1 ---
2 title: Username Policy
3 edit_on_github: false
4 ---
5
6 ## tl;dr
7
8 npm follows GitHub’s [Username Policy](https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/other-site-policies/github-username-policy). This means that usernames, organization names, and package names are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and are intended for immediate and active use.
9
10 ### Trademarks
11
12 npm processes Trademark claims under GitHub's [Trademark Policy](https://docs.github.com/site-policy/content-removal-policies/github-trademark-policy).
13
14 If you think another npm publisher is infringing your trademark, such as by using a confusingly similar package, org, or user account name, please submit a Trademark Policy Violation Report via our [form](https://support.github.com/contact/trademark-policy).
15
16 Use of npm's own trademarks is covered by our [Logo and Usage Policy][logos-and-usage].
17
18 ### Squatting
19
20 It is against npm's [Terms of Use][acceptable-content] to publish a package, register a username or an organization name simply for the purposes of reserving it for future use. Accounts violating the name squatting policy may be removed or renamed without notice. Attempts to sell, buy, or solicit other forms of payment in exchange for account names are prohibited and may result in permanent account suspension.
21
22 The standards for what we consider squatting depend on what is being squatted:
23
24 #### Packages
25
26 Package names are considered squatted if the package has no genuine function.
27
28 #### Organizations
29
30 Organization names are considered squatted if there are no packages published within a reasonable time. If an organization is a paid organization, it may have private packages that are invisible to third parties. For privacy reasons, we cannot reveal whether or not an organization has private packages, so a paid organization will never be considered squatted.
31
32 #### Usernames
33
34 We are extremely unlikely to transfer control of a username, as it is totally valid to be an npm user and never publish any packages: for instance, you might be part of an organization or need read-only access to private packages.
35
36 ## License
37
38 Copyright (C) npm, Inc., All rights reserved
39
40 This document may be reused under a [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).
41
42 [conduct]: /policies/conduct
43 [open-source-terms]: /policies/open-source-terms
44 [acceptable-use]: /policies/open-source-terms#acceptable-use
45 [acceptable-content]: /policies/open-source-terms#acceptable-content
46 [violations]: /policies/conduct#reporting-violations-of-this-code-of-conduct
47 [logos-and-usage]: /policies/logos-and-usage