The Minecraft server EULA, explained for owners

The Minecraft server EULA is the Minecraft End User License Agreement, the same license that covers the game itself, and a Java server won't start until you accept it by setting eula=true in a file called eula.txt. That's the two-minute part. The part that actually shapes your server is what the EULA and Mojang's Minecraft Usage Guidelines say about money: what you can sell in a store, what counts as pay-to-win, and what gets a server blocked.

This guide does both. First the file, then the rules, then a checklist you can hold your rank perks up against before you open a store.

How to accept the EULA in eula.txt

The official Java server jar creates eula.txt the first time it runs, sees eula=false, and shuts down. The console prints two lines you'll recognize:

Failed to load eula.txt
You need to agree to the EULA in order to run the server. Go to eula.txt for more info.

That isn't a crash. It's the server waiting for you.

1. Run the server once. Start it the normal way, for example java -Xms2G -Xmx2G -jar server.jar --nogui (Paper users run paper.jar the same way). It stops after a few seconds.
2. Open the server folder. You'll now see eula.txt, server.properties and a logs folder next to the jar.
3. Read the EULA. The comment at the top of eula.txt points to the license. You're agreeing to a contract, so actually open it.
4. Change one word. Edit eula=false to eula=true. Lowercase, no spaces, nothing else on the line.
5. Save and start again. The server now generates the world and finishes with a Done line.

Hosting panels usually show an "Accept EULA" button or pop-up that writes the same line for you. The Bedrock Dedicated Server works differently: you tick the EULA agreement box on the download page, and there's no eula.txt to edit.

eula.txt not showing up or not working?

When the file is missing or ignored, it's almost always one of these causes. Match your symptom:

What the EULA itself says about servers

The EULA is short on server detail. It says that if you own Java Edition you may install the server software and host online play. It also says you may not distribute Mojang's software, make commercial use of it, or try to make money from anything Mojang made, unless Mojang specifically agrees.

That sounds like a total ban on earning money. It isn't, because the EULA points to the Usage Guidelines and calls them extra permissions Mojang gives the community. The guidelines are where the server money rules live, and Mojang reserves the right to change or withdraw them without notice. Two more EULA points owners run into:

• Mods and plugins: you can make and share your own original plugins and mods, but you can't sell them, and you can't distribute a modified copy of the game or server software itself.
• Realms is different: the EULA bans selling or charging for access to a Realm. Everything below applies to servers you run, not Realms.

What can a Minecraft server sell? The allowed list

The "Servers and hosting" section of the Usage Guidelines defines a server as a single connecting address or IP, and then lists the ways you may make money. Paraphrased closely:

• An access fee, if the price is the same for everyone, everyone who pays can use all the mods you enabled (admin tools aside), and you own or control the server for the whole time you charge.
• Donations, as long as the donor gets nothing only they can use. You may give everyone on the server a reward when a donation goal is hit.
• Gameplay entitlements that don't ruin other players' experience and don't give a competitive advantage.
• Cosmetics, except capes or anything designed to look like a Minecraft player cape.
• In-game ads (display or video) that don't hurt gameplay, don't give anyone an edge, and follow the Constructed Promotions rules.
• Virtual currency that has no real-world value, can't be cashed out, can't be used or moved on other servers, can't be converted into real money, doesn't look official, and isn't named or styled like Minecoins.

One access rule sits above all of that: the guidelines say access must only go to players with a genuine paid-for copy of Minecraft, and can't depend on owning out-of-game content or products. That second half is the anti-NFT clause, and it also rules out "hold this token to unlock this kit" schemes.

In short, don't do evil things to players and you should be fine.Minecraft Usage Guidelines, Servers and hosting

What you can't sell: capes, pay-to-win and cash-out currencies

• Capes and cape look-alikes. Wings or back items that mimic the cape slot are the risky part. A backpack cosmetic is not a cape; a cloth that hangs off the shoulders and moves like one probably is.
• Anything that wins fights or races. Better gear, stronger kits, extra health, faster mining, or anything that turns money into a competitive edge over players who didn't pay.
• Currency with real value. If a player can sell coins for cash, trade them to another server, or exchange them back, it breaks the rules.
• Mature or gambling content. Everything you sell and every ad you run must suit all ages, and the guidelines name gambling specifically. Paid crates with random prizes deserve a hard look under that line.
• Access tied to out-of-game ownership. No NFT gates, and no perks you only get for owning some outside product.
• An official look. Your server and store can't look approved by Mojang or Microsoft, and "Minecraft" can't be the main part of your server's name. The guidelines' own example accepts "Kotoba Miners: A Minecraft server for Redstone builds" and rejects a name that leads with "Minecraft".

The rank perk checklist

Most store problems hide inside ranks. A rank is just a bundle of perks, so judge each perk on its own. Here's how we'd sort the common ones, reading the guidelines conservatively. Where we write "risky", Mojang hasn't given a public ruling we can point to, and Mojang says it won't advise on individual projects.

A quick test that catches most mistakes: if a free player fought a paying player, or raced them to a goal, would the purchase change who wins? If yes, don't sell it. Our guide to non-pay-to-win servers shows what players check from the other side of the store.

Rules that apply however you make money

The guidelines add conditions that cover every monetized server, and these are the ones owners forget:

The contact rule has a detail worth copying exactly: the guidelines say a chat or forum link isn't an acceptable contact method. Put a real email address in your store footer.

How do Minecraft servers make money within the rules?

Most healthy servers mix three sources. The store sells ranks built from cosmetic perks, cosmetic crates, and currency bundles. Donations fund goal bars that unlock things like double-XP weekends for everyone. And a few servers charge a flat access fee, which suits small whitelisted SMPs where the fee covers hosting.

For the store itself, many owners use hosted store platforms, Tebex being one widely used example, that connect to the server through a plugin, handle payments, and send receipts. Look for one that gives buyers a purchase history, since that's one of Mojang's conditions, and remember the platform doesn't make your products compliant. You do.

Does it cost money to make a Minecraft server?

The server software is free: Mojang publishes the Java server jar and the Bedrock Dedicated Server, and Paper is free and open source. The costs are the machine and the bandwidth, either a host you rent or a PC you run at home. Our guide on how much RAM a server needs helps you size that.

How to give money in Minecraft servers

If "money" means in-game coins, that's an economy plugin. With EssentialsX, admins use /eco give <player> <amount> (also take, set and reset), and players send coins with /pay <player> <amount>. Those coins are exactly the kind of currency the guidelines allow: worthless outside your server. Our plugin guide covers economy setups.

Quick questions

When your store is in order, add your server to our list. We show measured player counts and uptime, so honest servers stand out. Players can also read our ranking rules.