# CREATE USER

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: CREATE USER
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
docname: sql/sql-statements/create-user
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: sql/sql-statements/create-user.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/reference/pages/sql/sql-statements/create-user.adoc
description: The CREATE USER statement creates a new user in Redpanda SQL with a required password. Only a superuser can create users.
page-topic-type: reference
page-git-created-date: "2026-05-26"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/create-user.md -->

The `CREATE USER` statement creates a new user in Redpanda SQL. `CREATE ROLE` is a synonym for `CREATE USER`, provided for PostgreSQL compatibility. Only a superuser can run this statement.

A password is required when creating a user.

> 📝 **NOTE**
>
> Error messages from the SQL engine refer to users as "roles" (for example, `role "[alice@example.com](mailto:alice@example.com)" does not exist`). This is consistent with PostgreSQL terminology and refers to the same object that `CREATE USER` produces.

> 📝 **NOTE**
>
> On Redpanda Cloud BYOC, users are provisioned automatically when a Redpanda Cloud user or service account is assigned a role with the **SQL: Access** or **SQL: Manage** permission. `CREATE USER` works syntactically, but the Cloud operator revokes `CONNECT` access for any user not present in Redpanda Cloud’s organization IAM. Manage user lifecycle through Redpanda Cloud IAM instead. See [Manage access to Redpanda SQL](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/sql/manage/manage-access/).

## [](#syntax)Syntax

```sql
CREATE { USER | ROLE } user_name [WITH] PASSWORD 'password' [SUPERUSER | NOSUPERUSER];
```

-   `user_name`: Name of the new user. Cannot be `CURRENT_USER` or `CURRENT_ROLE`.

-   `PASSWORD 'password'`: Required. The password must be a non-empty string literal.

-   `SUPERUSER`: Optional. Grants superuser privileges to the new user. Superusers bypass authorization checks.

-   `NOSUPERUSER`: Optional. Explicitly marks the user as a non-superuser. Default when neither `SUPERUSER` nor `NOSUPERUSER` is specified.

-   `WITH`: Optional. Has no effect; provided for PostgreSQL compatibility.


## [](#examples)Examples

Create a regular user with a password:

```sql
CREATE USER "alice@example.com" WITH PASSWORD 'secret123';
```

Create a superuser:

```sql
CREATE USER "admin@example.com" WITH PASSWORD 'admin_secret' SUPERUSER;
```

## [](#suggested-reading)Suggested reading

-   [ALTER USER](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/alter-user/)

-   [DROP USER](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/drop-user/)

-   [GRANT](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/sql/sql-statements/grant/)

-   [Manage access to Redpanda SQL](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/sql/manage/manage-access/)