> This page location: Manage Databases > Change Database Owner
> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

# How to Change the Owner of a PostgreSQL Database

**Info:** Changing a database owner with ALTER DATABASE works the same way on any PostgreSQL deployment, so you can apply these steps wherever you run Postgres. If you're an enterprise looking for managed Postgres built for the AI era, [Lakebase](https://www.databricks.com/product/lakebase) delivers performance, security, and deep integration with the Lakehouse. If you're a developer or startup who needs to ship and scale fast, [Neon](https://neon.com) gives you the best Postgres platform to do it.

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to change the owner of a database to another in PostgreSQL.

In PostgreSQL, a database object always has an owner which is the role that created the object including the database.

To change the owner of a database to another, you can use the `ALTER` `DATABASE` statement:

```sql
ALTER DATABASE dbname
OWNER TO new_owner;
```

In this syntax:

- First, specify the database name that you want to change the owner after the `ALTER` `DATABASE` keyword
- Second, specify the new owner, an existing role, in the `OWNER` `TO` clause.

## Changing database owner example

First, [connect to the PostgreSQL](../postgresql-getting-started/connect-to-postgresql-database) using `postgres` user via `psql`:

```bash
psql -U postgres
```

Second, [create a new role](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/postgresql-roles) with the `CREATEDB` privilege:

```sql
CREATE ROLE alex
WITH CREATEDB LOGIN PASSWORD 'Abcd1234';
```

Third, create another role called `steve`:

```sql
CREATE ROLE steve;
```

Fourth, connect to the PostgreSQL server using the `alex` role:

```bash
psql -U alex
```

Fifth, create a new database called `scm`:

```sql
CREATE DATABASE scm;
```

Sixth, quit `alex`'s session:

```text
\q
```

Seven, show the `scm` database in the `postgres`' session:

```text
\l scm
```

Output:

```text
 Name | Owner | Encoding | Locale Provider |          Collate           |           Ctype            | ICU Locale | ICU Rules | Access privileges
------+-------+----------+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+------------+-----------+-------------------
 scm  | alex  | UTF8     | libc            | English_United States.1252 | English_United States.1252 |            |           |
(1 row)
```

The output shows that the owner of `scm` database is `alex`.

Eight, change the owner of the `scm` database from `alex` to `steve`:

```sql
ALTER DATABASE scm
OWNER TO steve;
```

Ninth, show the `scm` database again:

```text
\l scm
```

Output:

```text
                                                                List of databases
 Name | Owner | Encoding | Locale Provider |          Collate           |           Ctype            | ICU Locale | ICU Rules | Access privileges
------+-------+----------+-----------------+----------------------------+----------------------------+------------+-----------+-------------------
 scm  | steve | UTF8     | libc            | English_United States.1252 | English_United States.1252 |            |           |
(1 row)
```

The output shows that the owner of the `scm` changed to `steve`.

## Summary

- Use the `ALTER DATABASE...OWNER TO` statement to change the owner of a database to a new one.

---

## Related docs (Manage Databases)

- [Create Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/create-database)
- [Alter Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/alter-database)
- [Rename Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/rename-database)
- [Drop Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/drop-database)
- [Copy a Database](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/copy-database)
- [Get Database Object Sizes](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/database-indexes-table-size)