How to Play GTA 5 RP: Install FiveM and Join a Server
November 9, 2026 · 6 min read
On this page
- What you need to play GTA RP
- Step 1: Pick the right version of GTA 5
- Step 2: Install FiveM
- Step 3: Find a roleplay server
- Step 4: Join the server
- Step 5: Learn the basic RP rules
- Will FiveM get you banned from GTA Online?
- Frequently asked questions
- Do you need GTA 5 to play FiveM?
- Is FiveM free?
- Can you play GTA RP on PS5 or Xbox?
- Does FiveM work with GTA 5 Enhanced?
- Can you get banned from GTA Online for using FiveM?
- How do you join a FiveM server with a code?
GTA RP isn't a mode inside GTA Online. It's played on community-run roleplay servers, and almost all of them run on FiveM, a free multiplayer platform for the PC version of GTA 5. To play, you need a legal copy of GTA 5 on PC, the FiveM client and a server that accepts new players. Here's how to set it up.
Last checked: November 9, 2026.
What you need to play GTA RP
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform | PC only. FiveM isn't available on PlayStation or Xbox |
| Game | A legal, fully updated copy of GTA 5 on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store or Rockstar) |
| Version | GTA V Legacy for regular FiveM, or GTA V Enhanced for FiveM for GTAV Enhanced (early access) |
| Software | The free FiveM client from fivem.net |
| Accounts | A Rockstar Games account for the game; many servers also use Discord |
| Storage | The game plus 4 GB extra at minimum, or 8 GB extra recommended |
FiveM is made by Cfx.re. Rockstar Games announced on August 11, 2023 that it had acquired Cfx.re, so FiveM is now part of the Rockstar family rather than an unofficial project.
FiveM explains why there's no console version: it depends on technical access that only an open PC platform allows, so it can't be offered on consoles.
Step 1: Pick the right version of GTA 5
Since March 2025, GTA 5 on PC comes in two versions, and FiveM has a build for each:
- FiveM needs GTA V Legacy, the original PC release. It has the lower hardware requirements.
- FiveM for GTAV Enhanced needs GTA V Enhanced. It's in early access, so features can still change.
If you buy GTA 5 on PC today, you get both versions. Before you install anything, check which build the server you want to join uses. Our GTA 5 PC system requirements guide covers what each version needs.
FiveM won't work with pirated copies. It checks that you own the game the first time you launch it.
Step 2: Install FiveM
- Install and update GTA 5 through your store, then start it once so it's fully updated.
- Download FiveM from the official site, fivem.net. Pick the regular download for Legacy, or the FiveM for GTAV Enhanced installer for Enhanced.
- Run the installer. If you run it inside an empty folder, FiveM installs there. Otherwise it installs to
%localappdata%\FiveM. - Start FiveM from the Windows Start menu.
- Let it check your game. On first launch FiveM verifies that you own GTA 5. If the automatic check fails, it asks you to sign in. FiveM says those details go only to Rockstar's own services and aren't sent to Cfx.re.
Only download FiveM from fivem.net, the official site, and avoid copies hosted anywhere else.
Step 3: Find a roleplay server
FiveM has a built-in server browser, and the same list is on the web at servers.fivem.net. Use the search and filters to narrow it down:
- Language and region. Pick servers in your language and close to you for lower ping.
- Player count. Busy servers have more going on, but the most popular ones can have a queue to get in.
- Server type. Look for "RP" or "roleplay" in the name or tags. Servers range from serious, whitelisted communities to casual, open ones.
Server owners can add custom cars, maps, weapons and scripts, which FiveM downloads automatically when you join. Expect the first join to take longer while those files download.
If you'd rather run your own community, see our guide on how to make a FiveM server.
Step 4: Join the server
To join from the browser, select a server and click Connect. You can also open the FiveM console with F8 and type connect followed by the server's address, for example a cfx.re/join/ link that the server shares.
Many roleplay servers want more than a click:
- Discord. Many RP communities post their rules, announcements and support channels on Discord, and some require you to link your account.
- Whitelist applications. Stricter servers make you apply before you can join, often with a short character backstory.
- A microphone. Roleplay is mostly done through in-game voice chat, so a working mic is usually expected.
Step 5: Learn the basic RP rules
Each server writes its own rules, so read them before you play. Most servers use the same core ideas and terms:
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Stay in character | Act as your character, not as yourself, while you're on the server |
| RDM (random deathmatch) | Attacking or killing someone without a roleplay reason. Banned on most servers |
| VDM (vehicle deathmatch) | Using a car as a weapon without a reason. Banned on most servers |
| Metagaming | Using information your character couldn't know, such as something seen on a stream |
| Powergaming | Forcing an outcome on another player or doing things that would be impossible in real life |
| NLR (new life rule) | After your character is "killed", you forget the events that led to it |
| OOC (out of character) | Talking as yourself rather than your character; most servers limit where you can do this |
Start with a simple, legal job and talk to other players. It's the easiest way to learn how your server works before you join a gang or a police department.
Will FiveM get you banned from GTA Online?
According to FiveM, no. FiveM runs separately from your game installation and doesn't change your GTA 5 files, so you can switch between FiveM and GTA Online without doing anything special. Outside the ownership check on first launch, it doesn't talk to Rockstar's online services.
Individual RP servers can still ban you for breaking their rules. Those bans only apply to that server.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need GTA 5 to play FiveM?
Yes. FiveM needs a legal, fully updated copy of GTA 5 on PC, and it checks that you own the game when you first launch it. It won't work with pirated copies.
Is FiveM free?
Yes. The FiveM client is free to download from fivem.net, and you only need to own GTA 5 on PC. Some servers sell optional extras through their own web stores.
Can you play GTA RP on PS5 or Xbox?
No. FiveM is only available on PC. Its developers say a console version isn't feasible, because FiveM depends on technical access that only the PC platform allows.
Does FiveM work with GTA 5 Enhanced?
Yes, through a separate build called FiveM for GTAV Enhanced, which is in early access. The regular FiveM client needs GTA V Legacy, so check which version your server uses.
Can you get banned from GTA Online for using FiveM?
FiveM says you won't. It doesn't modify your GTA 5 files and only contacts Rockstar's services to check that you own the game. Rule breaks on an RP server can still get you banned from that server.
How do you join a FiveM server with a code?
Open FiveM, press F8 to open the console and type connect followed by the server's address or its cfx.re/join/ link. You can also find the server in the server browser and click Connect.
