & Header images: Upload files or select NFT for avatar and header images
Other records: Email and custom text records
Tip: Use the Upload Image option for your avatar to benefit from gasless changes.
Completing the Registration Process
Registration requires ETH on Mainnet Ethereum for registration and gas fees
Registration is a three-step process designed to prevent front-running:
Request to Register
A 0ETH 'commit' transaction to prevent front-running
Wait 60 Seconds
A 60 second waiting time
Register
The actual Registration transaction
Step 1: Request to Register (Commit)
To Request to Register, click Begin.
Open your wallet and approve the transaction.
Wait for the transaction to be processed on Ethereum.
This transaction has no ETH value but still incurs a gas fee. It hashes your desired name with a secret key, preventing others from seeing which name you're registering.
Important: This step stores a secret key in your browser's local storage. Avoid clearing your cache or switching browsers until registration is complete. You have 24 hours to finish Step 3 before this commit expires. The name is not reserved for you during this time.
Step 2: Wait 60 Seconds
After the commit transaction completes, a mandatory 60-second waiting period begins. This delay prevents front-running attacks where someone could see your pending registration and register the name before you.
Step 3: Complete Registration (register)
Click Complete Registration.
Confirm the transaction in your wallet.
Wait for the transaction to be processed.
Once confirmed, you're the owner of your new ENS name.
Pricing
Registration fees are based on the length of the name:
Number of characters | Example | Annual fee |
5+ characters |
| $5 |
4 characters |
| $160 |
3 characters |
| $640 |
All fees are paid in ETH on Ethereum Mainnet. Gas fees are additional and vary with network activity.
Troubleshooting
Common Questions
How much does it cost to register a .eth name?
Fees depend on name length: $5/year for 5+ characters, $160/year for 4 characters, and $640/year for 3 characters. These are paid in ETH on Ethereum, plus gas fees.
What is the minimum registration?
There's no minimum. In the ENS App, you can choose the duration by date - even as short as one day - or set it in years, depending on how long you want to register the name.
Can I use any wallet?
Yes. Any wallet that supports Ethereum (such as MetaMask, Rainbow, or Coinbase Wallet) can be used to register and manage a .eth name.
What is a Primary Name?
The Primary Name links your wallet address to a readable .eth name. For example, instead of displaying 0x123...abcd, dApps can show yourname.eth. You can set it during registration or afterwards. See How to Set as Primary Name
What Records can i add?
You can add ETH and other wallet addresses, social handles, a decentralised website (via contenthash), an avatar image, email, and other text records. These are optional and can be added or updated later. See How to Edit Profile and How to set an Avatar.
Can i register a name in Grace Period?
No. A name can only be extended during the Grace Period, not registered. Extending a name in this state does not transfer ownership; it only renews it for the current owner. See Name Lifecycle and Temporary Premium.
Can i register a name in Temporary Premium?
Yes. Anyone can register a name during Temporary Premium by paying the listed premium fee. You can also wait for the premium to decrease and register the name if it's still available. See Name Lifecycle and Temporary Premium.
Can I register names other than .eth?
No. ENS only supports .eth names directly and does not manage or create other TLDs. However, DNS domains can be imported to become ENS names. See DNS Names
Is the name reserved for me after Step 1?
No. The commit does not reserve the name. If someone else registers it faster, they may still get it. Complete Step 3 promptly to avoid losing the name.
Can I cancel or undo a registration?
No. ENS names are non-refundable. Once registered, the name belongs to your wallet until you transfer it or it expires and is newly registered by someone else.
What happens if I don’t complete the registration?
The commit from Step 1 expires after 24 hours. If you miss this window, you'll need to restart the process from Step 1.
Can I transfer a name after registration?
Yes. You can transfer ownership at any time. You can also update the Manager (who controls records) separately. See How to Edit Roles
Is the name stored onchain?
Yes. All .eth names are fully onchain as ERC-721 NFTs (or ERC-1155 NFTs for wrapped names). You can view, transfer, or interact with them using standard Ethereum tools and marketplaces.
Why doesn't the name i search say 'available'?
If the name does not say available, it cannot be registered. This could mean it's already registered, in Grace Period, too short, has an unsupported format, or is otherwise unavailable. See Search Bar & Name Status
Why doesn't my name appear correctly on marketplaces (e.g. OpenSea)
Marketplace metadata can take time to update. See OpenSea and Third Party Sites: Refresh Metadata