--- /dev/null
+[[!meta title="How can I signup my personal or group locker for the MySQL service?"]]
+If your group does not already have a locker, start by mailing
+[accounts@mit.edu](http://web.mit.edu/accounts) to get one.
+
+**Please note**: MySQL has hard-coded a 16 character limit for
+usernames into its server and client. Since all MySQL accounts are
+linked to Athena lockers by name,
+*your locker must be no more than 16 characters to use the sql.mit.edu service*.
+Individuals or groups that have lockers can easily register for a
+MySQL account at an Athena prompt:
+
+`athena$ add scripts`
+`athena$ signup-sql`
+
+Individuals wishing to register an account for themselves should
+select **option \#1** at the first prompt. To register an account
+for a group, select **option \#2** at the first prompt.
+
+You can then read your password from
+[/mit/*locker*/.sql/my.cnf](/faq/59). You can use this to log in to
+[sql.mit.edu](http://sql.mit.edu) under the “SQL Password” option.
+You will need to create and drop databases from sql.mit.edu, but
+you can do all other operations from any MySQL client. We recommend
+using [phpMyAdmin](http://sql.mit.edu/phpMyAdmin/).
+
+
+