How to Host a Multi Theft Auto Server (MTA:SA 1.6 Guide)

Q: How many players can an MTA server hold?

Set maxplayers in mtaserver.conf. The default is 32, and large roleplay servers run with hundreds of slots on bigger machines.

Q: Where do I put MTA resources?

In mods/deathmatch/resources, as a folder or a zip. Run refresh in the console, then start the resource or add a resource line to mtaserver.conf.

To host a Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas server, use the MTA Server.exe that comes with the MTA 1.6 client on Windows, or the multitheftauto_linux_x64 package plus the base config and resource pack on Linux. Set the name, slots and password in mods/deathmatch/mtaserver.conf, open UDP 22003 (game), TCP 22005 (resource downloads) and UDP 22126 (server list), and pick a game mode such as race, freeroam or play from the resources. Make yourself admin with addaccount in the console and a line in acl.xml.

MTA is a free volunteer project and still updated in 2026, and it runs everything from race leagues to full roleplay cities. Every player needs the original PC version of GTA San Andreas plus the free MTA client. The Definitive Edition does not work.

What you need

Item	Details
Server	MTA:SA 1.6 server, Windows (bundled with the client) or Linux x64
Ports	UDP 22003 (game), TCP 22005 (HTTP downloads), UDP 22126 (ASE, server list)
Config	`mods/deathmatch/mtaserver.conf`
Permissions	`mods/deathmatch/acl.xml`
Content	`mods/deathmatch/resources/`
Memory	2 GB for race or freeroam, 4 GB for a roleplay server with a database

Option 1: Windows

When you install MTA:SA, the installer adds a dedicated server to the install folder:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MTA San Andreas 1.6\server\MTA Server.exe

Copy the whole server folder somewhere outside Program Files, for example C:\MTA\server, so Windows does not block edits to its files. Run MTA Server.exe once to create its configs, then type shutdown in its console.

Option 2: Linux

The Linux server comes as three downloads from the MTA site: the server, a base config, and the official resource pack.

mkdir -p ~/mta && cd ~/mta
wget https://linux.multitheftauto.com/dl/multitheftauto_linux_x64.tar.gz
wget https://linux.multitheftauto.com/dl/baseconfig.tar.gz
wget https://mirror.multitheftauto.com/mtasa/resources/mtasa-resources-latest.zip

tar -xzf multitheftauto_linux_x64.tar.gz --strip-components=1
tar -xzf baseconfig.tar.gz
mv baseconfig/* mods/deathmatch/
mkdir -p mods/deathmatch/resources
unzip mtasa-resources-latest.zip -d mods/deathmatch/resources

./mta-server64

The base config gives you mtaserver.conf, acl.xml and the other default files. Without it the server has nothing to start from. Run it inside tmux or screen, or as a systemd service, so it keeps going after you log out.

Step 1: Edit mtaserver.conf

Stop the server and open mods/deathmatch/mtaserver.conf. It is XML. The settings that matter first:

<servername>Sunday Race League | Rotating maps</servername>
<owner_email_address>you@example.com</owner_email_address>
<serverport>22003</serverport>
<maxplayers>48</maxplayers>
<httpserver>1</httpserver>
<httpport>22005</httpport>
<ase>1</ase>
<password></password>
<fpslimit>36</fpslimit>
<voice>0</voice>

Setting	Default	What it does
`servername`	`Default MTA Server`	Name in the server browser
`serverport`	`22003`	UDP game port
`maxplayers`	`32`	Slots. MTA itself handles hundreds
`httpport`	`22005`	TCP port players download resources from
`ase`	`1`	Reports the server to the master list
`password`	empty	Join password, empty for public
`fpslimit`	`36`	Frame cap for players. Raise it if players want smoother frame rates
`voice`	`0`	In game voice chat
`auth_serial_groups`	`Admin`	ACL groups whose logins are tied to the player's PC serial

Further down are the resource lines that decide what loads on boot:

<resource src="admin" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="defaultstats" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="helpmanager" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="joinquit" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="mapcycler" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="mapmanager" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="parachute" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="performancebrowser" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="ipb" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="reload" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="resourcebrowser" startup="1" protected="1" default="true"/>
<resource src="resourcemanager" startup="1" protected="1"/>
<resource src="scoreboard" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="spawnmanager" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="voice" startup="1" protected="0" />
<resource src="votemanager" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="webadmin" startup="1" protected="0"/>
<resource src="play" startup="1" protected="0"/>

play is a simple freeroam game mode with spawns. Swap it for race to run a race server, or for your roleplay game mode.

Step 2: Open the ports

Port	Protocol	Purpose
22003	UDP	Game traffic (`serverport`)
22005	TCP	Resource downloads (`httpport`)
22126	UDP	ASE, which the server list uses. Always `serverport` + 123

Forward all three on the router and allow them in the firewall. Without 22005, players connect and then hang while downloading resources. Without 22126, the server is playable but missing from the browser. Once it is running, type openports in the server console and MTA tests the ports from outside and reports which ones are reachable. The router side is in how to port forward a game server.

Multi Theft Auto players racing through San Andreas

Step 3: Pick a game mode

Everything in MTA is a resource: a folder or zip in mods/deathmatch/resources with a meta.xml. Game modes, maps, scripts and admin tools are all resources. Useful console commands:

Command	What it does
`refresh`	Rescans the resources folder for new or changed resources
`start race`	Starts a resource
`stop play`	Stops one
`restart race`	Restarts one after you edit its files
`list`	Shows every resource and whether it is running

For a race server, stop play, start race, and the map cycler rotates through the race maps included in the resource pack. To make that the default, change the play resource line in mtaserver.conf to race.

Players gathered on a Multi Theft Auto server

Step 4: Make yourself admin

In the server console:

addaccount YourName a-strong-password
shutdown

Open mods/deathmatch/acl.xml, find <group name="Admin">, and add your account as an object:

<group name="Admin">
    <acl name="Moderator" />
    <acl name="SuperModerator" />
    <acl name="Admin" />
    <acl name="RPC" />
    <object name="resource.admin" />
    <object name="resource.webadmin" />
    <object name="resource.acpanel" />
    <object name="user.YourName" />
</group>

Start the server, join, and type /login YourName a-strong-password in chat. Press P to open the admin panel. If the login is refused even with the right password, serial protection is doing its job, and how to make yourself admin on an MTA server walks through authserial and the other admin pitfalls.

Step 5: Join it

In MTA, click Quick Connect, enter the address and port 22003, and connect. Once ASE is reachable, the server also shows in the Browse servers list after a short while. If it never does, see MTA server not showing in the server browser.

Keeping it online

Roleplay and race communities live on consistency: the same address, the same accounts and the same saved data every night. Back up mods/deathmatch regularly, since it holds your configs, acl.xml, account database (internal.db) and resources. Take a backup before every game mode change.

The easy option

A GamezServers Multi Theft Auto server installs the server, base config and official resource pack for you, with the game and HTTP ports set from the panel. You edit mtaserver.conf and acl.xml in the file manager, upload resources over SFTP, and run addaccount, start and refresh in the live console. One click backups cover the whole mods/deathmatch folder, and a roleplay crew can split the bill between up to 10 people. Players join with Quick Connect using the address in your panel.

FAQ

What ports does an MTA server use?

UDP 22003 for the game, TCP 22005 for resource downloads and UDP 22126 for the server list (ASE). The ASE port is always the game port plus 123.

Is the MTA server free?

Yes. The server, client and official resources are free. Players only need their own PC copy of GTA San Andreas.

How many players can an MTA server hold?

Set maxplayers in mtaserver.conf. The default is 32, and large roleplay servers run with hundreds of slots on bigger machines.

Where do I put MTA resources?

In mods/deathmatch/resources, as a folder or a zip. Run refresh in the console, then start the resource or add a resource line to mtaserver.conf.