sys.fn_builtin_permissions (Transact-SQL)

Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance SQL database in Microsoft Fabric

Returns a description of the built in permissions hierarchy of the server. sys.fn_builtin_permissions can only be called on SQL Server and Azure SQL Database, and it returns all permissions regardless of whether they are supported on the current platform. Most permissions apply to all platforms, but some do not. For example server level permissions cannot be granted on SQL Database. For information about which platforms support each permission, see Permissions (Database Engine).

Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

sys.fn_builtin_permissions ( [ DEFAULT | NULL ]
    | empty_string | '<securable_class>' } )
  
<securable_class> ::=
      APPLICATION ROLE | ASSEMBLY | ASYMMETRIC KEY | AVAILABILITY GROUP
    | CERTIFICATE | CONTRACT | DATABASE | DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
    | ENDPOINT | FULLTEXT CATALOG | FULLTEXT STOPLIST | LOGIN
    | MESSAGE TYPE | OBJECT | REMOTE SERVICE BINDING | ROLE | ROUTE
    | SCHEMA | SEARCH PROPERTY LIST | SERVER | SERVER ROLE | SERVICE
    | SYMMETRIC KEY | TYPE | USER | XML SCHEMA COLLECTION

Arguments

[ DEFAULT | NULL ]

When it is called with the DEFAULT option (without quotes), the function will return a complete list of built in permissions.

NULL is equivalent to DEFAULT.

empty_string

Equivalent to DEFAULT.

'<securable_class>'

When called with the name of one securable class, sys.fn_builtin_permissions will return all permissions that apply to the class. '<securable_class>' is a string literal of type nvarchar(60) that requires quotation marks.

Tables returned

Column name	Data type	Collation	Description
class_desc	nvarchar(60)	Collation of the server	Description of the securable class.
permission_name	nvarchar(60)	Collation of the server	Permission name.
type	varchar(4)	Collation of the server	Compact permission type code. See the table that follows.
covering_permission_name	nvarchar(60)	Collation of the server	If not NULL, this is the name of the permission on this class that implies the other permissions on this class.
parent_class_desc	nvarchar(60)	Collation of the server	If not NULL, this is the name of the parent class that contains the current class.
parent_covering_permission_name	nvarchar(60)	Collation of the server	If not NULL, this is the name of the permission on the parent class that implies all other permissions on that class.

Permission types

Permission type	Permission name	Applies to securable or class
AADS	ALTER ANY DATABASE EVENT SESSION Applies to: SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
AAES	ALTER ANY EVENT SESSION	SERVER
AAMK	ALTER ANY MASK Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
ADBO	ADMINISTER BULK OPERATIONS	SERVER
AEDS	ALTER ANY EXTERNAL DATA SOURCE Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
AEFF	ALTER ANY EXTERNAL FILE FORMAT Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
AL	ALTER	APPLICATION ROLE
AL	ALTER	ASSEMBLY
AL	ALTER Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	AVAILABILITY GROUP
AL	ALTER	ASYMMETRIC KEY
AL	ALTER	CERTIFICATE
AL	ALTER	CONTRACT
AL	ALTER	DATABASE
AL	ALTER Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later versions, and Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
AL	ALTER	ENDPOINT
AL	ALTER	FULLTEXT CATALOG
AL	ALTER	FULLTEXT STOPLIST
AL	ALTER	LOGIN
AL	ALTER	MESSAGE TYPE
AL	ALTER	OBJECT
AL	ALTER	REMOTE SERVICE BINDING
AL	ALTER	ROLE
AL	ALTER	ROUTE
AL	ALTER	SCHEMA
AL	ALTER	SEARCH PROPERTY LIST
AL	ALTER Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER ROLE
AL	ALTER	SERVICE
AL	ALTER	SYMMETRIC KEY
AL	ALTER	USER
AL	ALTER	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
ALAA	ALTER ANY SERVER AUDIT	SERVER
ALAG	ALTER ANY AVAILABILITY GROUP Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER
ALAK	ALTER ANY ASYMMETRIC KEY	DATABASE
ALAR	ALTER ANY APPLICATION ROLE	DATABASE
ALAS	ALTER ANY ASSEMBLY	DATABASE
ALCD	ALTER ANY CREDENTIAL	SERVER
ALCF	ALTER ANY CERTIFICATE	DATABASE
ALCK	ALTER ANY COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
ALCM	ALTER ANY COLUMN MASTER KEY Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
ALCO	ALTER ANY CONNECTION	SERVER
ALDA	ALTER ANY DATABASE AUDIT	DATABASE
ALDB	ALTER ANY DATABASE	SERVER
ALDC	ALTER ANY DATABASE SCOPED CONFIGURATION Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
ALDS	ALTER ANY DATASPACE	DATABASE
ALED	ALTER ANY DATABASE EVENT NOTIFICATION	DATABASE
ALES	ALTER ANY EVENT NOTIFICATION	SERVER
ALFT	ALTER ANY FULLTEXT CATALOG	DATABASE
ALHE	ALTER ANY ENDPOINT	SERVER
ALLG	ALTER ANY LOGIN	SERVER
ALLS	ALTER ANY LINKED SERVER	SERVER
ALMT	ALTER ANY MESSAGE TYPE	DATABASE
ALRL	ALTER ANY ROLE	DATABASE
ALRS	ALTER RESOURCES	SERVER
ALRT	ALTER ANY ROUTE	DATABASE
ALSB	ALTER ANY REMOTE SERVICE BINDING	DATABASE
ALSC	ALTER ANY CONTRACT	DATABASE
ALSK	ALTER ANY SYMMETRIC KEY	DATABASE
ALSM	ALTER ANY SCHEMA	DATABASE
ALSP	ALTER ANY SECURITY POLICY Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
ALSR	ALTER ANY SERVER ROLE Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER
ALSS	ALTER SERVER STATE	SERVER
ALST	ALTER SETTINGS	SERVER
ALSV	ALTER ANY SERVICE	DATABASE
ALTG	ALTER ANY DATABASE DDL TRIGGER	DATABASE
ALTR	ALTER TRACE	SERVER
ALUS	ALTER ANY USER	DATABASE
AUTH	AUTHENTICATE	DATABASE
AUTH	AUTHENTICATE SERVER	SERVER
BADB	BACKUP DATABASE	DATABASE
BALO	BACKUP LOG	DATABASE
CADB	CONNECT ANY DATABASE Applies to: SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later versions.	SERVER
CL	CONTROL	APPLICATION ROLE
CL	CONTROL	ASSEMBLY
CL	CONTROL	ASYMMETRIC KEY
CL	CONTROL Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	AVAILABILITY GROUP
CL	CONTROL	CERTIFICATE
CL	CONTROL	CONTRACT
CL	CONTROL	DATABASE
CL	CONTROL Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later versions, and Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
CL	CONTROL	ENDPOINT
CL	CONTROL	FULLTEXT CATALOG
CL	CONTROL	FULLTEXT STOPLIST
CL	CONTROL	LOGIN
CL	CONTROL	MESSAGE TYPE
CL	CONTROL	OBJECT
CL	CONTROL	REMOTE SERVICE BINDING
CL	CONTROL	ROLE
CL	CONTROL	ROUTE
CL	CONTROL	SCHEMA
CL	CONTROL	SEARCH PROPERTY LIST
CL	CONTROL SERVER	SERVER
CL	CONTROL Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER ROLE
CL	CONTROL	SERVICE
CL	CONTROL	SYMMETRIC KEY
CL	CONTROL	TYPE
CL	CONTROL	USER
CL	CONTROL	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
CO	CONNECT	DATABASE
CO	CONNECT	ENDPOINT
CORP	CONNECT REPLICATION	DATABASE
COSQ	CONNECT SQL	SERVER
CP	CHECKPOINT	DATABASE
CRAC	CREATE AVAILABILITY GROUP Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER
CRAG	CREATE AGGREGATE	DATABASE
CRAK	CREATE ASYMMETRIC KEY	DATABASE
CRAS	CREATE ASSEMBLY	DATABASE
CRCF	CREATE CERTIFICATE	DATABASE
CRDB	CREATE ANY DATABASE	SERVER
CRDB	CREATE DATABASE	DATABASE
CRDE	CREATE DDL EVENT NOTIFICATION	SERVER
CRDF	CREATE DEFAULT	DATABASE
CRED	CREATE DATABASE DDL EVENT NOTIFICATION	DATABASE
CRFN	CREATE FUNCTION	DATABASE
CRFT	CREATE FULLTEXT CATALOG	DATABASE
CRHE	CREATE ENDPOINT	SERVER
CRMT	CREATE MESSAGE TYPE	DATABASE
CRPR	CREATE PROCEDURE	DATABASE
CRQU	CREATE QUEUE	DATABASE
CRRL	CREATE ROLE	DATABASE
CRRT	CREATE ROUTE	DATABASE
CRRU	CREATE RULE	DATABASE
CRSB	CREATE REMOTE SERVICE BINDING	DATABASE
CRSC	CREATE CONTRACT	DATABASE
CRSK	CREATE SYMMETRIC KEY	DATABASE
CRSM	CREATE SCHEMA	DATABASE
CRSN	CREATE SYNONYM	DATABASE
CRSO	CREATE SEQUENCE	SCHEMA
CRSR	CREATE SERVER ROLE Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER
CRSV	CREATE SERVICE	DATABASE
CRTB	CREATE TABLE	DATABASE
CRTE	CREATE TRACE EVENT NOTIFICATION	SERVER
CRTY	CREATE TYPE	DATABASE
CRVW	CREATE VIEW	DATABASE
CRXS	CREATE XML SCHEMA COLLECTION	DATABASE
DABO	ADMINISTER DATABASE BULK OPERATIONS Applies to: SQL Database.	DATABASE
DL	DELETE	DATABASE
DL	DELETE	OBJECT
DL	DELETE	SCHEMA
EAES	EXECUTE ANY EXTERNAL SCRIPT Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
EX	EXECUTE	DATABASE
EX	EXECUTE	OBJECT
EX	EXECUTE	SCHEMA
EX	EXECUTE	TYPE
EX	EXECUTE	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
IAL	IMPERSONATE ANY LOGIN Applies to: SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later versions.	SERVER
IM	IMPERSONATE	LOGIN
IM	IMPERSONATE	USER
IN	INSERT	DATABASE
IN	INSERT	OBJECT
IN	INSERT	SCHEMA
KIDC	KILL DATABASE CONNECTION Applies to: Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE
RC	RECEIVE	OBJECT
RF	REFERENCES	ASSEMBLY
RF	REFERENCES	ASYMMETRIC KEY
RF	REFERENCES	CERTIFICATE
RF	REFERENCES	CONTRACT
RF	REFERENCES	DATABASE
RF	REFERENCES Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later versions, and Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
RF	REFERENCES	FULLTEXT CATALOG
RF	REFERENCES	FULLTEXT STOPLIST
RF	REFERENCES	SEARCH PROPERTY LIST
RF	REFERENCES	MESSAGE TYPE
RF	REFERENCES	OBJECT
RF	REFERENCES	SCHEMA
RF	REFERENCES	SYMMETRIC KEY
RF	REFERENCES	TYPE
RF	REFERENCES	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
SHDN	SHUTDOWN	SERVER
SL	SELECT	DATABASE
SL	SELECT	OBJECT
SL	SELECT	SCHEMA
SN	SEND	SERVICE
SPLN	SHOWPLAN	DATABASE
SUQN	SUBSCRIBE QUERY NOTIFICATIONS	DATABASE
SUS	SELECT ALL USER SECURABLES Applies to: SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later versions.	SERVER
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	ASSEMBLY
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	ASYMMETRIC KEY
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	AVAILABILITY GROUP
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	CERTIFICATE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	CONTRACT
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	DATABASE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later versions, and Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	ENDPOINT
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	FULLTEXT CATALOG
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	FULLTEXT STOPLIST
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	SEARCH PROPERTY LIST
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	MESSAGE TYPE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	OBJECT
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	REMOTE SERVICE BINDING
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	ROLE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	ROUTE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	SCHEMA
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER ROLE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	SERVICE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	SYMMETRIC KEY
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	TYPE
TO	TAKE OWNERSHIP	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
UMSK	UNMASK Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
UP	UPDATE	DATABASE
UP	UPDATE	OBJECT
UP	UPDATE	SCHEMA
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	APPLICATION ROLE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	ASSEMBLY
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	ASYMMETRIC KEY
VW	VIEW DEFINITION Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	AVAILABILITY GROUP
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	CERTIFICATE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	CONTRACT
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	DATABASE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later versions, and Azure SQL Database.	DATABASE SCOPED CREDENTIAL
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	ENDPOINT
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	FULLTEXT CATALOG
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	FULLTEXT STOPLIST
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	LOGIN
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	MESSAGE TYPE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	OBJECT
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	REMOTE SERVICE BINDING
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	ROLE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	ROUTE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	SCHEMA
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	SEARCH PROPERTY LIST
VW	VIEW DEFINITION Applies to: SQL Server 2012 (11.x) and later versions.	SERVER ROLE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	SERVICE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	SYMMETRIC KEY
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	TYPE
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	USER
VW	VIEW DEFINITION	XML SCHEMA COLLECTION
VWAD	VIEW ANY DEFINITION	SERVER
VWCK	VIEW ANY COLUMN ENCRYPTION KEY DEFINITION Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
VWCM	VIEW ANY COLUMN MASTER KEY DEFINITION Applies to: SQL Server 2016 (13.x) and later versions.	DATABASE
VWCT	VIEW CHANGE TRACKING	OBJECT
VWCT	VIEW CHANGE TRACKING	SCHEMA
VWDB	VIEW ANY DATABASE	SERVER
VWDS	VIEW DATABASE STATE	DATABASE
VWSS	VIEW SERVER STATE	SERVER
XA	EXTERNAL ACCESS ASSEMBLY	SERVER
XU	UNSAFE ASSEMBLY	SERVER

Remarks

sys.fn_builtin_permissions is a table-valued function that emits a copy of the predefined permission hierarchy. This hierarchy includes covering permissions. The DEFAULT result set describes a directed, acyclic graph of the permissions hierarchy, of which the root is (class = SERVER, permission = CONTROL SERVER).

sys.fn_builtin_permissions does not accept correlated parameters.

sys.fn_builtin_permissions will return an empty set when it is called with a class name that is not valid.

The following image shows the permissions and their relationships to each other. Some of the higher level permissions (such as CONTROL SERVER) are listed many times. In this article, the poster is far too small to read. You can download the full-sized Database Engine Permissions Poster in PDF format.

Permissions

Requires membership in the public role.

Examples

A. List all built in permissions

Use DEFAULT or an empty string to return all permissions.

SELECT * FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions(DEFAULT);
SELECT * FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions('');

B. List permissions that can be set on a symmetric key

Specify a class to return all possible permissions for that class.

SELECT * FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions(N'SYMMETRIC KEY');

C. List classes on which there is a SELECT permission

SELECT * FROM sys.fn_builtin_permissions(DEFAULT)
    WHERE permission_name = 'SELECT';

See also

• Permissions Hierarchy (Database Engine)
• GRANT (Transact-SQL)
• CREATE SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)
• DROP SCHEMA (Transact-SQL)
• Permissions (Database Engine)
• sys.fn_my_permissions (Transact-SQL)
• HAS_PERMS_BY_NAME (Transact-SQL)