---
title: CREATE DATABASE permission denied in database 'master' during create company process
description: "If you're using Acctivate on a shared or multi-tenant SQL Server, and your user account doesn't have \"sysadmin\" rights, you may encounter this error when using the Create Company process."
---

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May 14, 2025

# CREATE DATABASE permission denied in database 'master' during create company process

## You may not have the correct SQL Server permissions to create a new database. Here's what to do.

If you're using Acctivate on a shared or multi-tenant SQL Server, and your user account won't have "sysadmin" rights. You may encounter this error when attempting to create the a new database during the Create Company process:

> **Create failed for Database 'Acctivate$YourCompanyIDorName'.  --\> An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. --\> CREATE DATABASE permission denied in database 'master'.**

To proceed, follow these steps:

### How to resolve the issue:

1. **Contact your SQL Server administrator** and ask them to create a new, empty shell database for the Acctivate company.
   
   This is usually your IT services company if you're running a local, on-premise database. It could also be your database hosting company if using a cloud database server.
2. The database should be named using the proper Acctivate naming convention (e.g., `Acctivate$YourCompanyIDOrName` ).
   
   You may also need a **database prefix for multi-tenant servers** (e.g., `YourOrganization$Acctivate$YourCompanyIDOrName` ).
3. The server admin must ensure your SQL login has **db\_owner** permissions on the new database to continue with the Acctivate create company process.
4. Once the shell database is created and permissions are assigned, you can return to the Create Company wizard in Acctivate and proceed using the existing database.

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