diff --git a/src/player.rs b/src/player.rs
index 6269e74..5f24fce 100644
--- a/src/player.rs
+++ b/src/player.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 
 use half::f16;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::packet::server::ServerPacket;
 
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ pub struct Player {
 }
 
 /// enum describing types of players
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[repr(u8)]
 pub enum PlayerType {
 	/// a normal player
diff --git a/src/server/config.rs b/src/server/config.rs
index 2022840..401be62 100644
--- a/src/server/config.rs
+++ b/src/server/config.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 use optional_struct::optional_struct;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use crate::level::generation::LevelGeneration;
+use crate::{level::generation::LevelGeneration, player::PlayerType};
 
 /// configuration for the server
 #[optional_struct]
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ pub struct ServerConfig {
 	/// the server's protection mode
 	#[serde(rename = "password")]
 	pub protection_mode: ServerProtectionMode,
+	/// map of user permissions
+	pub player_perms: BTreeMap<String, PlayerType>,
 	/// the level's size
 	pub level_size: ConfigCoordinates,
 	/// the level's spawn point
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ impl Default for ServerConfig {
 			name: "classic server wowie".to_string(),
 			motd: "here's the default server motd".to_string(),
 			protection_mode: ServerProtectionMode::None,
+			player_perms: Default::default(),
 			level_size: ConfigCoordinates {
 				x: 256,
 				y: 64,
diff --git a/src/server/network.rs b/src/server/network.rs
index 8fb8ec4..5e5df30 100644
--- a/src/server/network.rs
+++ b/src/server/network.rs
@@ -141,6 +141,13 @@ async fn handle_stream_inner(
 										.pop()
 										.unwrap_or_else(|| data.players.len() as i8);
 
+									let player_type = data
+										.config
+										.player_perms
+										.get(&username)
+										.copied()
+										.unwrap_or_default();
+
 									let player = Player {
 										_addr: addr,
 										id: *own_id, // TODO: actually assign user ids
@@ -151,7 +158,7 @@ async fn handle_stream_inner(
 										z: zero,
 										yaw: 0,
 										pitch: 0,
-										player_type: PlayerType::Normal,
+										player_type,
 										packets_to_send: Vec::new(),
 									};
 
@@ -159,7 +166,7 @@ async fn handle_stream_inner(
 										protocol_version: 0x07,
 										server_name: data.config.name.clone(),
 										server_motd: data.config.motd.clone(),
-										user_type: PlayerType::Normal,
+										user_type: player_type,
 									});
 
 									println!("generating level packets");