> This page location: Roles & Privileges > SET ROLE Statement
> Full Neon documentation index: https://neon.com/docs/llms.txt

# PostgreSQL SET ROLE Statement

**Info:** SET ROLE works the same way across every PostgreSQL deployment, so what you learn here carries over to any Postgres database you run. If you're an enterprise standardizing on Postgres for the AI era, [Lakebase](https://www.databricks.com/product/lakebase) gives you a fully managed, high performance, secure database that plugs directly into the Lakehouse. If you're a developer or startup who needs to ship quickly and scale without friction, [Neon](https://neon.com) is the Postgres platform built for that pace.

**Summary**: in this tutorial, you will learn how to use the `SET ROLE` statement to temporarily change the current role within a database session.

## Introduction to the PostgreSQL SET ROLE statement

The `SET ROLE` statement allows you to temporarily change the current role within a database session

Here's the syntax of the `SET ROLE` statement:

```sql
SET ROLE role_name;
```

In this syntax, you specify the name of the role to which you want to switch.

The `role_name` must be a role of which the current session user is a member.

If the session user is a superuser, you can switch to any role.

## PostgreSQL SET ROLE statement example

We'll take an example of using the `SET ROLE` statement.

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

```bash
psql -U postres -d dvdrental
```

Second, [create a group role](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/postgresql-role-membership) called `marketing`:

```sql
CREATE ROLE marketing;
```

Third, [grant](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/postgresql-grant) the `SELECT` privilege on the `film` table:

```sql
GRANT SELECT ON film TO marketing;
```

Fourth, [create a role](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/postgresql-role-membership) called `lily` that is a member of the `marketing` role:

```sql
CREATE ROLE lily
WITH LOGIN PASSWORD 'SecurePass1'
IN ROLE marketing;
```

Sixth, connect to the `dvdrental` database using the `lily` role in a separate session:

```bash
psql -U lily -d dvdrental
```

Seventh, retrieve the current role:

```sql
SELECT current_role;
```

Output:

```text
 current_role
--------------
 lily
(1 row)
```

Eight, switch the current role to `marketing`:

```sql
SET ROLE marketing;
```

Ninth, retrieve the current role:

```text
 current_role
--------------
 marketing
(1 row)
```

Output:

```text
 current_role
--------------
 marketing
(1 row)
```

The output indicates that the current role is `marketing`, not `lily` due to the `SET ROLE` statement.

If you attempt to switch the current role to a [superuser](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/create-superuser-postgresql) such as `postgres`, you'll get an error because the current role is not a `superuser` role.

Tenth, switch the current role to `postgres`:

```sql
SET ROLE postgres;
```

Output:

```
ERROR:  permission denied to set role "postgres"
```

To set the current role back to the original one, you use the `RESET` `ROLE` statement:

```sql
RESET ROLE;
```

Eleventh, select the current role:

```text
 current_role
--------------
 lily
(1 row)
```

The current role is back to `lily`.

## Summary

- Use the `SET` `ROLE` statement to temporarily change the current role within a database session.
- Use the `RESET` `ROLE` statement to reset the role to the original one.

---

## Related docs (Roles & Privileges)

- [Create Roles](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/roles)
- [Grant Privileges](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/grant)
- [Revoke Privileges](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/revoke)
- [Alter roles](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/alter-role)
- [Drop Roles](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/drop-role)
- [Role Membership](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/role-membership)
- [CURRENT_USER](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/current_user)
- [List Roles](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/list-users)
- [Change Password](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/change-password)
- [Create Superusers](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/create-superuser-postgresql)
- [PostgreSQL Row-Level Security](https://neon.com/postgresql/administration/row-level-security)