---
url: https://docs.sunlicense.com/how-to/fivem-script.md
description: >-
  How to add license keys to a FiveM (or RedM) script you sell on Tebex - load
  the one-file SunLicense Lua SDK, check the server's key from a convar on
  resource start, start your features only on a valid license, keep running
  offline, and ship through Tebex's asset escrow.
---

# How to add license keys to a FiveM script

**Short answer:** put the one-file SunLicense Lua SDK in your resource, read the server owner's key from a convar in
`server.cfg`, check it server-side when the resource starts, and start your features only when SunLicense says yes. A
network error is not a no: keep running and check again later. Ship it through Tebex's asset escrow.

```lua
-- server/license.lua (server_scripts in fxmanifest.lua)
local resource = GetCurrentResourceName()
local SunLicense = load(LoadResourceFile(resource, 'lib/sunlicense.lua'), '@lib/sunlicense.lua')()
local client = SunLicense.new({ baseUrl = 'https://api.sunlicense.com', token = SunLicenseSettings.apiKey })

client:validate(GetConvar('my_resource_license', ''), { host = serverId() }, function(ok, status, body)
    if status == 400 then -- EXPIRED, REVOKED, TOO_MANY_MACHINES...: body has the code
        print(('^1[%s] License rejected: %s^7'):format(resource, body))
        return
    end
    if not ok then print(('^3[%s] SunLicense unreachable, starting anyway^7'):format(resource)) end
    StartMyFeatures()
end)
```

The SDK uses FiveM's `PerformHttpRequest`, so the server never waits for the answer.

**Start from the template instead:** [example-fivem-resource](https://github.com/sunlicense-com/example-fivem-resource)
(Lua 5.4, RedM too) has this plus a stable server id, masked keys, re-checks every 6 hours, a sealed `server/core.lua`
that only runs with a valid license, a packaging script for Tebex escrow, tests and CI. [All templates](/guide/templates).

**Or let your AI agent do it:** paste the [setup prompt](https://sunlicense.com/prompt) into your coding agent.

Free plan: 3 products, 100 licenses, no credit card. [Create a free account](https://sunlicense.com/start?ref=docs-howto-fivem).

## Step by step

1. **In the dashboard:** a product, a policy (a machine is a server) and an **API key**, which can only validate.
   **Integrations → [Tebex](/integrations/tebex)** issues a key per package sale and revokes it on a chargeback.
2. **The SDK is one file:** copy `sunlicense.lua` from [sunlicense-com/sunlicense-lua](https://github.com/sunlicense-com/sunlicense-lua)
   to `lib/sunlicense.lua`. FiveM has no `require`, so load it with `LoadResourceFile` as above, server-side only.
3. **The server owner's key** goes in `server.cfg`: `set my_resource_license "AX8P-…"`. Use `set`, not `setr`, so it
   isn't replicated to clients.
4. **Your API key** goes into `settings.lua` at packaging time (the template's `scripts/package.sh` fills it from your
   environment), never in git.
5. **Server id:** a FiveM resource can only write inside its own folder, so keep one random id there with
   `SaveResourceFile(resource, '.machine-id', id, -1)` and reuse it (the template's `serverId()`).
6. **Results:** 200 starts your features, 400 leaves them off with the [reason](/guide/concepts#validation-result-codes)
   (mask the key in the console), anything else starts them and retries in about 10 minutes
   (`SetTimeout(600000, …)`). Re-check every few hours so a revoked key reaches running servers.
7. **Escrow.** Upload the resource through Tebex's asset escrow (Cfx.re keymaster) so buyers can't read or edit the
   check, `settings.lua` or your code; keep config files you want buyers to edit in `escrow_ignore`.

## Cfx.re and Tebex rules

FiveM and RedM run under Rockstar's [Creator Platform License Agreement](https://fivem.net/terms) (last updated
10 September 2026). It lets Rockstar name authorized or exclusive e-commerce, payment and marketplace providers and
require you to use them; for FiveM that is Tebex, with asset escrow for paid resources, and the list is on fivem.net.
Selling your own resources is fine; running a store that resells other creators' resources is one of the prohibited
methods (section 3.1). A license check only decides whether your own resource runs on a server, and changes none of
this. The agreement and the list of authorized services change from time to time: read both before you list.

## Going further

* [Obfuscation](/guide/obfuscation) for Lua (Prometheus) and [protection](/guide/protection) (the template seals
  `server/core.lua`).
* [Product analytics](/guide/product-analytics): which framework, server builds and versions your buyers run.
* Writing it in C#? The [.NET SDK](/how-to/dotnet-unity-tool) works in CitizenFX. More on
  [licensing FiveM scripts](https://sunlicense.com/for/fivem-scripts/).