> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.paintscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.paintscout.com/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/account-ownership.md).
# Account Ownership
Every PaintScout account has one Owner, indicated by a crown icon 👑 next to their name in **User Management**. The **Owner** is typically the business owner or the person who originally set up the account.
The Owner role carries a unique level of authority that goes beyond what custom permissions can replicate — there are certain actions in PaintScout that only the Owner can perform.
***
## What Makes the Owner Different
* Only the Owner can **cancel or make changes to the account subscription.**
* Only the Owner can **initiate an ownership transfer.**
* The Owner **cannot be deactivated** — ownership must be transferred to another Sales user before the current Owner can be deactivated.
For everything else — like managing users, accessing billing details, or viewing reports — these can be granted to other Sales or Team users through [Custom Permissions](/support/account-settings/users-and-permissions/user-permissions.md).
***
## Transferring Ownership
Before you transfer, a couple of things to know:
* Only the **current Owner** can initiate a transfer.
* Ownership can only be transferred to another **Sales seat.**
* Once transferred, the previous Owner loses the crown — there's no automatic way to reverse this, so make sure you're transferring to the right person.
***
## How to Transfer Ownership
1. Go to **Account Settings** → **Billing** → **User Management.**
2. Click on the user you want to transfer ownership to.
3. Select **Transfer Ownership.**
4. Confirm the transfer.
Once complete, the new Owner will have the crown icon next to their name and the previous Owner will revert to a standard Sales seat.
***
### After the Transfer
Once ownership has been transferred, the **previous Owner's custom permissions will remain turned on** so they retain the same level of access they had before. However, it's worth noting that the account Owner role carries one unique capability that custom permissions cannot replicate — **only the Owner can cancel or make changes to the account subscription**.
If the previous Owner needs to manage billing going forward, they would need ownership transferred back to them.
If their permissions need to be adjusted for any other reason, the new Owner or any Sales or Team user with **Billing** access can update them at any time.
1. Go to **Account Settings** → **Billing** → **User Management.**
2. Click on the user.
3. Toggle on the relevant custom permissions.
4. Click **Save.**
{% hint style="warning" %}
The account Owner cannot be deactivated or changed to a team seat. If you need to deactivate the current Owner, you'll need to transfer ownership to another Sales user first.
{% endhint %}
***
## FAQ How was the account Owner assigned?
The account Owner was automatically assigned to the **longest-standing active Sales user** on the account at the time of migration (or the legacy Admin account type). For any accounts created after the migration, the first Sales seat added to the account becomes the Owner automatically.
Can I transfer ownership to a Team or Painter user?
No. Ownership can only be transferred to another **Sales** seat. If the person you want to transfer to is on a Team or Painter seat, they'll need to be upgraded to Sales first.
What happens to the previous Owner's access after the transfer?
They stay on as a Sales user with all custom permissions turned on, so their day-to-day access doesn't change. If you need to restrict anything, a Sales or Team user with Billing access can update their permissions at any time.
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