Install DayZ ExpansionVehicles, base building, market & missions

Published on August 4, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Requirement: Community Framework (CF)

DayZ Expansion strictly requires the Community Framework (CF) - it is the shared code base of many large mods. CF has to be installed and loaded before Expansion in the mod list. If it is missing or in the wrong position, the server will not start correctly.

The same principle applies to every DayZ mod with dependencies: libraries first, then the mods that build on them. The general process for uploading, activating and signing mods is covered in install mods.

Upload & activate the Expansion mods

Expansion consists of several modules. Upload the @Mod folders you need via FTP/SFTP and activate them in the correct load order with -mod=:

-mod=@CF;@DayZ-Expansion-Bundle

Do not forget to copy the .bikey files of all modules into the keys folder and to set verifySignatures = 2 - otherwise a BattlEye kick follows (see install mods).

Adjust the map, mission & types

For the full range of features (market zones, quests, base building), it is best to use an Expansion-ready mission for your map or to transfer the Expansion entries into your existing Central Economy. New Expansion items have to be listed in types.xml so that they spawn. The template in serverDZ.cfg has to point to this mission.

Configure the ExpansionMod settings

After the first start, Expansion creates numerous JSON files in the profiles folder under ExpansionMod/Settings. That is where you set up vehicles, market prices, base building rules, airdrops and the in-game map. Edit the JSON files via FTP and then restart so that the changes take effect.

These files are only created on the first successful start - before that, there is nothing to edit. If you cannot find them, you have usually not had a clean start yet. A look at the server logs clears that up faster than searching the file tree.

When editing, the usual JSON rule applies: no comma after the last entry, and every bracket in pairs. A syntax error makes Expansion discard the file and load the default values - your market is empty again even though the file looks filled. So make a copy before every round of edits; backups are self-service with us via WebFTP or SFTP, see create backups.

Which modules you really need

Expansion is often installed as a bundle, but it consists of modules that can be loaded individually. For most servers, that is the better choice - every module you do not load is one less source of errors and saves loading time on client and server:

• Core and Licensed are the foundation and always required.
• Market brings traders and trading zones - the most common reason to use Expansion at all.
• BaseBuilding extends base building considerably. Note that it also changes the behavior on server restart - check the persistence values in serverDZ.cfg.
• Vehicles adds its own vehicles, which also have to be entered in the Central Economy so that they spawn. The general vehicle logic is covered in spawn vehicles.
• Navigation provides the in-game map and the GPS marker. Whether that fits is a question of how you want the game to feel: on a hardcore server, it takes away much of the disorientation that makes DayZ what it is.

Start with Core and one or two modules and only add more once the server runs stably. If something does not work after an extension, you then know right away what caused it.

When the server will not start

With Expansion, it is almost always the same three causes, and you can work through them in this order:

1. Load order. @CF has to come before all Expansion modules. If it comes after them or is missing, the start aborts before anything is loaded at all.
2. Version. CF and Expansion have to match each other. After a DayZ update, one of the two regularly has not caught up yet - then the only thing that helps is waiting, not tinkering.
3. Mission and template. If the entry in serverDZ.cfg points to a mission without Expansion support, the server starts, but the market and quests are simply missing.

If players get as far as joining and are then kicked, it is not a loading problem but a missing key - see install mods. Other error patterns are covered in server will not start.

Frequently asked questions