# Static IP addresses in Lightsail
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A static IP is a fixed, public IP address that you can assign and reassign to an instance or other resource. If you haven't set up a static IP address, each time you stop or restart your instance, Lightsail assigns a new public IP address.

There are no costs associated with static IP addresses when they are attached to a Lightsail instance. However, static IP addresses incur a charge when they aren't attached to an instance. For more information, see [What do Lightsail static IPv4 addresses cost?](amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.md#what-do-lightsail-static-ips-cost).

**Important**  
If you stop or restart your instance without first creating a static IP address and attaching it to your instance, you lose your IP address when your instance restarts. You should create a static IP address and attach it to your instance to ensure that your instance always has the same public IP address. For more information, see [Create a static IP address](lightsail-create-static-ip.md).

**Topics**
+ [Create a static IP address](lightsail-create-static-ip.md)
+ [Delete a static IP address](how-to-delete-static-ip.md)