---
name: "dhcp6leased"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dhcp6leased"
---

# dhcp6leased(8)

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCPv6) client daemon for IPv6 prefix delegation

## NAME

**dhcp6leased** – Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCPv6) client daemon for IPv6 prefix delegation

## SYNOPSIS

**dhcp6leased** \[**-dnv**\] \[**-f** *file*\] \[**-s** *socket*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**dhcp6leased** is an IPv6 dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCPv6) daemon for clients. It requests IPv6 prefix delegations from DHCPv6 servers for assignment to downstream interfaces.

DHCPv6 clients are identified by DHCPv6 Unique Identifiers (DUID). **dhcp6leased** uses a DUID based on a random Universally Unique Identifier (UUID). The DUID is stored in */var/db/dhcp6leased/uuid*. If the file does not exist or the UUID is not readable a new UUID is generated.

A running **dhcp6leased** can be controlled with the [dhcp6leasectl(8)](/dhcp6leasectl/8.md) utility.

The options are as follows:

- **-d**

  Do not daemonize. If this option is specified, **dhcp6leased** will run in the foreground and log to *stderr*.

- **-f** *file*

  Specify an alternative configuration file.

- **-n**

  Configtest mode. Only check the configuration file for validity.

- **-s** *socket*

  Use an alternate location for the default control socket.

- **-v**

  Produce more verbose output. Multiple **-v** options increase the verbosity.

## FILES

- */dev/dhcp6leased.sock*

  UNIX-domain socket used for communication with [dhcp6leasectl(8)](/dhcp6leasectl/8.md).

- */etc/dhcp6leased.conf*

  Default **dhcp6leased** configuration file.

- */var/db/dhcp6leased/*⟨*if*⟩

  Interface specific lease files.

- */var/db/dhcp6leased/uuid*

  DUID to identify this client.

## SEE ALSO

[dhcp6leased.conf(5)](/dhcp6leased.conf/5.md), [dhcp6leasectl(8)](/dhcp6leasectl/8.md), [ifconfig(8)](/ifconfig/8.md)

## STANDARDS

T. Mrugalski, M. Siodelski, B. Volz, A. Yourtchenko, M. Richardson, S. Jiang, T. Lemon, and T. Winters, *Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for IPv6 (DHCPv6)*, RFC 8415, November 2018.

## HISTORY

The **dhcp6leased** program first appeared in OpenBSD 7.6.

## AUTHORS

The **dhcp6leased** program was written by Florian Obser ⟨*florian@openbsd.org*⟩.