RFC 9915 - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6)

• Status: Internet Standard
• STD: 102
• Published: January 2026
• Stream: IETF
• Obsoletes: RFC 8415
• Errata: RFC Editor Errata

Abstract

This document specifies DHCPv6, including client/server and relay behavior, message formats, DUIDs, identity associations, address and prefix assignment, authentication, options, privacy and security considerations, and IANA updates. It obsoletes RFC 8415.

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Requirements
• 3. Background
• 4. Terminology
• 5. Client/Server Exchanges
• 6. Operational Models
• 7. DHCP Constants
• 8. Client/Server Message Formats
• 9. Relay Agent/Server Message Formats
• 10. Representation and Use of Domain Names
• 11. DHCP Unique Identifier (DUID)
• 12. Identity Association
• 13. Assignment to an IA
• 14. Transmission of Messages by a Client
• 15. Reliability of Client-Initiated Message Exchanges
• 16. Message Validation
• 17. Client Source Address and Interface Selection
• 18. DHCP Configuration Exchanges
• 19. Relay Agent Behavior
• 20. Authentication of DHCP Messages
• 21. DHCP Options
• 22. Security Considerations
• 23. Privacy Considerations
• 24. IANA Considerations
• 25. References
• Appendix A. Summary of Changes from RFC 8415
• Appendix B. Appearance of Options in Message Types
• Appendix C. Appearance of Options in the "options" Field of DHCP Options
• Acknowledgments
• Authors' Addresses

Related Resources

• Official Text: RFC 9915
• Official Page: RFC 9915 DataTracker
• Errata: RFC Editor Errata