> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.playaos.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create your camp organization and portal on PlayaOS

> Step-by-step guide to signing up, creating a new camp organization, choosing a camp type preset, and inviting your first admin team members.

Setting up your camp on PlayaOS takes about five minutes. You'll create an account, give your camp a name and URL slug, choose a preset that matches your camp type, and optionally invite your admin team — all before your portal is live and accepting applications.

## Create your account

Before you can create a camp, you need a PlayaOS account. Go to [app.playaos.app](https://app.playaos.app) and sign up with your email address. If you already have an account from a previous season, sign in instead.

## Create your camp organization

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click 'New Camp'">
    After signing in, you'll land on the platform console. Click **New Camp** to open the camp creation form.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your camp name">
    Type your full camp display name — for example, `BRC Pickleball Club` or `Camp Wanderlust`. This name appears in your portal header, emails, and meta titles throughout PlayaOS. You can update it later in your branding settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your URL slug">
    Your slug becomes your camp's subdomain: `yourslug.playaos.app`. Type a short, readable identifier — lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only, between 2 and 30 characters.

    <Tip>
      Choose your slug carefully. It becomes part of every URL you share with applicants and members — on social media, in emails, and on your website. Changing it later requires updating those links everywhere. Keep it short, on-brand, and easy to type (e.g., `waffles`, `camp-fire`, `brc-pickle`).
    </Tip>

    A few slugs are reserved and can't be used: `app`, `www`, `api`, `studio`, `status`, `docs`, `help`, and `admin`. If your preferred slug is taken, try adding a short suffix (e.g., `yourcamp-brc`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a camp type preset">
    Choose the preset that best describes your organization. Presets tailor the default features and terminology in your portal so they fit your situation from day one.

    | Preset             | Best for                                                                      |
    | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Theme camp**     | Traditional playa camps with a shared theme, art, or interactive installation |
    | **Art car**        | Vehicle-based art project with a dedicated crew                               |
    | **Mutant vehicle** | Registered mutant vehicles and their crew portals                             |
    | **Festival camp**  | Camps organized around performances, stages, or events                        |
    | **Regional camp**  | Regional Burning Man events and their organizing teams                        |
    | **Membership**     | General-purpose membership organizations                                      |
    | **Operations**     | Ops teams, logistics crews, and infrastructure groups                         |
    | **Lite**           | Minimal setup for small groups who want basic admin tools                     |
    | **Other**          | Anything that doesn't fit the categories above                                |

    You can adjust individual features in your settings after setup — the preset just sets sensible defaults.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite your admin team (optional)">
    If other people will help you manage the camp, add their email addresses now. Each invite requires a role:

    * **Admin** — can manage members, applications, shifts, and payments
    * **Super admin** — everything an admin can do, plus manage other admins and camp settings

    You can skip this step and invite admins later from the **Settings → Team** section of your portal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit and go live">
    Click **Create camp**. PlayaOS provisions your portal, seeds your default role permissions, and assigns you the `super_admin` role automatically.

    Within a few seconds you'll be redirected to your new portal at `yourslug.playaos.app`. Your camp is live.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What happens next

Once your camp is created:

* Your portal is live at `yourslug.playaos.app`
* Any invited admins receive an email with a link to join
* Your application page is available at `yourslug.playaos.app/apply` — though you'll want to configure your branding and settings before sharing it publicly

<Note>
  New camps start on the Free plan, which supports up to 10 members and 5 admins. If you're setting up a camp with a larger roster or need the member portal, upgrade to the Camp or Network plan in **Settings → Billing**. See [Plans and billing](/setup/plans-and-billing) for a full comparison.
</Note>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Branding and config" icon="palette" href="/setup/branding-and-config">
    Set your camp name, contact email, Givebutter URL, and custom domain.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plans and billing" icon="credit-card" href="/setup/plans-and-billing">
    Compare plans and upgrade when you're ready.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment integration" icon="link" href="/setup/payment-integration">
    Connect Givebutter so dues payments sync automatically.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Managing applications" icon="file-pen" href="/admins/managing-applications">
    Start reviewing applicants once your portal is configured.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>