Database Owner

The database owner (DBO) is the creator of a database. The system administrator grants to users the authority to create databases.

The DBO has full privileges inside the database that he or she owns. The DBO can:

• Allow users access to the database.
• Grant users permission to create objects and execute commands within the database.
• Set up groups (which make it easy to grant and revoke permissions). By default, each user is a member of the public group unless explicitly assigned to another group.
• Assign users to groups and add guest accounts, which give users limited access to a database.

A database owner logs in to SQL Server by using an assigned login ID and password. In his or her own database, the user is recognized as DBO; in other databases, the database owner is known by his or her database username.

When SQL Server is installed, the system administrator is the database owner of the master database. The system administrator is also treated as database owner of any databases he or she uses.

DBO status can be reassigned to a different user. Only one login ID can be DBO, although other login IDs can be aliased to DBO.

For more information on database owners, see Permissions of Database Owners.