If you manage a DirectAdmin server and need to offer hosting to multiple clients, setting up reseller accounts is the most efficient way to delegate control without surrendering admin access. A reseller account sits between the server admin and end users — the reseller can create and manage their own user accounts, domains, and resources within the limits you define. This guide walks you through every step of creating and managing DirectAdmin reseller accounts, including real CLI commands and fixes for the most common errors.
What Is a Reseller Account in DirectAdmin?
DirectAdmin uses a three-tier account hierarchy: Admin → Reseller → User. As the admin, you control the entire server. Resellers are sub-admins you create — they can build their own hosting business by creating user accounts and allocating resources from a pool you assign them. Users sit at the bottom and only manage their own websites, email, and databases.
- Admin: Full server control — creates resellers, manages IPs, installs software
- Reseller: Creates and manages user accounts, allocates resources within their package limits
- User: Manages their own domains, email, FTP, and databases only
Before creating a reseller account, you must first create a Reseller Package that defines how much disk space, bandwidth, and accounts the reseller can distribute.
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Get Expert Help →Step 1: Create a Reseller Package
A Reseller Package is a template that sets the maximum resources a reseller can allocate to their users. You must create this before creating the reseller account itself.
Log into your DirectAdmin admin panel at https://your-server-ip:2222, then go to Server Management → Manage Reseller Packages and click Add Package.
Set the following limits for the package:
- Package Name: Use a clear name with no spaces (e.g.,
reseller_basic) - Disk Space: In MB — e.g., 50000 for 50 GB
- Bandwidth: Monthly transfer limit in MB — e.g., 500000 for ~500 GB
- Domains: How many domains the reseller can host
- Subdomains: Total subdomains across all their user accounts
- Email Accounts: Total email addresses the reseller can create
- MySQL Databases: Total databases allowed across all their users
- FTP Accounts, Email Forwarders, Mailing Lists, Autoresponders: Set as needed
Click Save. The package will now appear in the dropdown when creating a reseller account.
The reseller has exceeded their package allocation (disk, bandwidth, domains, or accounts). Fix: go to List Resellers → Modify the reseller → assign a higher-tier package, or enable overselling if appropriate.
The reseller has no IP address assigned and is trying to create a dedicated-IP domain. Fix: modify the reseller and set their IP type to Shared – Server, or assign a dedicated IP from your server's IP pool.
Your DirectAdmin license is a Personal license (1 account only). Resellers require a Reseller or Business license. Fix: upgrade your DirectAdmin license at the DirectAdmin client portal.
The username is taken at the system level. Choose a different username. If the username exists due to corrupted data, remove the orphaned entry from /usr/local/directadmin/data/users/ and recreate.
This is caused by simultaneous file write locking issues. Fix by running the built-in repair script:
/root/fix.shThis rebuilds the users.list files for all resellers and the admin account.
A trailing space in the nameserver config is blocking domain creation under the reseller. Fix: go to Admin Settings and remove any trailing whitespace from the ns2 nameserver value.
Check the reseller's user.conf file — if vdomains=0, that overrides the package. Also verify the reseller has IP addresses available and that the license supports the number of accounts.
For ongoing reseller management, CloudHouse can handle DirectAdmin server administration end-to-end — from reseller provisioning to performance monitoring. Learn more at our server management service.