sp_addrole (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Creates a new database role in the current database.
Important
sp_addrole is included for compatibility with earlier versions of SQL Server and might not be supported in a future release. Use CREATE ROLE instead.
Transact-SQL syntax conventions
Syntax
sp_addrole
[ @rolename = ] N'rolename'
[ , [ @ownername = ] N'ownername' ]
[ ; ]
Arguments
[ @rolename = ] N'rolename'
The name of the new database role. @rolename is sysname, with no default. @rolename must be a valid identifier and must not already exist in the current database.
[ @ownername = ] N'ownername'
The owner of the new database role. @ownername is sysname, with a default of the current executing user. @ownername must be a database user or database role in the current database.
Return code values
0 (success) or 1 (failure).
Remarks
The names of SQL Server database roles can contain from 1 through 128 characters, including letters, symbols, and numbers. The names of database roles can't contain a backslash character (\), be NULL, or an empty string ('').
After you add a database role, use sp_addrolemember to add principals to the role. When GRANT, DENY, or REVOKE statements are used to apply permissions to the database role, members of the database role inherit those permissions as if the permissions were applied directly to their accounts.
Note
New server roles can't be created. Roles can only be created at the database level.
sp_addrole can't be used inside a user-defined transaction.
Permissions
Requires CREATE ROLE permission on the database. If creating a schema, requires CREATE SCHEMA on the database. If @ownername is specified as a user or group, requires IMPERSONATE on that user or group. If @ownername is specified as a role, requires ALTER permission on that role or on a member of that role. If owner is specified as an application role, requires ALTER permission on that application role.
Examples
The following example adds a new role called Managers to the current database.
EXEC sp_addrole 'Managers';