How to Install FiveM Scripts on Your Server

If you've just purchased your first FiveM script — or even your fiftieth — you know that installation can sometimes be the trickiest part. A small mistake in a config file or a missing dependency can leave you staring at error messages for hours. This guide is designed to prevent that. We'll walk through every step of the installation process in detail, covering all major frameworks and common pitfalls.

Whether you're running QBCore, ESX, QBox, or a fully Standalone setup, the fundamental process is the same — but the details matter. Let's get into it.

Before You Start: What You'll Need

Before installing any script, take a moment to make sure you have everything ready. Missing one of these basics is the number one reason installations fail:

• A working FiveM server — If your server isn't already running and players can connect, fix that first. We recommend using txAdmin for server management as it makes restarting resources and viewing logs much easier.
• File access to your server — You need to be able to add, edit, and delete files in your server directory. If you're using a VPS, this means FTP/SFTP access (we recommend FileZilla) or direct SSH access. If you're hosting locally, you just need your file explorer.
• A proper text editor — Do not use Windows Notepad. It handles line endings and encoding poorly, which can silently break config files. Use VS Code (free, best option), Notepad++, or Sublime Text.
• Database access — Many scripts need database tables. Make sure you can access your MySQL/MariaDB database through phpMyAdmin, HeidiSQL, DBeaver, or the command line.
• The script's documentation — Always read it before installing. Seriously. Most issues come from skipping this step.

Pro tip: Before installing anything new, make a backup of your server. A simple copy of your resources folder and a database dump can save you hours if something goes wrong.

Step 1: Download and Extract the Script

After purchasing a script from the RARX store, you'll receive a download link. The script will come as a .zip or .rar archive. Here's what to do:

1. Download the archive to your computer (not directly to the server)
2. Extract it using 7-Zip, WinRAR, or your OS's built-in extractor
3. Look at what's inside — you should see a folder with a name like rarx-scoreboard or similar

Inside that folder, you'll typically find a structure like this:

rarx-scoreboard/
├── client/
│   ├── main.lua          -- Client-side logic
│   └── nui/              -- UI files (HTML/CSS/JS)
├── server/
│   └── main.lua          -- Server-side logic
├── shared/
│   └── config.lua        -- Configuration file
├── sql/
│   └── install.sql       -- Database tables
├── fxmanifest.lua        -- Resource manifest (required)
└── README.md             -- Documentation

The fxmanifest.lua file is critical — it tells FiveM what this resource is, what files to load, and what dependencies it needs. If you don't see this file, something is wrong with your download.

Common mistake: Some people extract the archive and end up with a double-nested folder, like rarx-scoreboard/rarx-scoreboard/. Make sure the fxmanifest.lua is in the root of the folder you place in your resources directory.

Step 2: Place the Files on Your Server

Now you need to upload the extracted folder to your server. The exact location depends on how your server is organized:

Standard structure

server-data/
├── resources/
│   ├── [qb]/                    -- QBCore framework resources
│   ├── [standalone]/            -- Standalone resources
│   ├── rarx-scoreboard/         -- ← Place your script here
│   └── ...

Organized with category folders

Many server owners organize resources into category folders. This is perfectly fine — FiveM doesn't care about folder depth as long as the ensure command points to the right place:

server-data/
├── resources/
│   ├── [core]/
│   │   ├── qb-core/
│   │   └── oxmysql/
│   ├── [rarx]/                  -- Create a folder for RARX scripts
│   │   ├── rarx-scoreboard/     -- ← Place here
│   │   └── rarx-policejob/
│   └── ...

Upload via FTP/SFTP or copy the folder directly if hosting locally. Make sure the entire folder structure is preserved — missing files will cause errors.

File permissions (Linux servers)

If you're on Linux, make sure the files have the correct permissions:

chmod -R 755 resources/rarx-scoreboard/

Step 3: Check Dependencies

This is where many installations fail. Most scripts depend on other resources being loaded first. Check the fxmanifest.lua file for lines like:

dependencies {
    'qb-core',
    'oxmysql',
    'qb-inventory'
}

Every resource listed here must be installed and started before your new script. If even one is missing, the script will fail to start — and sometimes the error message won't clearly tell you which dependency is missing.

Common dependencies you might need:

Step 4: Add to server.cfg

Open your server.cfg file and add the ensure line for your new script. Order matters! The script must be listed after its dependencies:

# Framework (loads first)
ensure qb-core
ensure oxmysql

# Other dependencies
ensure ox_lib
ensure qb-target
ensure qb-inventory

# Your new script (loads after dependencies)
ensure rarx-scoreboard

If you're using category folders:

ensure [rarx]

This will load everything inside the [rarx] folder. Be careful with this — if you put a broken script in that folder, it'll prevent the others from loading too.

Pro tip: Use ensure instead of start. The ensure command will restart the resource if it's already running, while start will silently fail if it's already started.

Step 5: Configure the Script

Almost every quality script comes with a configuration file — usually config.lua, shared/config.lua, or config.js. This is where you customize the script's behavior to match your server. Take your time here; good configuration makes the difference between a script that feels native to your server and one that feels out of place.

Framework selection

Multi-framework scripts will have a setting like:

Config.Framework = 'qbcore'  -- Options: 'qbcore', 'esx', 'standalone'

Some modern scripts auto-detect your framework, so you might not need to set this manually.

Language and localization

Config.Language = 'en'  -- Options: 'en', 'es', 'fr', 'de', 'pt'

Job names and permissions

Make sure job names match what your server uses. QBCore default is 'police', but your server might use 'lspd' or 'bcso':

Config.PoliceJobs = {'police', 'lspd', 'bcso', 'sheriff'}
Config.RequiredGrade = 2  -- Minimum grade to access certain features

Gameplay settings

Prices, timers, distances, and other gameplay values. Read through every option — the defaults are usually sensible, but every server is different:

Config.PaycheckInterval = 15  -- Minutes between paychecks
Config.MaxItems = 50          -- Max items in inventory
Config.BlipEnabled = true     -- Show on map
Config.InteractionDistance = 2.5  -- How close players need to be

Step 6: Database Setup

If the script includes a .sql file (usually in a sql/ folder), you need to import it into your database. This creates the tables the script needs to store data.

Using phpMyAdmin

1. Log into phpMyAdmin
2. Select your FiveM database from the left sidebar
3. Click the "Import" tab
4. Choose the .sql file and click "Go"

Using HeidiSQL

1. Connect to your database
2. Select your database
3. Go to File → Load SQL file
4. Select the file and click the Execute button (blue play icon)

Using the command line

mysql -u your_username -p your_database_name < sql/install.sql

Important: Always import the SQL before starting the script for the first time. If the script tries to access tables that don't exist, you'll get errors — and in some cases, the script might create incomplete tables that will cause problems later.

Checking for conflicts

Before importing, open the SQL file in your text editor and check the table names. If you see CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS players, the script wants to modify your existing players table. This is usually fine, but make sure it's adding columns, not replacing the entire table.

Step 7: Start and Test

With everything in place, it's time to start the script. You have two options:

Hot reload (no server restart needed)

In your server console or txAdmin live console:

ensure rarx-scoreboard

Full server restart

If the script modifies core functionality or adds new items, a full restart is safer. Through txAdmin, click the restart button, or in the console:

quit

Then start the server again.

What to check after starting

1. Server console: Look for any red error messages. Yellow warnings are usually fine, but red errors need attention.
2. Client console (F8): Connect to your server and open the client console. Look for errors here too — some issues only appear client-side.
3. Functionality test: Go in-game and test every feature of the script. Don't just check that it starts — verify that interactions, menus, and commands all work correctly.
4. Performance check: Run resmon 1 in the server console to see the resource usage. A well-optimized script should use less than 0.05ms when idle.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Solutions

Error: "Could not find resource"

The resource name in your server.cfg doesn't match the folder name. They must be exactly the same, including case sensitivity on Linux servers.

Error: "Failed to load script"

Usually a syntax error in the script or config. If you edited the config, double-check for missing commas, unclosed quotes, or wrong data types (using 'true' as a string instead of true as a boolean).

Error: "Dependency not found"

A required resource isn't installed or isn't starting before your script. Check the dependencies section of the fxmanifest.lua and make sure every listed resource is installed and loaded first.

Error: "Table doesn't exist"

You forgot to import the SQL file, or the import failed. Go back to Step 6 and import the database tables.

Script starts but nothing happens in-game

• Check that you have the right job/permissions to use the script
• Verify the interaction locations match your server's map (especially with MLOs)
• Make sure the framework setting in the config matches your actual framework
• Try clearing your FiveM cache: delete the cache folder in your FiveM application data

UI doesn't show up

If the script has a NUI (web-based UI) that isn't appearing:

• Clear your FiveM cache
• Check the client console (F8) for JavaScript errors
• Make sure no other resource is conflicting with the NUI focus

Framework-Specific Tips

QBCore

• Items must be added to qb-core/shared/items.lua if the script uses custom items
• Jobs are defined in qb-core/shared/jobs.lua
• Gang data is in qb-core/shared/gangs.lua
• After adding items or jobs, restart qb-core, not just the script

ESX

• Items are typically stored in the database items table
• Jobs are in the jobs and job_grades tables
• Some ESX scripts need esx_menu_default or esx_menu_dialog
• Make sure you're using a compatible ESX version (1.x vs Legacy)

QBox

• Most QBCore scripts are directly compatible
• Check if the script specifically supports QBox overrides
• QBox uses ox_inventory by default — inventory-related scripts should be compatible

Best Practices for Managing Scripts

• Keep a log: Write down every script you install, its version, and any config changes you made. This saves enormous time when troubleshooting.
• Update regularly: Script developers release updates that fix bugs and add features. Keep your scripts up to date.
• Test before production: If you have a development server, test new scripts there first. Never install untested scripts on a live server with players online.
• Back up before updates: Before updating any script, back up the old version and your database. If the update breaks something, you can roll back.
• Read changelogs: When updating, check what changed. Some updates require database migrations or config changes.

Getting Help

If you're stuck, here's where to find help:

• Script documentation: Check docs.rarxnetwork.com for detailed setup guides for every RARX product
• Discord support: All RARX purchases include 24/7 support through our Discord server. Create a ticket and our team will help you directly.
• Community forums: The Cfx.re forums and various FiveM Discord servers are great places to ask general questions

Ready to find your next script? Browse our Scripts collection — every resource includes drag & drop installation, free lifetime updates, and 24/7 support.