Administrator Password Refused Errors

Problem

This information only applies to self-hosted WHMCS installations. WHMCS Cloud handles the installation and initial configuration process for you automatically.

While installing WHMCS, you see errors that relate to administrator password requirements.

If you are installing WHMCS on the command line, you may see the following error:

The installer refused the administrator password.

Cause

This error occurs because the administrator password doesn’t meet the installer’s requirements.

Your administrator password must:

Contain between 12 and 64 characters.
Be no more than 72 bytes long. Non-Latin characters can each use several bytes, so a password within the 64-character limit could still exceed this.
Contain at least one letter and at least one number.
Use valid UTF-8, with no null characters.

Solution

To resolve this issue:

Provide a password that meets all of the administrator password requirements:
- If you are installing WHMCS using a browser, enter a password that meets all of the requirements above.
- If you are installing WHMCS on the command line, correct the password value in your JSON input.
Proceed with the installation process.

For more information, see Install WHMCS and Install on the Command Line.

Last modified: 2026 September 30