FiveM Server License Key Error (How to Fix It)

A FiveM server will not go online without a valid license key. When the key is missing, mistyped or no longer valid, the console shows an error about sv_licenseKey or a failed license check, and the server never appears in the server list. Here is how to find which one you have and fix it.

Check the key itself first

1. Sign in at portal.cfx.re and open Server Keys.
2. Make sure the key is still listed. A key you deleted or regenerated stops working at once, and the server needs the new one.
3. Copy the key again with the copy button rather than selecting it by hand. Current keys start with cfxk_.

Most "invalid key" errors are a key pasted with a space at the end, a quote mark, or only part of the key.

"No license key was specified"

The server started without any sv_licenseKey. The key goes in server.cfg:

sv_licenseKey cfxk_your_key_here

• Put it on its own line, with no quotes needed around the key.
• Make sure the line is not commented out with #.
• If you start FXServer with +exec server.cfg, check that it is the server.cfg you edited. Servers deployed with txAdmin use the one in the txAdmin data folder, not one next to FXServer.

The key changed but the error stays (txAdmin)

When txAdmin deploys a recipe, it writes the key into its own server.cfg. Changing the key anywhere else afterwards does nothing for that server.

1. Open txAdmin and go to CFG Editor.
2. Find the sv_licenseKey line and replace the key.
3. Save, then restart the server from txAdmin.

On GamezServers, the Cfx.re license key setting fills the key in for txAdmin's first setup and for Plain FXServer. After a recipe has been deployed, change it in txAdmin's CFG Editor as well.

The key is right but the check fails

If the key is valid on the portal and still fails, the server probably cannot reach Cfx.re:

• Outbound traffic blocked: FXServer checks its key with Cfx.re's servers over the internet. A firewall that blocks outbound connections stops the check.
• Cfx.re outage: check status.cfx.re. When their services are down, wait and restart later.
• DNS problems on a VPS: make sure the server can resolve domain names, for example with ping fivem.net.

The server starts but is not in the list

A valid key is one of several things the server list needs. The server must also accept connections on its game port from Cfx.re's servers, which check that it is reachable. On a home connection, forward port 30120 on both TCP and UDP. New servers can take a while to show up, and connecting by address with F8 and connect your-ip:30120 always works in the meantime.

Using one key on several servers

Each running server needs its own key. Generate one per server on the portal. Keys are not tied to an IP address, so moving a server to new hardware or a new host keeps the same key.

On GamezServers

Paste your key at checkout or under Settings > Cfx.re license key, and it is filled in for txAdmin and Plain FXServer. The ports and outbound access are already set up, so a key error there almost always means the key itself: copy it again from the portal, or update it in txAdmin's CFG Editor if a recipe is already deployed. See how to host a FiveM server for the full setup.

FAQ

Is a FiveM license key free?

Yes. Keys from portal.cfx.re cost nothing. A free key allows up to 48 player slots, which covers almost every community server.

Can I use the same key on two servers?

No. Each server that is running at the same time needs its own key. Generate a second one on the portal, it takes a minute.

Does a license key stop working if I move hosts?

No. Keys are not tied to an IP address, so the same key works after you move your server. Just paste it into the new server's server.cfg or settings.

Why does txAdmin still use my old key?

txAdmin writes the key into its own server.cfg when it deploys a recipe. Change the sv_licenseKey line in txAdmin's CFG Editor and restart from txAdmin, and the new key takes over.