diff --git a/irc/registration.go b/irc/registration.go
index feb618c3..5197048b 100644
--- a/irc/registration.go
+++ b/irc/registration.go
@@ -50,108 +50,7 @@ func regHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
 	subcommand := strings.ToLower(msg.Params[0])
 
 	if subcommand == "create" {
-		client.Notice("Parsing CREATE")
-
-		// get and sanitise account name
-		account := NewName(msg.Params[1])
-		if !account.IsNickname() || msg.Params[1] == "*" {
-			client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_UNSPECIFIED_ERROR, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], "Account name is not valid")
-			return false
-		}
-		accountString := account.String()
-
-		// check whether account exists
-		// do it all in one write tx to prevent races
-		err := server.store.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
-			accountKey := fmt.Sprintf("account %s exists", accountString)
-
-			_, err := tx.Get(accountKey)
-			if err != buntdb.ErrNotFound {
-				//TODO(dan): if account verified key doesn't exist account is not verified, calc the maximum time without verification and expire and continue if need be
-				client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_ACCOUNT_ALREADY_EXISTS, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], "Account already exists")
-				return errAccountCreation
-			}
-
-			registeredTimeKey := fmt.Sprintf("account %s registered.time", accountString)
-
-			tx.Set(accountKey, "1", nil)
-			tx.Set(registeredTimeKey, strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().Unix(), 10), nil)
-			return nil
-		})
-
-		// account could not be created and relevant numerics have been dispatched, abort
-		if err != nil {
-			return false
-		}
-
-		// account didn't already exist, continue with account creation and dispatching verification (if required)
-		callback := strings.ToLower(msg.Params[2])
-		var callbackNamespace, callbackValue string
-
-		if callback == "*" {
-			callbackNamespace = "*"
-		} else if strings.Contains(callback, ":") {
-			callbackValues := strings.SplitN(callback, ":", 2)
-			callbackNamespace, callbackValue = callbackValues[0], callbackValues[1]
-		} else {
-			callbackNamespace = server.accountRegistration.EnabledCallbacks[0]
-			callbackValue = callback
-		}
-
-		// ensure the callback namespace is valid
-		// need to search callback list, maybe look at using a map later?
-		var callbackValid bool
-		for _, name := range server.accountRegistration.EnabledCallbacks {
-			if callbackNamespace == name {
-				callbackValid = true
-			}
-		}
-
-		if !callbackValid {
-			client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_INVALID_CALLBACK, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], callbackNamespace, "Callback namespace is not supported")
-			//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
-			return false
-		}
-
-		// get credential type/value
-		var credentialType, credentialValue string
-
-		if len(msg.Params) > 4 {
-			credentialType = strings.ToLower(msg.Params[3])
-			credentialValue = msg.Params[4]
-		} else if len(msg.Params) == 4 {
-			credentialType = "passphrase" // default from the spec
-			credentialValue = msg.Params[3]
-		} else {
-			client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS, client.nickString, msg.Command, "Not enough parameters")
-			//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
-			return false
-		}
-
-		// ensure the credential type is valid
-		var credentialValid bool
-		for _, name := range server.accountRegistration.EnabledCredentialTypes {
-			if credentialType == name {
-				credentialValid = true
-			}
-		}
-
-		if !credentialValid {
-			client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_INVALID_CRED_TYPE, client.nickString, credentialType, callbackNamespace, "Credential type is not supported")
-			//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
-			return false
-		}
-
-		// dispatch callback
-		if callbackNamespace != "*" {
-			client.Notice("Account creation was successful!")
-			//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
-			return false
-		}
-
-		client.Notice(fmt.Sprintf("We should dispatch an actual callback here to %s:%s", callbackNamespace, callbackValue))
-		client.Notice(fmt.Sprintf("Primary account credential is with %s:%s", credentialType, credentialValue))
-
+		return regCreateHandler(server, client, msg)
 	} else if subcommand == "verify" {
 		client.Notice("Parsing VERIFY")
 	} else {
@@ -160,3 +59,110 @@ func regHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
 
 	return false
 }
+
+// regCreateHandler parses the REG CREATE command.
+func regCreateHandler(server *Server, client *Client, msg ircmsg.IrcMessage) bool {
+	client.Notice("Parsing CREATE")
+
+	// get and sanitise account name
+	account := NewName(msg.Params[1])
+	if !account.IsNickname() || msg.Params[1] == "*" {
+		client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_UNSPECIFIED_ERROR, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], "Account name is not valid")
+		return false
+	}
+	accountString := account.String()
+
+	// check whether account exists
+	// do it all in one write tx to prevent races
+	err := server.store.Update(func(tx *buntdb.Tx) error {
+		accountKey := fmt.Sprintf("account %s exists", accountString)
+
+		_, err := tx.Get(accountKey)
+		if err != buntdb.ErrNotFound {
+			//TODO(dan): if account verified key doesn't exist account is not verified, calc the maximum time without verification and expire and continue if need be
+			client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_ACCOUNT_ALREADY_EXISTS, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], "Account already exists")
+			return errAccountCreation
+		}
+
+		registeredTimeKey := fmt.Sprintf("account %s registered.time", accountString)
+
+		tx.Set(accountKey, "1", nil)
+		tx.Set(registeredTimeKey, strconv.FormatInt(time.Now().Unix(), 10), nil)
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	// account could not be created and relevant numerics have been dispatched, abort
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// account didn't already exist, continue with account creation and dispatching verification (if required)
+	callback := strings.ToLower(msg.Params[2])
+	var callbackNamespace, callbackValue string
+
+	if callback == "*" {
+		callbackNamespace = "*"
+	} else if strings.Contains(callback, ":") {
+		callbackValues := strings.SplitN(callback, ":", 2)
+		callbackNamespace, callbackValue = callbackValues[0], callbackValues[1]
+	} else {
+		callbackNamespace = server.accountRegistration.EnabledCallbacks[0]
+		callbackValue = callback
+	}
+
+	// ensure the callback namespace is valid
+	// need to search callback list, maybe look at using a map later?
+	var callbackValid bool
+	for _, name := range server.accountRegistration.EnabledCallbacks {
+		if callbackNamespace == name {
+			callbackValid = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !callbackValid {
+		client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_INVALID_CALLBACK, client.nickString, msg.Params[1], callbackNamespace, "Callback namespace is not supported")
+		//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// get credential type/value
+	var credentialType, credentialValue string
+
+	if len(msg.Params) > 4 {
+		credentialType = strings.ToLower(msg.Params[3])
+		credentialValue = msg.Params[4]
+	} else if len(msg.Params) == 4 {
+		credentialType = "passphrase" // default from the spec
+		credentialValue = msg.Params[3]
+	} else {
+		client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS, client.nickString, msg.Command, "Not enough parameters")
+		//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// ensure the credential type is valid
+	var credentialValid bool
+	for _, name := range server.accountRegistration.EnabledCredentialTypes {
+		if credentialType == name {
+			credentialValid = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !credentialValid {
+		client.Send(nil, server.nameString, ERR_REG_INVALID_CRED_TYPE, client.nickString, credentialType, callbackNamespace, "Credential type is not supported")
+		//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// dispatch callback
+	if callbackNamespace != "*" {
+		client.Notice("Account creation was successful!")
+		//TODO(dan): close out failed account reg (remove values from db)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	client.Notice(fmt.Sprintf("We should dispatch an actual callback here to %s:%s", callbackNamespace, callbackValue))
+	client.Notice(fmt.Sprintf("Primary account credential is with %s:%s", credentialType, credentialValue))
+
+	return false
+}