How to Install Mods on a BeamNG.drive Server (BeamMP Guide)

To install mods on a BeamNG.drive multiplayer server, use BeamMP and place client-downloadable ZIP files in the server’s Resources/Client folder. Players download those vehicle and map resources when they join. Server-side plugins go in Resources/Server, while mods that only you want in single-player stay in your own BeamNG.drive User Folder. The critical details are leaving ZIP archives intact, using the exact internal map path in ServerConfig.toml, and checking compatibility when a new resource prevents players from joining.

What do you need to run a modded BeamNG.drive server?

BeamNG.drive does not provide a built-in public-server workflow that replaces a dedicated multiplayer server layer. Most community servers use BeamMP, which supplies the server application, resource distribution, configuration file, and plugin structure. You need a host computer or virtual private server (VPS), a BeamMP server build for its operating system, BeamNG.drive-compatible mod archives, and access to the server’s files.

BeamMP documents both Windows and Linux operation. Running a server at home is free apart from your own hardware and internet connection; a VPS generally requires a paid hosting plan but can be easier to secure and administer remotely. The exact BeamNG.drive, BeamMP, map, and vehicle versions must remain compatible because a resource can work in one version and fail after another component updates.

Use the current instructions in BeamMP’s server setup guide for the download and operating-system details. Directory names and supported versions can change, so verify them against that page before creating a new installation.

How do I install the BeamMP server software?

Install the server first and let it create its file structure before copying any mods. The first launch generates the configuration and resource folders that BeamMP expects.

1. Choose a host and operating system

For a home server, use a Windows or Linux machine that can remain online while players connect. A VPS is useful when you want the server in a data center, remote administration, or separation from your gaming PC. Whichever option you choose, make sure you can edit files, restart the process, and inspect its logs.

2. Download the matching BeamMP server build

Download the BeamMP server package for Windows or Linux from the official setup documentation. Keep the server files in a dedicated folder rather than mixing them with your BeamNG.drive installation. This makes backups and upgrades easier and prevents a local single-player mod folder from being mistaken for a server resource folder.

3. Run the server once to generate its files

1. Start the Windows executable or Linux server binary.
2. Allow it to finish its first initialization, then stop the process cleanly.
3. Open the newly created ServerConfig.toml in a text editor.
4. Confirm that the server directory now contains the generated logs and the Resources tree.

BeamMP describes this first run and generated structure in its server creation documentation and server manual. Keep an untouched copy of ServerConfig.toml before making major changes so you can restore a known-good configuration.

4. Configure the server identity and access settings

Edit the required server identity, access controls, listening port, map setting, and other options in ServerConfig.toml. The exact keys and defaults are documented by BeamMP; do not copy settings from an old guide without checking the current manual. Save the file, then start the server again to confirm that it accepts the configuration before adding mods.

Where do BeamMP server mods go?

The destination depends on whether a file is content that clients need or code that runs only on the server. Putting a valid ZIP in the wrong directory is one of the most common reasons a mod appears to be missing.

Resource type	Correct location	What happens
Vehicle, prop, or other client content	Resources/Client	BeamMP offers the ZIP to joining players for download.
Modded map	Resources/Client	Players receive the map archive; ServerConfig.toml must point to its internal info.json.
BeamMP server plugin	Resources/Server, inside its own plugin folder	The server loads Lua code from the plugin folder; it is not a client-download ZIP.
Single-player or personal-only BeamNG mod	Your BeamNG.drive User Folder’s mods directory	Only that player’s game sees it; it is not distributed by the server.

The distinction is documented in the BeamMP resources manual. Do not copy a client ZIP into Resources/Server, and do not expect a server plugin placed in Resources/Client to execute.

How do I add a vehicle mod or other client resource?

Vehicle and other client-side resources normally remain as ZIP archives. BeamNG’s official support page states that ZIP is the standard mod format and that extraction is not required for the game to use it: BeamNG mod installation support.

1. Download the mod from the BeamNG Official Repository, the official forum, or a distribution controlled by the mod author. BeamNG advises caution with suspicious downloads, especially files that pretend to be mods but use executable formats.
2. Check that the archive is a genuine ZIP and that the mod supports your BeamNG.drive and BeamMP versions. Read any dependency or installation notes supplied by the author.
3. Do not extract, flatten, or repackage the archive. Preserve the original internal folders and filename.
4. Stop the BeamMP server before copying the ZIP into Resources/Client. Keeping the server stopped avoids a partial read while files are being replaced.
5. Start the server and watch the startup log for the first resource error. Then join from a test client and confirm that the vehicle or content appears.

When a client joins, BeamMP can download the resource from the server automatically. Players therefore do not normally need to hunt for the same public ZIP themselves, although their game still needs a compatible BeamNG.drive and BeamMP installation.

How do I install a BeamMP server plugin?

Plugins are server code, not client content. Put each plugin in its own folder below Resources/Server; the BeamMP manual says a plugin folder contains at least one .lua file.

1. Download a plugin from a source you trust and read its version and dependency notes.
2. Create or copy the plugin’s folder under Resources/Server without changing the internal Lua layout.
3. Check that the folder contains the required .lua file and any files specified by its author.
4. Restart the BeamMP process and inspect the log for a load message or Lua error.

Do not place a plugin ZIP in Resources/Client. Client resources are sent to players; server plugins are loaded as code by the host and should not be redistributed as game assets.

How do I add a modded map to a BeamNG.drive server?

A modded map requires two things: its ZIP in Resources/Client and an exact path to the map’s info.json in ServerConfig.toml. A stock BeamNG map does not need a map ZIP; only set the appropriate map value for the installed game content.

Find the map folder name without extracting the archive

1. Make a backup copy of the map ZIP, then open the original archive with a ZIP viewer.
2. Look for the top-level levels directory.
3. Inside levels, identify the map’s folder name exactly, including capitalization and underscores.
4. Confirm that the folder contains the map’s info.json file.
5. Copy the ZIP, still compressed, into Resources/Client.

Set the map path in ServerConfig.toml

Use the internal folder name in this format:

Map = '/levels/MAPNAME/info.json'

Replace MAPNAME with the exact folder name found in the archive. The path is case-sensitive in practice because a typo or different capitalization can prevent the map from loading. Save the configuration and restart the server.

Use BeamNG’s console when the folder name is unclear

If the map is installed in single-player and you can load it there, BeamMP’s setup guidance recommends using the BeamNG console command print(getMissionFilename()). The printed mission filename reveals the path BeamNG is actually using, which you can then translate into the /levels/<folder>/info.json value for the server.

Test the map with a client after the restart. If the server falls back to another map or refuses the connection, inspect the archive’s levels structure and compare every character in the configured path with the actual folder name.

Do players need to install the same BeamNG mod?

For ordinary client resources in Resources/Client, players generally do not need to install the same ZIP manually: BeamMP distributes those resources when they join. This automatic download applies to content the server is configured to provide, such as vehicles and maps.

Local-only mods are different. A mod that exists only in a player’s BeamNG.drive User Folder is not sent to other players, so it cannot be used as a server-wide dependency. BeamMP also documents protected content through the protectmod console command; protected files are not redistributed, and each user must obtain the protected file separately and place it in the launcher’s resources folder.

Even when distribution is automatic, every player still needs compatible game and multiplayer versions. A client with stale or conflicting local files can experience loading errors despite receiving the server’s ZIP.

Where is the local BeamNG.drive User Folder?

Use the User Folder only for mods that should remain local to one player’s game or for troubleshooting a mod before adding it to a server.

Windows

Open the BeamNG launcher, choose Manage User Folder, and select Open in Explorer. The current User Folder normally contains a mods directory. BeamNG’s support instructions show this launcher route and explain how the active User Folder can change between game versions.

Linux

BeamNG documents the standard current path as ~/.local/share/BeamNG/BeamNG.drive/current, with the local mods directory below it. Check the active version-specific User Folder rather than assuming an older installation path is still in use. Full path and version guidance is available in the BeamNG Userfolder documentation.

If a local mod does not appear, open the in-game Mods Manager and verify that the ZIP is in the current User Folder, is packed in the expected structure, and is not outdated or broken.

Should I host the server at home or on a VPS?

Both approaches can run a BeamMP server. Home hosting avoids a hosting bill, while a VPS can reduce exposure of your home network and make remote administration easier. The right choice depends on how much network and operating-system administration you want to perform yourself.

Decision factor	Home server	VPS or managed host
Cost	BeamMP describes home hosting as free, excluding your own hardware and connection.	Provider pricing is not stated by BeamMP and varies by service.
Setup effort	You install, update, secure, and expose the machine yourself.	The provider supplies a remote machine; setup still includes BeamMP and its configuration.
Network administration	You manage router, firewall, uptime, and home bandwidth.	Remote networking is usually easier to isolate, but you must manage the VPS firewall and account security.
Mod uploads	Direct file access is straightforward on the host computer.	You need the provider’s file manager, SFTP, or another supported transfer method.
Backups	You are responsible for copying ServerConfig.toml, resources, and logs.	Check whether snapshots or backups are offered; availability is provider-specific.
Version support and limits	You control the operating system and available storage.	Confirm supported operating systems, storage, memory, transfer limits, and BeamMP compatibility before subscribing.

Do not choose a host solely because it advertises a game-server panel. Verify that you can upload ZIP resources, edit ServerConfig.toml, restart the BeamMP process, retrieve logs, and restore backups.

Why is a BeamNG server mod not loading?

Start with the first error written immediately after startup, then check placement, archive format, path spelling, and compatibility in that order. Removing the newest resource is the fastest way to determine whether the change caused the failure.

The server ignores a vehicle or map resource

• Confirm the file is a valid ZIP and remains unextracted.
• Verify that it is directly inside Resources/Client, not inside an extra nested folder.
• Check that the archive was not flattened or repacked by a file manager.
• Restart the server after adding or replacing it, then read the startup log.

BeamNG identifies incorrect packing, outdated files, broken mods, and the wrong User Folder as common local causes. Its official support page also warns users to be cautious with suspicious downloads and executable files presented as mods.

Players cannot join after a mod was added

BeamMP warns that mods can be, and/or become, incompatible with BeamNG, BeamMP, or other mods. Stop the server, move the most recently added ZIP out of Resources/Client, restart, and test again. If the join works, add resources back one at a time and check for dependencies or version notes before restoring the culprit.

The map fails or the server loads the wrong map

• Open the ZIP and verify that it contains levels/<map-folder>/info.json.
• Copy the map folder name exactly into Map = '/levels/MAPNAME/info.json'.
• Check for capitalization, underscores, and accidental spaces.
• If the map works in single-player, run print(getMissionFilename()) in BeamNG’s console and compare the resulting path.

A plugin fails to load

Check that the plugin has its own folder under Resources/Server and that the folder contains at least one Lua file. A plugin copied as a client ZIP, a missing dependency, or a Lua error will not be fixed by changing the map or client resource folders; read the server log for the plugin’s first reported error.

A local mod is missing from the game

Use the launcher to open the active User Folder, confirm the ZIP is in its mods directory, and inspect the in-game Mods Manager. If the archive is outdated, incorrectly packed, or broken, replace it with a trusted current version rather than extracting random files into the folder.

How can I keep a modded server reliable?

• Keep a dated backup of ServerConfig.toml before changing map, access, or resource settings.
• Maintain a simple inventory of each ZIP, its author, dependencies, and the BeamNG.drive or BeamMP version it supports.
• Add one new resource at a time, restart, and test with a client before adding another.
• Use trusted distribution sources and avoid executable files marketed as ordinary mods.
• When updating BeamNG.drive or BeamMP, test the map and vehicle set before opening the server to everyone.
• Remove stale or conflicting resources instead of leaving several near-identical versions in Resources/Client.
• Back up the resource directories if your hosting arrangement supports it, and verify that you can restore them before a large update.

BeamMP’s server guide and manual are the authoritative references for current directory behavior and configuration keys. BeamNG’s mod support article and Userfolder documentation cover archive handling and local installation paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can players keep extra personal mods enabled while joining my server?

They can keep local-only files in their own User Folder, but those files are not synchronized with the server. If a player has unexplained crashes or missing assets, disabling personal mods is a useful isolation test because BeamMP warns that mods can conflict with one another.

How do I roll back a resource that broke the server?

Stop the BeamMP process, move the recently added ZIP out of Resources/Client (or remove the plugin folder from Resources/Server), and restore your last known-good configuration backup if needed. Start the server and confirm a clean test join before trying a different version of the resource.

Do I have to reinstall a map whenever I change the server’s map setting?

No. If the map ZIP is already in Resources/Client, changing the Map value to the correct /levels/<folder>/info.json path is sufficient. A restart is still required so BeamMP reads the updated configuration.

What should I record when troubleshooting a failed mod installation?

Record the ZIP filename, its source and version, the BeamNG.drive and BeamMP versions, the exact configured map path, and the first startup error. That information lets you distinguish a bad archive from a path typo or a cross-version incompatibility instead of repeatedly changing several files at once.