Keys

Configure various keys and API credentials for your FiveM server. Proper key management is essential for security and functionality.

License Key

The FiveM license key is required to run a server. It’s obtained from the Cfx.re Keymaster and identifies your server instance.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Obtain License Key

Visit keymaster.fivem.net
Log in with your Cfx.re account
Click “New Server” or select an existing server
Copy the license key (format: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx)

2. Configure License Key

Method 1: Environment Variable (Recommended)


# Set environment variable
export sv_licenseKey="your-license-key-here"
 
# Or add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence
echo 'export sv_licenseKey="your-license-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Method 2: server.cfg


# server.cfg
set sv_licenseKey "your-license-key-here"

Method 3: Systemd Service (Production)


# /etc/systemd/system/fivem.service
[Unit]
Description=FiveM Server
After=network.target
 
[Service]
Type=simple
User=fivem
WorkingDirectory=/opt/fivem
Environment="sv_licenseKey=your-license-key-here"
ExecStart=/opt/fivem/run.sh
Restart=always
 
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

3. Verify License Key

Check server console for license validation:


[INFO] License key validated successfully

Troubleshooting Invalid/Expired Keys

Error: “Invalid license key”

Causes:

Typo in license key
Key revoked or expired
Key belongs to different server

Solutions:

Verify Key Format:


# Check key format (should be 5 groups of 5 characters)
echo $sv_licenseKey
# Should output: xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

Check Key Status:
- Visit keymaster.fivem.net
- Verify key is active and not revoked
- Check if key is assigned to correct server IP
Regenerate Key:
- Delete old key in Keymaster
- Create new key
- Update server configuration

Error: “License key expired”

Solution:

Keys don’t expire, but can be revoked
Check Keymaster for key status
Contact Cfx.re support if key was revoked incorrectly

Error: “License key not found”

Causes:

Environment variable not set
Key not in server.cfg
Wrong configuration file

Solution:


# Verify environment variable is set
echo $sv_licenseKey
 
# Check server.cfg
grep -i "license" /opt/fivem/server.cfg
 
# Test with explicit key
./fxserver +set sv_licenseKey "your-key-here"

Steam API Key

Steam API keys enable Steam authentication and player verification on your server.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Obtain Steam API Key

Visit Steam Web API Key
Log in with your Steam account
Enter a domain name (can be any valid domain, e.g., example.com)
Click “Register”
Copy the API key (format: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

2. Configure Steam API Key

Method 1: server.cfg


# server.cfg
set steam_webApiKey "your-steam-api-key-here"

Method 2: Environment Variable


export steam_webApiKey="your-steam-api-key-here"

3. Enable Steam Authentication


# server.cfg
set steam_webApiKey "your-steam-api-key-here"

# Require Steam authentication (optional)
set sv_enforceGameBuild 2699

Integration Examples

Example 1: Verify Steam ID


-- server.lua
AddEventHandler('playerConnecting', function(name, setKickReason, deferrals)
    local source = source
    local identifiers = GetPlayerIdentifiers(source)
 
    local steamId = nil
    for _, identifier in ipairs(identifiers) do
        if string.match(identifier, 'steam:') then
            steamId = identifier
            break
        end
    end
 
    if not steamId then
        setKickReason('Steam authentication required')
        CancelEvent()
        return
    end
 
    -- Use Steam ID for player identification
    print('Player connecting with Steam ID: ' .. steamId)
end)

Example 2: Steam Profile Integration


-- server.lua
local function GetSteamProfile(steamId)
    local apiKey = GetConvar('steam_webApiKey', '')
    if apiKey == '' then
        return nil
    end
 
    -- Extract Steam64 ID from identifier
    local steam64 = string.gsub(steamId, 'steam:', '')
    steam64 = tonumber(steam64, 16) -- Convert hex to decimal
 
    -- Make API request (requires HTTP library)
    -- This is a simplified example
    return {
        steamId = steam64,
        profileUrl = 'https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/' .. steam64
    }
end

Troubleshooting Steam Keys

Error: “Invalid Steam API key”

Solutions:

Verify Key Format:


# Check key is 32 characters
echo ${#steam_webApiKey}
# Should output: 32

Check Key Status:
- Visit Steam Web API Key
- Verify key is active
- Check if domain is still registered
Regenerate Key:
- Delete old key
- Create new key with same domain
- Update server configuration

Error: “Steam authentication failed”

Causes:

Invalid API key
Network issues
Steam API downtime

Solutions:


-- Add fallback for Steam authentication
AddEventHandler('playerConnecting', function(name, setKickReason, deferrals)
    local source = source
    local identifiers = GetPlayerIdentifiers(source)
 
    local hasSteam = false
    for _, identifier in ipairs(identifiers) do
        if string.match(identifier, 'steam:') then
            hasSteam = true
            break
        end
    end
 
    if not hasSteam then
        -- Optional: Allow non-Steam players
        -- Or require Steam
        setKickReason('Steam authentication required')
        CancelEvent()
    end
end)

Discord Bot Token

Discord bot tokens enable Discord integration for your server, including player verification, chat bridges, and admin notifications.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Discord Application

Visit Discord Developer Portal
Click “New Application”
Enter application name (e.g., “My FiveM Server”)
Click “Create”

2. Create Bot

In your application, go to “Bot” section
Click “Add Bot”
Click “Yes, do it!”
Under “Token”, click “Reset Token” or “Copy”
Save the token securely (format: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

3. Configure Bot Permissions

Go to “OAuth2” → “URL Generator”
Select scopes: bot
Select bot permissions:
- Send Messages
- Read Message History
- Manage Messages (optional)
- Embed Links
Copy the generated URL
Open URL in browser to invite bot to your server

4. Configure Bot Token

Method 1: Resource Configuration

Most Discord resources use their own config files:


-- discord-bot/config.lua
Config = {
    token = "your-discord-bot-token-here",
    guildId = "your-discord-server-id",
    channelId = "your-channel-id"
}

Method 2: Environment Variable


export DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN="your-discord-bot-token-here"

Method 3: server.cfg (if resource supports it)


# Some resources may support this
set discord_botToken "your-discord-bot-token-here"

Integration Examples

Example 1: Basic Discord Bot (discord.js)


// discord-bot/index.js
const { Client, GatewayIntentBits } = require('discord.js')
const client = new Client({
  intents: [
    GatewayIntentBits.Guilds,
    GatewayIntentBits.GuildMessages,
    GatewayIntentBits.MessageContent,
  ],
})
 
client.once('ready', () => {
  console.log('Discord bot is ready!')
})
 
client.on('messageCreate', (message) => {
  if (message.content === '!serverstatus') {
    // Query FiveM server status
    message.reply('Server is online!')
  }
})
 
client.login(process.env.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN)

Example 2: FiveM to Discord Chat Bridge


-- server.lua
local discordWebhook = "https://discord.com/api/webhooks/your-webhook-url"
 
-- Send chat message to Discord
RegisterCommand('discord', function(source, args, rawCommand)
    local message = table.concat(args, ' ')
    local playerName = GetPlayerName(source)
 
    -- Send to Discord webhook
    PerformHttpRequest(discordWebhook, function(err, text, headers)
        -- Handle response
    end, 'POST', json.encode({
        content = string.format('%s: %s', playerName, message)
    }), {
        ['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
    })
end, false)

Example 3: Player Join/Leave Notifications


-- server.lua
local discordWebhook = "https://discord.com/api/webhooks/your-webhook-url"
 
AddEventHandler('playerConnecting', function(name, setKickReason, deferrals)
    local source = source
    local identifiers = GetPlayerIdentifiers(source)
 
    -- Send join notification to Discord
    PerformHttpRequest(discordWebhook, nil, 'POST', json.encode({
        embeds = {{
            title = "Player Joining",
            description = string.format("**%s** is connecting to the server", name),
            color = 3066993 -- Green
        }}
    }), {
        ['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
    })
end)
 
AddEventHandler('playerDropped', function(reason)
    local source = source
    local name = GetPlayerName(source)
 
    -- Send leave notification to Discord
    PerformHttpRequest(discordWebhook, nil, 'POST', json.encode({
        embeds = {{
            title = "Player Left",
            description = string.format("**%s** left the server\nReason: %s", name, reason),
            color = 15158332 -- Red
        }}
    }), {
        ['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
    })
end)

Troubleshooting Discord Keys

Error: “Invalid token”

Solutions:

Verify Token Format:


# Discord bot tokens are 59+ characters
echo ${#DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN}
# Should output: 59 or more

Check Token Status:
- Visit Discord Developer Portal
- Go to your application → Bot
- Verify token is visible (if not, reset it)
- Check if bot is enabled
Reset Token:
- In Discord Developer Portal → Bot
- Click “Reset Token”
- Copy new token
- Update all configurations

Error: “Missing permissions”

Solution:

Re-invite bot with correct permissions:
- Use OAuth2 URL Generator
- Select required permissions
- Use new invite URL
Check bot role in Discord server:
- Ensure bot has necessary permissions
- Bot role should be above roles it needs to manage

Error: “Webhook expired”

Solution:

Create new webhook:
- Discord Server → Settings → Integrations → Webhooks
- Create new webhook
- Copy webhook URL
- Update resource configuration

Security Practices

Environment Variables

Best Practice: Always use environment variables for sensitive keys.

Setup


# Create .env file (never commit this!)
cat > /opt/fivem/.env << EOF
sv_licenseKey=your-license-key
steam_webApiKey=your-steam-key
DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=your-discord-token
EOF
 
# Secure the file
chmod 600 /opt/fivem/.env
chown fivem:fivem /opt/fivem/.env

Load Environment Variables


# Load .env in your startup script
#!/bin/bash
set -a
source /opt/fivem/.env
set +a
 
./fxserver

Systemd Service with Environment File


# /etc/systemd/system/fivem.service
[Unit]
Description=FiveM Server
After=network.target
 
[Service]
Type=simple
User=fivem
WorkingDirectory=/opt/fivem
EnvironmentFile=/opt/fivem/.env
ExecStart=/opt/fivem/run.sh
Restart=always
 
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Key Rotation

Regularly rotate keys to maintain security:

Rotation Schedule

License Key: Only if compromised or revoked
Steam API Key: Every 6-12 months
Discord Bot Token: Every 3-6 months or if compromised

Rotation Process

Generate New Key:
- Create new key in respective service
- Copy new key securely

Update Configuration:


# Update .env file
nano /opt/fivem/.env
 
# Or update server.cfg
nano /opt/fivem/server.cfg

Test New Key:


# Restart server
systemctl restart fivem
 
# Check logs for errors
journalctl -u fivem -f

Revoke Old Key:
- After confirming new key works
- Revoke old key in service dashboard

Access Control

File Permissions


# Secure server.cfg
chmod 600 /opt/fivem/server.cfg
chown fivem:fivem /opt/fivem/server.cfg
 
# Secure .env file
chmod 600 /opt/fivem/.env
chown fivem:fivem /opt/fivem/.env

Git Ignore


# .gitignore
server.cfg
.env
*.key
*.token
config.lua

Key Validation Script

Create a script to validate all keys:


#!/bin/bash
# validate-keys.sh
 
echo "Validating FiveM keys..."
 
# Check license key
if [ -z "$sv_licenseKey" ]; then
    echo "❌ License key not set"
else
    echo "✅ License key is set"
fi
 
# Check Steam API key
if [ -z "$steam_webApiKey" ]; then
    echo "❌ Steam API key not set"
else
    echo "✅ Steam API key is set"
fi
 
# Check Discord token
if [ -z "$DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN" ]; then
    echo "❌ Discord bot token not set"
else
    echo "✅ Discord bot token is set"
fi

Summary

License Key: Required for server operation, set via environment variable or server.cfg
Steam API Key: Enables Steam authentication, obtained from Steam Web API
Discord Bot Token: Enables Discord integration, created in Discord Developer Portal
Security: Always use environment variables, rotate keys regularly, secure file permissions
Troubleshooting: Verify key format, check service status, regenerate if needed