The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is the registry and coordination function that keeps certain technical identifiers—such as top-level-domain data, IP address allocations and protocol codes—globally consistent. It does not run or control the whole Internet. Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), an ICANN affiliate, performs the IANA functions, while the communities that use them develop the relevant policies.
What does IANA mean?
IANA stands for Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. The name refers to a set of functions and authoritative public registries, rather than to a central authority governing all Internet activity. Those registries document allocations and definitions for identifiers that need consistent meanings across independently operated networks and software. IANA describes its role as a public service: the registries are published openly, its services are provided without charge, and it implements policies developed by the communities it serves. IANA: About
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What does IANA do?
IANA’s work falls into three areas: domain names, number resources and protocol parameters. IANA: Governance
Domain names and the DNS root
IANA maintains DNS root-zone records, including top-level-domain delegations such as .com and .uk, along with associated technical data. This is different from registering an ordinary domain such as example.com for a customer. IANA’s root-zone role concerns the delegation and technical records for top-level domains; it is not the retail service through which an individual buys or renews a domain. IANA: Root Zone Management
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IP addresses and autonomous system numbers
IANA coordinates global Internet Protocol (IP) address and autonomous system number resources, including allocations to the Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). RIRs serve their respective regions; IANA’s role is at the global coordination level. IANA: Number Resources
Protocol parameters
IANA maintains registries of names, numbers and other values used by Internet protocols. For DNS, these include record types, classes and response codes. Such registries give protocol implementers a shared reference for what assigned values mean. Entries can change as assignments are made; the DNS parameters page listed 28 August 2026 as its last update when consulted. IANA: DNS Parameters
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Who performs IANA’s functions, and who sets the rules?
Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), a nonprofit public benefit corporation and ICANN affiliate, performs the IANA functions. PTI was formed in 2016, and ICANN is its sole member. IANA: Governance
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Operational responsibility and policy-making are distinct. IANA implements policies; it does not set them unilaterally. The policy process depends on the identifier area:
- Domain names: policies are developed through ICANN multistakeholder processes.
- Number resources: policies are developed by the RIR communities.
- Protocol parameters: assignments follow the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standards process.
Oversight also varies by function and includes bodies such as the Customer Standing Committee, the Root Zone Evolution Review Committee, the IETF and the RIRs. IANA: Governance
How IANA’s role differs from domain registration and Internet governance
IANA’s coordination work supports a decentralized Internet: networks and software can interoperate when globally significant identifiers have a shared reference. That does not mean IANA controls Internet content, decides how every network operates or sells ordinary domains. Its remit is narrower: maintaining and coordinating the registries and assignments within its defined functions. For domain names in particular, root-zone delegation is not the same activity as registering a second-level domain for an end user.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When did PTI take over the IANA functions?
The current arrangement began on 1 October 2016, when the transition to PTI became effective. The prior U.S. government contract lapsed on 30 September 2016. Those dates describe a completed historical transition, not a current change in IANA’s operating structure. IANA: Stewardship Transition
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