---
title: "GRANT Asymmetric Key Permissions (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "06/12/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-non-specified"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.suite: ""
ms.technology: 
  - "database-engine"
ms.tgt_pltfrm: ""
ms.topic: "language-reference"
dev_langs: 
  - "TSQL"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "granting permissions [SQL Server], asymmetric keys"
  - "permissions [SQL Server], asymmetric keys"
  - "asymmetric keys [SQL Server], permissions"
  - "GRANT statement, asymmetric keys"
ms.assetid: a70e2ee6-59b0-4543-b883-e9cbae6199be
caps.latest.revision: 14
author: "BYHAM"
ms.author: "rickbyh"
manager: "jhubbard"
---
# GRANT Asymmetric Key Permissions (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx_md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]

  Grants permissions on an asymmetric key.  
  
 ![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  
  
```  
GRANT { permission  [ ,...n ] }   
    ON ASYMMETRIC KEY :: asymmetric_key_name   
       TO database_principal [ ,...n ]  
    [ WITH GRANT OPTION ]  
    [ AS granting_principal ]  
```  
  
## Arguments  
 *permission*  
 Specifies a permission that can be granted on an asymmetric key. Listed below.  
  
 ON ASYMMETRIC KEY **::***asymmetric_key_name*  
 Specifies the asymmetric key on which the permission is being granted. The scope qualifier "::" is required.  
  
 *database_principal*  
 Specifies the principal to which the permission is being granted. One of the following:  
  
-   database user  
-   database role  
-   application role  
-   database user mapped to a Windows login  
-   database user mapped to a Windows group  
-   database user mapped to a certificate  
-   database user mapped to an asymmetric key  
-   database user not mapped to a server principal.  
  
GRANT OPTION  
 Indicates that the principal will also be given the ability to grant the specified permission to other principals.  
  
AS *granting_principal*  
 Specifies a principal from which the principal executing this query derives its right to grant the permission. One of the following:  
  
-   database user  
-   database role  
-   application role  
-   database user mapped to a Windows login  
-   database user mapped to a Windows group  
-   database user mapped to a certificate  
-   database user mapped to an asymmetric key  
-   database user not mapped to a server principal.  
  
## Remarks  
 An asymmetric key is a database-level securable contained by the database that is its parent in the permissions hierarchy. The most specific and limited permissions that can be granted on an asymmetric key are listed below, together with the more general permissions that include them by implication.  
  
|Asymmetric Key permission|Implied by asymmetric key permission|Implied by database permission|  
|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|  
|CONTROL|CONTROL|CONTROL|  
|TAKE OWNERSHIP|CONTROL|CONTROL|  
|ALTER|CONTROL|ALTER ANY ASYMMETRIC KEY|  
|REFERENCES|CONTROL|REFERENCES|  
|VIEW DEFINITION|CONTROL|VIEW DEFINITION|  
  
## Permissions  
 The grantor (or the principal specified with the AS option) must have either the permission itself with GRANT OPTION, or a higher permission that implies the permission being granted.  
  
 If using the AS option, these additional requirements apply.  
  
|AS *granting_principal*|Additional permission required|  
|------------------------------|------------------------------------|  
|Database user|IMPERSONATE permission on the user, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database user mapped to a Windows login|IMPERSONATE permission on the user, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database user mapped to a Windows group|Membership in the Windows group, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database user mapped to a certificate|Membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database user mapped to an asymmetric key|Membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database user not mapped to any server principal|IMPERSONATE permission on the user, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Database role|ALTER permission on the role, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
|Application role|ALTER permission on the role, membership in the **db_securityadmin** fixed database role, membership in the **db_owner** fixed database role, or membership in the **sysadmin** fixed server role.|  
  
 Object owners can grant permissions on the objects they own. Principals with CONTROL permission on a securable can grant permission on that securable.  
  
 Grantees of CONTROL SERVER permission, such as members of the **sysadmin** fixed server role, can grant any permission on any securable in the server. Grantees of CONTROL permission on a database, such as members of the **db_owner** fixed database role, can grant any permission on any securable in the database. Grantees of CONTROL permission on a schema can grant any permission on any object within the schema.  
  
## See Also  
 [GRANT (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/grant-transact-sql.md)   
 [Permissions (Database Engine)](../../relational-databases/security/permissions-database-engine.md)   
 [Principals (Database Engine)](../../relational-databases/security/authentication-access/principals-database-engine.md)   
 [CREATE CERTIFICATE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-certificate-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE ASYMMETRIC KEY (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-asymmetric-key-transact-sql.md)   
 [CREATE APPLICATION ROLE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-application-role-transact-sql.md)