---
layout: docs
page_title: 'Commands: ACL Policy'
sidebar_title: policy
---

# Consul ACL Policies

Command: `consul acl policy`

The `acl policy` command is used to manage Consul's ACL policies.
It exposes commands for creating, updating, reading, deleting, and listing policies.
This command is available in Consul 1.4.0 and newer.

ACL policies may also be managed via the [HTTP API](/api/acl/policies).

-> **Note:** All of the example subcommands in this document will require a valid
Consul token with the appropriate permissions. Either set the
`CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN` environment variable to the token's secret ID or pass the
secret ID as the value of the `-token` parameter.

## Usage

Usage: `consul acl policy <subcommand>`

For the exact documentation for your Consul version, run `consul acl policy -h` to view the complete list of subcommands.

```text
Usage: consul acl policy <subcommand> [options] [args]

  ...

Subcommands:
    create    Create an ACL policy
    delete    Delete an ACL policy
    list      Lists ACL policies
    read      Read an ACL policy
    update    Update an ACL policy
```

For more information, examples, and usage about a subcommand, click on the name
of the subcommand in the sidebar.

## Identifying Policies

Several of the subcommands need to operate on a specific policy. Those
subcommands support specifying the policy by its ID using the `-id` parameter
or by name using the `-name` parameter.

When specifying the policy by its ID a unique policy ID prefix may be specified
instead of the entire UUID. As long as it is unique it will be resolved to the
full UUID and used. Additionally builtin policy names will be accepted as the
value to the `-id` parameter. Even if the builtin policies are renamed their
original name can be used to operate on them.

Builtin policies:

| Policy UUID                          | Policy Name       |
| ------------------------------------ | ----------------- |
| 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001 | global-management |

## Basic Examples

Create a new ACL policy:

```shell-session
$ consul acl policy create -name "new-policy" \
                         -description "This is an example policy" \
                         -datacenter "dc1" \
                         -datacenter "dc2" \
                         -rules @rules.hcl
```

List all policies:

```shell-session
$ consul acl policy list
```

Update a policy:

```shell-session
$ consul acl policy update -name "other-policy" -datacenter "dc1"
```

Read a policy:

```shell-session
$ consul acl policy read -id 0479e93e-091c-4475-9b06-79a004765c24
```

Delete a policy

```shell-session
$ consul acl policy delete -name "my-policy"
```