---
name: "nologin"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "util-linux"
version: "2.42.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nologin"
---

# nologin(8)

politely refuse a login

## NAME

nologin - politely refuse a login

## SYNOPSIS

**nologin** \[**-V**\] \[**-h**\]

## DESCRIPTION

**nologin** displays a message that an account is not available and exits non-zero. It is intended as a replacement shell field to deny login access to an account.

If the file */etc/nologin.txt* exists, **nologin** displays its contents to the user instead of the default message.

The exit status returned by **nologin** is always 1.

## OPTIONS

**-c**, **--command** *command*

**--init-file**

**-i** **--interactive**

**--init-file** *file*

**-i**, **--interactive**

**-l**, **--login**

**--noprofile**

**--norc**

**--posix**

**--rcfile** *file*

**-r**, **--restricted**

These shell command-line options are ignored to avoid **nologin** error.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help text and exit.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version and exit.

## NOTES

**nologin** is a per-account way to disable login (usually used for system accounts like http or ftp). **nologin** uses */etc/nologin.txt* as an optional source for a non-default message, the login access is always refused independently of the file.

[**pam\_nologin**(8)](/pam_nologin/8.md) PAM module usually prevents all non-root users from logging into the system. [**pam\_nologin**(8)](/pam_nologin/8.md) functionality is controlled by */var/run/nologin* or the */etc/nologin* file.

## HISTORY

The **nologin** command appeared in 4.4BSD.

## AUTHORS

*Karel Zak* \<kzak@redhat.com\>

## SEE ALSO

[**login**(1)](/login/1.md), [**passwd**(5)](/passwd/5.md), [**pam\_nologin**(8)](/pam_nologin/8.md)

## REPORTING BUGS

For bug reports, use the *issue tracker* \<https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues\>.

## AVAILABILITY

The **nologin** command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from *Linux Kernel Archive* \<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/\>.