§ Wiki · Wiki entry

Node Provider Self-declaration

The identity declaration and good-faith statement a prospective node provider files before the NNS votes on their onboarding proposal.

·May 4, 2026·2 min read

A self-declaration is the document a prospective node provider files to declare their real-world identity, confirm fit with the published hardware requirements, and commit to honest operation of their machines. The Network Nervous System (NNS) uses it — together with proof of identity — when voting on whether to accept the provider.

In a fully decentralized network, provider onboarding is managed entirely through the NNS. There is no contract with DFINITY; the self-declaration is the artefact the community votes against.

What the declaration covers

The document records:

  • Identity. Entity name, representative details, and physical location.
  • Hardware compliance. A guarantee that the machines being onboarded match the published specification.
  • Good-faith statement. An acknowledgement of potential liability for damages, and an explicit acknowledgement that deliberate interference with nodes can constitute criminal activity in some jurisdictions.

Alongside the declaration, the candidate supplies proof that the identity (or identities) listed in the declaration exist in the real world, in a form acceptable to the community.

Process

  1. Prepare the documents. Draft the self-declaration and gather the identity proofs. Compute a SHA-256 hash of each file.
  2. Upload to the wiki. The artefacts go on the public node-provider self-declarations page so they are inspectable.
  3. Submit the NNS proposal. The proposal references the uploaded files and embeds their hashes — see Node Provider Onboarding for the ic-admin command and required summary fields.
  4. Community vote. Token-holders evaluate the declaration and identity proofs and vote on acceptance.

[!NOTE] The exact required contents of the self-declaration have historically been a community draft, refined as the NNS settled on its requirements. Confirm the current expectations on the developer forum before drafting.

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