How to Add a Custom Car to FiveM (Add-On Vehicles Explained)

To add a custom car to a FiveM server, put the car's resource folder in resources, add ensure followed by the folder name to server.cfg, restart the server and spawn the car by its model name. The folder must contain an fxmanifest.lua, a stream folder with the model files and the car's meta files. Installing one car is the same skill that lets you install a hundred, so here is each step in full.

Add-on vs replace

Most quality vehicles today are add-on — they spawn under their own model name and don't overwrite a base game car. That's what you want for a server. If you're unsure of the difference, read add-on vs replace vehicles first. Got a single-player replace mod you want to use instead? Our partner GTA5 Mods Convertor turns it into a server-ready add-on.

1. Unzip and inspect the folder

A proper add-on car is a self-contained resource. Inside you'll usually see a stream folder (the .yft and .ytd model files) and a data folder (the meta files), plus an fxmanifest.lua. If you have no car to practise on yet, the free cars in our catalog are complete add-on resources you can open and install the same way.

2. Check the fxmanifest.lua

The manifest tells the server which meta files to load. A typical one declares the data files for vehicles.meta, carvariations.meta,carcols.meta and handling.meta. If a car ships without a manifest, it's an old-format resource — add one or skip it. Each meta file appears twice in the manifest: once in the files list and once as a data_file line with its type, for example data_file 'HANDLING_FILE' 'data/handling.meta'. A meta that is listed in only one of the two places is silently ignored.

3. Drop it into resources

Move the folder into resources (lowercase name, no spaces). Many people keep cars inside a [cars] bracket folder to stay organized — FiveM treats bracketed folders as groups.

4. Ensure it and restart

Add ensure your_car_resource to server.cfg and restart. Then spawn it by its spawn name — the model name set in the meta, not the folder name. Not sure how to spawn? See how to spawn vehicles in FiveM.

What if the car doesn't appear?

• Check the server console for a red error naming the resource.
• A black/untextured car usually means a missing or misnamed .ytd.
• No collision or it falls through the map? See our fixing vehicle errors guide.

Once the car spawns, the next job is letting players buy it: see adding cars to QBCore, Qbox and ESX vehicle shops.

Ready to skip the one-by-one grind? Our add-on cars and packs are pre-structured to drop in cleanly — and our partner Five Garage is another great source of add-on vehicles.