Creating a node
Overview
This guide walks you through creating a new node on the Hedera network using the Transaction Tool. The node creation process registers a node with the network, assigns it service and gossip endpoints, and links it to a node account ID that will collect fees. Once created, the node becomes part of the network’s consensus.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, you should have completed the following:
Transaction Tool Setup: New User Installation Guide
User Account Configuration: Account Setup process to create your user account
You should also have:
Node Operator Admin Key: The administrative private key that will control the node
Fee Payer Account: A Hedera account with sufficient HBAR balance to pay transaction fees.
Network Infrastructure: Properly configured service and gossip endpoints for the node.
Gossip Certificate: A valid certificate for signing gossip events.
Transaction Properties
Payer ID
All transactions submitted to the Hedera network require a Payer ID. This is the Hedera account ID that will pay the transaction fees associated with the NodeCreateTransaction. The account must have enough HBAR to cover the fee. Transaction Fee Table
Yes
0.0.12345 - View examples on HashScan
Valid Start
The date and time the transaction should be submitted to the network.
Yes
2025-04-05T10:00:00Z
Max Transaction Fee
The maximum amount of HBARs you're willing to pay for the transaction. If the required fee exceeds this value, the transaction will fail. Helps avoid accidentally overspending.
Yes
2 HBAR (Default)
Transaction Memo
Optional text description for the node creation transaction.
No
Adding new consensus node
Node Account ID
The Hedera account ID assigned to the node used for fee collection.
Yes
0.0.455 – View examples on HashScan
Node Description
A brief human-readable description of the node's purpose or setup. Useful for documentation and operational context. Note: This is publicly visible on the network explorer.
No
Hosted by Google | Helsinki, Finland
Node Admin Key
A public key used to control administrative permissions for the node. This key will be required to update or delete the node in the future.
Yes
0x03a5f… (public key format) - View examples on HashScan
Service Endpoints
A list of IP addresses and ports that the node uses to serve public API traffic. These endpoints allow SDK clients and applications to interact with the node.
Yes
35.237.200.180:50211 and 35.237.200.180:50212– View examples on HashScan
Gossip Endpoints
IP addresses and ports are used for internal gossip protocol communication between nodes. Required for consensus participation.
Yes
10.100.50.10:50111 – View examples on HashScan
Gossip CA Certificate
A TLS certificate issued by Hedera secures peer-to-peer gossip communication and validates node identity. This certificate is also referred to as the Gossip TLS/SSL certificate, which is used for encrypted and authenticated gossip traffic.
Yes
A valid PEM-encoded certificate block
Decline Reward
Whether the node declines staking rewards.
No
true
gRPC Web Proxy Endpoint
The IP address and port for the gRPC web proxy. Browser based applications use this for submitting transactions to the Hedera network.
No
www.example.com - View examples on HashScan
Transaction Signing Requirements
The node operator admin key must sign the transaction.
The transaction fee payer account must sign the transaction.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Start Node Creation
Select Create New from the main menu then Choose Transaction.
Choose Node and then select Node Create.
Step 2: Configure Node Properties
Fill in the required node parameters in the form. Refer to the Transaction Properties table above for descriptions and examples.
Step 3: Submit the Transaction
Select Create and Share to prepare the transaction for signing. The transaction will not be submitted until the Valid Start time is reached.
Review all node configuration details carefully before confirming.
Verify that all endpoints are correctly formatted and accessible.
Step 4: Sign and Execute
Personal mode:
The transaction requires two signatures:
Node Operator Admin Key signature
Fee Payer Account signature
Select Sign & Execute to sign with your local key(s) and submit to the network.
Organization mode:
Select Create & Share to route for approvals and signatures. Both required signatures must be collected before execution.
Step 5: Verify Node Creation
Upon successful execution, the transaction receipt returns the Node ID of the newly added node.
To confirm the node creation:
Check Transaction History:
Navigate to the History tab in Transactions.
Locate the Node Create Transaction.
If successful, the transaction status will display Success.
Note the Node ID from the transaction receipt.
Network Integration (Optional):
Check network explorer tools to confirm the node is visible.
Verify that gossip endpoints are accessible from other network nodes.
Monitor initial sync and consensus participation.
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