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create-a-database-schema.md

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title Create a Database Schema
description Learn how to create a schema in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL, including limitations and restrictions.
author VanMSFT
ms.author vanto
ms.date 01/31/2025
ms.service sql
ms.subservice security
ms.topic how-to
ms.custom
ignite-2025
f1_keywords
sql13.swb.schemas.general.f1
helpviewer_keywords
creating schemas with Management Studio
CREATE SCHEMA [Management Studio]
database schemas
schemas [SQL Server], creating
monikerRange >=aps-pdw-2016 || =azuresqldb-current || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric || =fabric-sqldb

Create a database schema

[!INCLUDE sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw-fabricdw-fabricsqldb]

This article describes how to create a schema in [!INCLUDE ssnoversion] by using [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull] or [!INCLUDE tsql].

Permissions

  • To create a schema, you must have CREATE SCHEMA permission on the database.

  • To specify another user as the owner of the schema being created, the caller must have IMPERSONATE permission on that user. If a database role is specified as the owner, the caller must meet one of the following criteria: membership in the role or ALTER permission on the role.

Using SQL Server Management Studio to create a schema

  1. In Object Explorer, expand the Databases folder.

  2. Expand the database in which to create the new database schema.

  3. Right-click the Security folder, point to New, and select Schema.

  4. In the Schema - New dialog box, on the General page, enter a name for the new schema in the Schema name box.

  5. In the Schema owner box, enter the name of a database user or role to own the schema. Alternately, select Search to open the Search Roles and Users dialog box.

  6. Select OK.

Note

A dialog box will not appear if you are creating a Schema using SSMS against an Azure SQL Database or an Azure Synapse Analytics. You will need to run the Create Schema Template T-SQL Statement that is generated.

The Schema - New dialog box also offers options on two extra pages: Permissions and Extended Properties.

  • The Permissions page lists all possible securables and the permissions on those securables that can be granted to the login.

  • The Extended properties page allows you to add custom properties to database users.

Using Transact-SQL to create a schema

  1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of [!INCLUDE ssDE].

  2. On the Standard bar, select New Query.

  3. The following example creates a schema named Chains, and then creates a table named Sizes.

    CREATE SCHEMA Chains;

GO

CREATE TABLE Chains.Sizes
(
    ChainID INT,
    width DECIMAL (10, 2)
);

  4. More options can be performed in a single statement. The following example creates the schema Sprockets owned by Joe that contains the table NineProngs. The statement grants SELECT to Bob and denies SELECT to John.

    CREATE SCHEMA Sprockets
    AUTHORIZATION Joe;
GO

CREATE TABLE NineProngs
(
   source INT,
   cost INT,
   partnumber INT
);
GO

GRANT SELECT
   ON SCHEMA::Sprockets TO Bob;
GO

DENY SELECT
   ON SCHEMA::Sprockets TO John;
GO

  5. Execute the following statement to view the schemas in the current database:

    SELECT *
FROM sys.schemas;

Limitations and restrictions

  • The new schema is owned by one of the following database-level principals: database user, database role, or application role. Objects created within a schema are owned by the owner of the schema, and have a NULL principal_id in sys.objects Ownership of schema-contained objects can be transferred to any database-level principal, but the schema owner always retains CONTROL permission on objects within the schema.

  • The domain principal is added to the database as a schema when creating a database object if you specify a valid domain principal (user or group) as the object owner. The new schema is owned by that domain principal.

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