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GTA V Multiplayer · Roleplay · Cfx.re · Rockstar Games

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FiveM Server Setup: Creating Your Server Step by Step

Step by step: create a FiveM server at RespawnHost, enter your license key from portal.cfx.re and start playing — plus FXServer self-hosting for Windows & Linux.

Last updated July 20, 2026 · RespawnHost

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Creating a FiveM server at RespawnHost

This guide takes you from ordering to the first start of your own FiveM server. The one thing that sets FiveM apart from other games: you need a free license key from the Cfx.re portal — no FiveM server starts without it. Getting one takes two minutes; you enter it in the panel and you’re good to go.

Requirements

  • A RespawnHost account — register here
  • Credit on your account (prepaid system, top up via PayPal or credit card, for example)
  • A Cfx.re account for the license key (free)
  • To play: GTA V for PC and the FiveM client

Step 1: Get a license key from portal.cfx.re

Every FiveM server needs a license key (sv_licenseKey) — it is mandatory:

  1. Open portal.cfx.re and log in with your Cfx.re account. The portal is the successor to the old “Keymaster”.
  2. Create a new server license key there.
  3. Copy the key — you’ll enter it in the panel in a moment.

Note: slots and licensing

The free key allows up to 48 players (OneSync Infinity). More slots are available via Cfx.re's Element Club subscriptions — see the overview in the server.cfg guide.

Step 2: Order your server

  1. Open the FiveM order page in the RespawnHost panel and log in.
  2. Choose your billing model: fixed package (fixed monthly price, paid upfront from your credit) or Pay-Per-Use (billed per second — it only costs while the server is running).
  3. Choose your package — 4–8 GB RAM is enough to get started; roleplay servers with many resources need more. Details in the guide How much RAM does a FiveM server need?

After ordering, the server is installed automatically.

Step 3: Enter the license key and start

  1. Open your server’s configuration in the panel and paste the license key from step 1 into the corresponding field.
  2. Adjust the server name and slots if needed — all other settings are covered in the server.cfg guide.
  3. Click Start. As soon as the status shows “Online”, your server is reachable via its IP (default port 30120).
Screenshot coming soon: license key field in the server configuration in the RespawnHost panel
The license key from portal.cfx.re goes into the server configuration in the panel

In the FiveM client, you then connect directly via your server’s IP or find it in the server list.

How do I self-host a FiveM server?

For comparison, here is the self-hosting route with the official FXServer — the groundwork a host takes care of for you:

Windows:

  1. Download the latest server artifact from runtime.fivem.net/artifacts/fivem/build_server_windows/master/ and extract it.
  2. Clone the cfx-server-data repository (the default resources).
  3. Create a server.cfg (see the server.cfg guide) and start with:
FXServer.exe +exec server.cfg

Linux:

  1. Download the latest artifact from build_proot_linux.
  2. Extract it with tar xf fx.tar.xz.
  3. Start with:
bash run.sh +exec server.cfg

Self-hosting also means: port forwarding, artifact updates, backups and a machine running 24/7. At RespawnHost, all of that is included — you only take care of your server, not the machine.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need GTA V to run a server? No — the server itself doesn’t need GTA V, only the free license key from portal.cfx.re. You only need GTA V for PC to play via the FiveM client.

How much does the license key cost? Nothing — the basic key from Cfx.re is free and allows up to 48 players. Only the optional Element Club tiers for more slots cost money.

Which port needs to be reachable? FiveM’s default port is 30120 (TCP and UDP). At RespawnHost this is already set up for you.