How to manage project permissions on Jira

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Managing project permissions in Jira involves accessing project settings, configuring permission schemes, and assigning specific permissions to users or groups. You can create custom permission schemes or modify existing ones to control who can view, edit, create, and delete issues within your project.

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Prerequisites

Jira administrator or project administrator access
Active Jira project
Understanding of user roles and groups
Knowledge of permission scheme concepts

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access Project Settings

Navigate to your Jira project and click on Project settings in the left sidebar. If you don't see this option, click the gear icon in the bottom left and select Projects, then choose your project from the list.

Only users with project administrator or Jira administrator permissions can access project settings.

Open Permissions Configuration

In the project settings menu, click on Permissions under the Project section. This will display the current permission scheme assigned to your project and show all permission levels.

Edit or Create Permission Scheme

To modify permissions, click Actions next to the permission scheme name and select Edit. To create a new scheme, click Actions and choose Use a different scheme, then select Create new permission scheme.

Always create a copy of the default permission scheme before making changes to avoid affecting other projects.

Configure Individual Permissions

For each permission type (Browse Projects, Create Issues, Edit Issues, etc.), click the Edit link or pencil icon. Add users, groups, or project roles by typing in the search field and selecting from the dropdown. Remove permissions by clicking the X next to existing entries.

Use project roles instead of individual users for easier long-term management.

Set Issue Security Levels (Optional)

If you need additional security, click on Issue security in the project settings. Create security levels by clicking Add security level, then assign users or groups who can view issues with that security level.

Issue security schemes work in addition to permission schemes and provide more granular control.

Configure Workflow Permissions

Go to Workflows in project settings and click Edit next to your workflow. Select a transition, click Conditions, Validators, or Post Functions to set who can perform specific workflow actions.

Workflow permissions override project permissions for specific issue transitions.

Test and Validate Permissions

Create a test issue or ask a team member to verify they can perform expected actions. Use Jira's Permission Helper by going to System > Permission Helper to troubleshoot specific user permissions.

Always test permissions with actual users from different groups before deploying to production.

Save and Apply Changes

Click Save or Update to apply your permission changes. If you created a new permission scheme, return to Project settings > Permissions and click Actions > Use a different scheme to apply it.

Permission changes take effect immediately and may impact users currently working on issues.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Users can't see the project or issues

Check that users have the Browse Projects permission and are members of the correct groups or project roles. Verify the permission scheme is properly assigned to the project.

Permission changes aren't taking effect

Ensure you clicked Save after making changes and that the updated permission scheme is assigned to your project. Clear browser cache or ask users to refresh their Jira session.

Can't edit permission scheme

You need Jira administrator access to edit permission schemes. Contact your Jira admin or check if you're trying to edit a system default scheme that requires copying first.

Users getting permission denied errors on specific actions

Use the Permission Helper tool under System settings to diagnose which specific permission is missing. Check both project permissions and workflow transition conditions.

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