If your ETH is on another chain, use a relay bridge to move enough to Base, then register the available Basename from the Base names app. Treat the bridge and the registration as two separate transactions: the bridge funds your Base wallet, while the registrar checks availability and mints the name.
Check the name and registration cost on Base
Basenames are ENS-based names ending in .base.eth, registered on Base; they are not ordinary DNS domains. Search the exact label in the Base names app and check the displayed price and term before bridging, since a name that is available now can be claimed while your transfer is in flight.
Base’s Basenames FAQ lists annual fees by label length: 3 characters, 0.1 ETH; 4 characters, 0.01 ETH; 5–9 characters, 0.001 ETH; and 10 or more, 0.0001 ETH. Discounts may apply to eligible wallets, so use the registrar’s live quote rather than assuming the list price is your final cost.
Bridge ETH to the wallet and network that will own the name
For example, if you hold ETH on Ethereum mainnet and want northstar.base.eth, select Ethereum as the source, Base as the destination, and ETH as the asset. A relay bridge submits the source transfer, waits for the route’s required source confirmation or finality, then has a relayer deliver the destination-side transfer; compare the quoted output and deadline because the route fee, confirmation threshold, and relayer model differ.
Check the relay bridge security model before signing, since the route’s verification and recovery assumptions determine what happens if the relayer stalls or the destination call fails. Send to the same wallet that will register and own the name, and leave a Base ETH balance above the name quote for transaction gas; receiving the registration price exactly can leave the purchase unexecutable.
Register only after the destination funds arrive
- Confirm the destination balance. Wait until the bridge marks the transfer complete and your wallet shows ETH on Base. A submitted source transaction is not proof that the destination funds are spendable; if the route is pending, use its status and transaction references rather than submitting another transfer.
- Recheck the exact label and price. Search again in the Base names app immediately before registration. The transfer cannot reserve a label, and a name taken during transit requires you to choose another name rather than retry the same purchase.
- Set the intended owner and term. Connect the wallet that should hold the name, choose the registration duration, and inspect any resolver or primary-name options. ENS registration contracts distinguish token ownership from resolver records, so confirm the owner address and the address record shown in the transaction before signing.
- Submit the registrar transaction on Base. Check that the wallet prompt shows Base, the registrar as recipient, the expected ETH value, and a reasonable gas limit. After confirmation, verify the name’s owner and expiry in the app; set or verify its address record before using the name to receive funds.
Handle delays and failed destination calls
Ethereum-to-Base relayer routes commonly quote a wait of minutes, but source congestion, finality policy, and liquidity can extend it; the quote is route-specific, not a guarantee. A completed source transfer with no destination credit usually means the relay is still processing or needs a retry, while a reverted registration leaves the name unregistered and may still consume Base gas.
Base’s Basenames FAQ gives the fee tiers, while the OP Stack specifications describe the chain’s deposit and message mechanics. For this purchase, the practical trade-off is route convenience against reliance on that route’s relayer and verification system: use a quote that delivers ETH to Base, then make the registrar’s onchain availability check the final gate.
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