How to Buy an ENS Domain: Registration and Setup

To buy an available ENS domain, register the exact .eth name through the official ENS App using ETH on Ethereum Mainnet. The current process has a commit transaction, a short waiting period and a registration transaction. Buying an already owned name from a seller is a separate marketplace transaction.

Before buying: make a small registration brief

Write down the complete name, intended use and receiving wallet. If you are still choosing between systems, start with our choosing guide. Use the spelling checklist to avoid paying for a label that your audience struggles to recognize.

Decide who should control the identity before connecting a wallet. For a team, record the responsible maintainer and where the expiry will be tracked. Keep credentials out of that document. A public handle and a wallet address belong in different fields so that the proposed setup can be reviewed clearly.

Check the current costs

For example, three years at the current $5 annual tier gives a $15 registration component before gas. That arithmetic does not check availability, convert ETH at a fixed exchange rate or include a premium. Save the actual quote and time checked. Our ENS cost guide explains the price categories.

Register the available name in the ENS App

The following sequence summarizes the official registration instructions. It describes the current Mainnet flow, rather than a purchase we performed.

1. Open app.ens.domains, connect the intended wallet and search the full name.
2. For an available registration, select the term or expiry date. Review any optional primary-name and profile setup.
3. Begin the commit and inspect the wallet request. This first transaction has zero ETH value apart from gas.
4. After confirmation, follow the 60-second timer. Keep the same browser and its registration data.
5. Complete registration and review the second wallet request, including the term fee and gas.
6. Wait for confirmation, then check the name’s owner and expiry.

The commit does not reserve the name. Complete the process within the documented 24-hour window. ENS also advises against replacing or speeding up the commit transaction because the app tracks its original hash.

What to check after registration

Treat the confirmation as the start of a short acceptance check. Reopen the exact name independently and compare the displayed owner with your registration brief. Record the confirmed expiry and transaction references. A pending wallet request or the first transaction alone is insufficient evidence that the name has been registered.

Next check the receiving address through the address-record guide. If you want apps to display the name for your wallet, follow the separate primary-name guide. Keep the app and network context with any compatibility result.

Common questions before you pay

Can I use ETH held on Base?

The current .eth fee instructions require Ethereum Mainnet ETH. An ETH balance on another network does not satisfy that Mainnet requirement. Confirm the balance and network shown by your wallet before beginning.

What if the name is already owned?

Do not follow the new-registration steps for a resale. Investigate the exact asset, holder, expiry and marketplace route. The selling guide explains listing and offer concepts from the seller’s side.

What if the process looks different?

Check the current official instructions, particularly during the announced ENSv2 transition. Stop if a wallet request does not match the action you intended. Use the safety checklist before following an unsolicited fix or upgrade message.