How to Set Up an SCP: Secret Laboratory Server in 2026

Setting up an SCP: Secret Laboratory server is pretty straightforward once you know your options. The real question isn’t how to do it - it’s which approach makes sense for what you’re trying to build. A private server for friends is a different project than a verified public community server with custom plugins.

Here’s what each path looks like, what’s involved, and the stuff nobody mentions until you’re already troubleshooting it.

Your Three Options

The self-hosted route gives you the most control but also the most responsibility. Managed hosting handles the infrastructure so you can focus on running your community. Local hosting works for testing but isn’t practical for a public server since it goes offline when your PC does.

How to Self-Host an SCP:SL Server

If you want to run everything yourself on a VPS or dedicated machine, here’s the process.

Requirements

• OS: Linux (recommended) or Windows. Linux needs glibc 2.27 or newer. ARM CPUs are not supported - x64 only.
• RAM: 3GB minimum, 4-5GB recommended for a standard 20-player server. See our RAM guide for detailed recommendations.
• CPU: 2 cores minimum.
• Storage: ~4GB for the server files.
• Network: Port 7777 (TCP + UDP) forwarded and accessible.

Installing via SteamCMD

SteamCMD is the standard tool for downloading dedicated server files from Steam. If you don’t have it installed, grab it from Valve’s developer site.

# Log in anonymously (SCP:SL server doesn't require a Steam account)
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 996560 validate +quit

App ID 996560 is the SCP:SL dedicated server. The game client itself is 700330 - don’t mix them up.

First Launch

The server ships with LocalAdmin, a console wrapper that manages the server process. Launch it with your port number:

# Linux
./LocalAdmin 7777

# Windows
LocalAdmin.exe 7777

On first start, you’ll hit three prompts:

1. EULA acceptance - Type yes
2. Edit configuration? - Type keep unless you know what you’re changing
3. This server or global config? - Either this or global works. Both save your answers.

The server generates its config files during this first run. After answering, it starts and waits for players.

Keeping It Running

On Linux, use screen or tmux so the server keeps running after you disconnect from SSH:

screen -S scpsl
./LocalAdmin 7777
# Detach with Ctrl+A, D
# Reattach with: screen -r scpsl

The server doesn’t have a built-in auto-restart on crash. If uptime matters, set up a systemd service or a simple watchdog script that checks if the process is running.

Updating

SCP:SL updates fairly regularly. Re-run the SteamCMD command to pull the latest version:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 996560 validate +quit

Stop your server before updating. The server and game client need to be on the same version for players to connect.

Managed Hosting

If you’d rather skip the system administration and focus on building your community, managed hosting handles the infrastructure for you.

With a managed host, you get:

• Instant setup - server is online in under a minute
• Automatic updates - game updates apply on restart
• DDoS protection - important for public servers (SCP:SL servers are frequent DDoS targets)
• Backups - automated, no configuration needed
• EXILED support - plugin installation through the control panel or SFTP
• Web console - manage your server from a browser instead of SSH

How to Get Your Server Verified

Verification gets your server listed in the in-game server browser. Without it, players need your IP and port to connect directly. For a public community server, verification is essential.

The process is manual - Northwood Studios reviews every server individually.

Steps

1. Set your contact email in config_gameplay.txt:

   contact_email: [email protected]

2. Restart the server so the config change takes effect
3. Email [email protected] from the same email address you set in the config. Include your server’s IP address and port
4. Keep the server online during the review period
5. Wait for approval - this is a manual review by Northwood’s Safety & Compliance Team, so it’s not instant

Your server must comply with the Verified Server Rules. Read them before applying - violations can get your verification revoked.

Alternatively, you can try using the !verify command in console. However, the recommended method is to email [email protected].

First-Time Configuration

After your server is running, there are a few settings you’ll want to change immediately.

Essential Settings in config_gameplay.txt

The gameplay config lives at ~/.config/SCP Secret Laboratory/config/<port>/config_gameplay.txt on Linux, or the equivalent path on managed hosting (check your host’s file manager).

See our server settings guide for the full breakdown of every setting worth changing.

Making Yourself Admin

Remote Admin is how you moderate and control your server. Setting it up requires editing config_remoteadmin.txt in the same config folder.

Find the Members: section and add your Steam64 ID:

Members:
 - YourSteamId64@steam: owner

You can find your Steam64 ID using a SteamID lookup tool or from the server console when you connect (it logs every join with the player’s ID).

The default roles are owner, admin, and moderator, each with different permission levels. Once configured, press M in-game to open the Remote Admin panel.

What’s Next

Once your server is running and you have admin access, the usual next steps are:

• Install EXILED plugins to add custom gameplay features
• Configure your server settings for your community’s play style
• Right-size your RAM based on your player count and plugin load
• Apply for verification to get listed in the server browser

SCP:SL runs entirely on community servers - there are no official ones. Every active player is on someone’s server. If you’re thinking about starting one, the community is always looking for well-run servers with good ping and active moderation.

Get your SCP:SL server →