How do I create a cPanel account?

Create it in WHM. Log in using the link in your welcome email, go to Account Functions then Create a New Account, enter the Domain, Username, Password and Email, choose a Package, then click Create. On the confirmation screen, click Go to cPanel to enter the new account.

Before you start

• The server must have nameservers set in Basic WebHost Manager Setup. If this is missing, account creation is blocked.
• Your reseller account must not be over its creation limit. If it is, you cannot add a new account.
• Have at least one package available, or the privilege to select options manually. Resellers without the Account Modification privilege must assign a package.

Step 1: Log in to WHM

Use the WHM link in your Hostworld welcome email and sign in with your reseller credentials. This is where cPanel accounts are created and managed.

Step 2: Open Create a New Account

In WHM, go to Home, Account Functions, Create a New Account. This is the standard cPanel interface for resellers.

Step 3: Enter the domain and contact details

• Domain: enter the site’s primary domain. You cannot use the server’s hostname. If your WHM shows Choose a domain later, you can select it to get a temporary cpanel.site domain. Temporary domains do not support email and are not indexed for SEO. You can replace it later.
• Username: follow the rules. Lowercase letters and numbers only, maximum 16 characters, cannot start with a number, cannot start with test. It must be unique. If the server uses MySQL or PostgreSQL, the first eight characters must also be unique.
• Password: use a strong password. The meter shows 0 to 100. The Password Generator is available. Some servers enforce a minimum strength. System generated passwords are limited to 18 characters.
• Email: enter a working contact address for account notices.

Step 4: Assign limits with a package

In Create a New Account, either Choose a Package or Select package options manually if you have that privilege. If you need to create a package first, go to WHM, Packages, Add a Package. Note: package names cannot be changed later. If you enable Dedicated IP in a package, that choice cannot be edited for that package later. Reversing it means creating a new package and moving the account to it.

Step 5: Create the account and log in

Click Create. WHM will confirm the account and show a Go to cPanel link. Use that to enter the new cPanel. Visitors will see the server’s default page until you upload the site or install an application.

Step 6: Undo or change without data loss

If you set the wrong primary domain or used a temporary domain, do not delete the account. Go to WHM, Account Functions, Modify an Account and change the Primary Domain. Terminating and recreating the account deletes all files, databases and email.

If it does not work

• Validation errors: WHM rejects usernames that start with a number or with test, contain capitals or symbols, or exceed 16 characters. If you see “You may not create a domain with a name that is the server’s hostname”, use a different domain or the temporary domain option.
• DNS or duplicate domain errors: Messages such as “A DNS entry for ‘domain.tld’ already exists” or “The domain already exists in the user data” point to leftover DNS or userdata on the server. This needs root level cleanup. Please open a support ticket and include the exact error.
• Limits or nameserver issues: If you are over your reseller account limit, reduce usage or ask us to adjust it. If WHM reports the domain does not use this server’s DNS or nameservers are not configured, that is a server setting. Please open a support ticket so we can resolve it.

What next

For the full WHM walkthrough, see cPanel’s Create a New Account guide: docs.cpanel.net. If you also host sites on a VPS, see our VPS guides and the UK Linux VPS page for options and management tips.