---
title: How to Create a Service User
url: https://docs.vultr.com/platform/iam/service-user/how-to-create-a-service-user
description: Create a service user in your Vultr organization for API-only access. Provision an automated account with an API key for machine-to-machine communication.
publish_date: 2026-03-24T19:53:16.543108Z
last_updated: 2026-06-01T21:12:07.674164Z
---

Service users are API-only accounts designed for programmatic access to your organization's resources. Unlike regular users, service users do not require an invitation to join the organization and are created directly.

Follow this guide to create a service user using the Vultr Console or Terraform.

=== "Vultr Console"

    1. Log in to the [Vultr Console](https://console.vultr.com).
    1. Click the organization name in the top navigation bar.
    1. Click **Manage Organization**.
    1. Click the **Users** tab.
    1. Click the **+** button to add a user.
    1. In the **Add User** panel, select the **User Type** as **Service User**.
    1. Enter the **Service User Name** and **Email Address**.
    1. (Optional) Select **Groups** and **Roles** to assign to the service user.
    1. Click **Review and add**.
    1. Review the details and click **Add service user**.

        The service user is created and appears in the **Users** list with a type of **Service User**.

=== "Terraform"

    > [!NOTE]
    > The service user's API key is stored in the Terraform state when `api_enabled = true`. Treat the state file as sensitive and restrict access accordingly.

    1. Ensure the [Vultr Terraform provider](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/vultr/vultr/latest/docs) is configured in your Terraform project.

    1. Define the service user resource. Replace `SERVICE-USER-NAME`, `SERVICE-USER-EMAIL`, and `STRONG-PASSWORD` with your values.

        ```hcl
        resource "vultr_user" "service_user" {
          name         = "SERVICE-USER-NAME"
          email        = "SERVICE-USER-EMAIL"
          password     = "STRONG-PASSWORD"
          service_user = true
          api_enabled  = true
        }
        ```

    1. Apply the configuration.

        ```console
        $ terraform apply
        ```

        Verify that the output shows `vultr_user.service_user: Creation complete`. The service user's API key is available in the Terraform state and can be retrieved with `terraform show`.