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title: "sp_helprolemember (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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# sp_helprolemember (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  Returns information about the direct members of a role in the current database.  
  
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|**Applies to**: [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] ([!INCLUDE[ssKatmai](../../includes/sskatmai-md.md)] through [current version](http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=299658)).|  
  
 ![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
  
sp_helprolemember [ [ @rolename = ] 'role' ]  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 [ **@rolename =** ] **'** *role* **'**  
 Is the name of a role in the current database. *role* is **sysname**, with a default of NULL. *role* must exist in the current database. If *role* is not specified, then all roles that contain at least one member from the current database are returned.  
  
## Return Code Values  
 0 (success) or 1 (failure)  
  
## Result Sets  
  
|Column name|Data type|Description|  
|-----------------|---------------|-----------------|  
|**DbRole**|**sysname**|Name of the role in the current database.|  
|**MemberName**|**sysname**|Name of a member of **DbRole.**|  
|**MemberSID**|**varbinary(85)**|Security identifier of **MemberName.**|  
  
## Remarks  
 If the database contains nested roles, **MemberName** may be the name of a role. **sp_helprolemember** does not show membership obtained through nested roles. For example if User1 is a member of Role1, and Role1 is a member of Role2, `EXEC sp_helprolemember 'Role2'`; will return Role1, but not the members of Role1 (User1 in this example). To return nested memberships, you must execute **sp_helprolemember** repeatedly for each nested role.  
  
 Use **sp_helpsrvrolemember** to display the members of a fixed server role.  
  
 Use [IS_ROLEMEMBER (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/is-rolemember-transact-sql.md) to check role membership for a specified user.  
  
## Permissions  
 Requires membership in the **public** role.  
  
## Examples  
 The following example displays the members of the `Sales` role.  
  
```  
EXEC sp_helprolemember 'Sales';  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Security Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/security-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_addrolemember (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-addrolemember-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_droprolemember (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-droprolemember-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_helprole (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-helprole-transact-sql.md)   
 [sp_helpsrvrolemember (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-helpsrvrolemember-transact-sql.md)   
 [System Stored Procedures (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/system-stored-procedures-transact-sql.md)