Setup guide

Get your server online

Never run a FiveM server before? No problem. Follow these six steps – most people are done in about 30 minutes.

1. 1Download & unzip your server

   Open your account and click Download server. Unzip the file – you get a folder called 5mstart-server with your resources, a ready server.cfg, a sql folder with the database files and a README.md with notes for each script.

   Put the folder wherever your server will run: your own PC for testing, or a Windows/Linux VPS or dedicated server for a public server.

2. 2Get FXServer (the FiveM server software)

   FXServer is not part of the package – download it for free from the official FiveM artifacts page. Pick your system (Windows or Linux) and download the latest recommended build.

   Unzip it into its own folder next to your server, for example:

   my-fivem/
     artifacts/        ← FXServer (FXServer.exe or run.sh)
     5mstart-server/   ← your download (server.cfg, resources, sql)

3. 3Get a free license key

   Every FiveM server needs a license key. Sign in at portal.cfx.re with your Cfx.re (FiveM forum) account, open Server Keys and create a new key. Copy it – you'll need it in step 5. It's free.

4. 4Create the database and import the SQL files

   Your server stores players, jobs, vehicles and more in a MariaDB (recommended) or MySQL database. Install MariaDB, then use a tool like HeidiSQL (Windows) or phpMyAdmin (often provided by your host):

   • Create a new, empty database, e.g. fivem (charset utf8mb4).
   • Import every file from the sql folder in filename order (they're numbered – start with 000_base_…). In HeidiSQL: File → Run SQL file. In phpMyAdmin: select the database → Import.

5. 5Edit server.cfg

   Open 5mstart-server/server.cfg in a text editor (e.g. Notepad++ or VS Code). Fill in your license key and your database connection – replace user, password and database name with your own:

   sv_licenseKey "YOUR_LICENSE_KEY"
   set mysql_connection_string "mysql://user:password@localhost/fivem?charset=utf8mb4"

   While you're there you can change the server name shown in the server list. Save the file.

6. 6Start the server

   Open a terminal inside the 5mstart-server folder and start FXServer with your config:

   # Windows
   ..\artifacts\FXServer.exe +exec server.cfg
   
   # Linux
   bash ../artifacts/run.sh +exec server.cfg

   Wait until the console shows the resources starting, then open FiveM, press F8 and type connect localhost (or your server's IP). Also check the per-script notes in README.md.