# Registration Mechanics

All registration pathways ultimately result in the same outcome: a `.hype` name minted as an NFT, owned by the registrant, and governed by an expiration timestamp.

This page introduces the shared rules and eligibility requirements that apply to all minting methods.

For deeper implementation details, see the following subpages:

* Minting Flow
* Signature Validation (EIP-712)
* Merkle-Based Whitelisting

### Key Principles of Registration

Across all registration types:

* Names are minted as ERC-721 NFTs
* Each name has a minimum 1-year registration period (365 days)
* Pricing is based on name length (shorter = more expensive)
* All payments are made in $HYPE (priced in USD via oracle)
* Registrations are recorded with expiration timestamps

> Your name is yours for the full term—but must be renewed to avoid expiration.

### Name Requirements

To be eligible for registration, a name must:

* Be at least **1 character** in length
* Be **available** (never registered, or expired + grace period passed)
* **Match an assigned reservation** if it’s reserved
* Be registered for **at least 365 days**

> Names that don’t meet these criteria will be rejected at the contract level.

### Where to Go Next

To dive deeper into the specific mechanics and smart contract patterns behind each registration method:

* [Minting Flow →](/architecture/how-it-all-works/minting-flow.md)
* [Signature Validation (EIP-712) →](/architecture/how-it-all-works/registration-mechanics/signature-validation-eip-712.md)
* [Merkle-Based Whitelisting →](/architecture/how-it-all-works/registration-mechanics/merkle-based-whitelisting.md)

Or continue exploring Registry Contract → and Controller Contract → for the underlying infrastructure.


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