ORA-65096: invalid common user or role name in Oracle 12c

Note: Index article on some 12c features can be seen here 

ORA-65096: invalid common user or role name in Oracle 12c

This error usually occurs due to we are trying to create user ( common user ) under root container.

In oracle 12c there are two type of users: common and local.

Common users belong to CBD’s as well as current and future PDB’s.

The user can perform operation in Container or Pluggable according to Privileges assigned


Local users is purely database that belongs to only single PDB. This user may have administrative privileges but this only belongs to that PDB.

Refer screen shots below on creation of user's in both containers.

Note that  users in CBD$ROOT container must start with C##

For the local user:

Please do note that you will need to make an entry in the tnsnames.ora for the container (with the service name). There will already be an entry for the CBD$ROOT container by default. You can copy the same and change the name and service name.

Do "grant create session to test;"
Since this is my test schema, I have also run "Grant UNLIMITED TABLESPACE to TEST;" (else you may encounter ORA-01950: no privileges on tablespace 'USERS')

You can then connect to test using "conn test/test@pdborcl;"