> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://livepeerfoundation-d4522ba3.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Submit a protocol LIP

> Propose a change to the Livepeer protocol itself: draft a Livepeer Improvement Proposal, shepherd it through review, and submit it on-chain.

This guide is for changing the **protocol's on-chain rules** — inflation parameters, a contract
upgrade, or a protocol constant. Those changes are made through a **Livepeer Improvement Proposal
(LIP)**, Livepeer's equivalent of an Ethereum EIP. It's a specialized, technical task; for the
concepts, see [Governance & the treasury](/network/explanation/governance).

<Note>
  A protocol LIP changes how the protocol works. If instead you want to **request funding** from the
  treasury, that's the other track — see [Submit a treasury proposal](/network/guides/submit-a-treasury-proposal).
  The on-chain vote is the same for both; the preparation is not.
</Note>

## Before you start

* A change to the protocol you can specify precisely — the affected contract/parameter and the intended effect.
* Enough technical detail for a **full specification** (and, for a contract change, an implementation plan).
* **100 LPT** to submit on-chain — locked during the vote, returned if the proposal passes.
* A little ETH on **Arbitrum One** for gas.

## Propose a LIP

<Steps>
  <Step title="Raise the idea">
    Post the idea on the [Livepeer Forum](https://forum.livepeer.org/c/lips/18) or Discord. Most ideas
    are refined or dropped here — the forum is where the early technical feedback happens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Draft the LIP">
    Write a structured LIP: a header preamble (number, title, author, type, status) and a full
    specification. Open it as a pull request against the [LIPs repository](https://github.com/livepeer/LIPs)
    for editorial review.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Last Call">
    Once editors approve the draft, it enters a **10-day Last Call** — the community's final window to
    surface objections before it moves to a vote.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit on-chain">
    Anyone with **100 LPT** can submit the LIP on-chain to the Governor contract. The 100 LPT is locked
    during voting and returned if it passes — a threshold high enough to filter serious proposals from
    frivolous ones.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Voting period">
    An on-chain voting window opens — **10 rounds (\~9 days)** as verified on-chain (see [Protocol parameters](/network/reference/protocol-parameters)
    for the current length). Anyone with bonded LPT can vote; this is the [same vote](/network/guides/vote-on-a-proposal)
    used for every proposal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Quorum & approval">
    It passes only if **≥33% of all bonded LPT participates** (quorum) **and** **>50% of votes cast are
    For**. Both are required — either alone isn't enough.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Execution">
    On success, the Governor contract executes the change automatically — a parameter update or a
    contract upgrade. No separate signer, no multisig.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What a strong LIP has

The 100 LPT threshold filters noise, but passing quorum takes substance:

* **A precise specification** — exactly which contract/parameter changes, and to what.
* **An implementation plan** for any contract change — reviewers need to see it's buildable and safe.
* **Economic and security analysis** — what the change does to incentives and to the protocol's safety.
* **Community buy-in** — a LIP that skipped forum discussion and Last Call rarely clears quorum.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Governance & the treasury" icon="landmark" href="/network/explanation/governance">
    Why governance is on-chain, what it can change, and how the two tracks differ.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Vote on a proposal" icon="check-to-slot" href="/network/guides/vote-on-a-proposal">
    The vote step — identical for protocol and treasury proposals.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Submit a treasury proposal" icon="hand-holding-dollar" href="/network/guides/submit-a-treasury-proposal">
    The other track: requesting funds instead of changing the rules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="LIPs repository" icon="github" href="https://github.com/livepeer/LIPs">
    Every LIP, draft and final, with full specifications.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>