2026.10.4
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Permit

Use this action to open your Zigbee network for a short time so new devices can join. Most of the time you add devices through the UI with the Add device flow, but this action is handy when you want to open the network from an automation or a script, for example with the press of a button.

Only users with administrator rights can run this action.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To open the network for joining from an automation or a script:

  1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
  2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
  3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
  4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
  5. Search for and select Zigbee Home Automation: Permit.
  6. Optionally, set how long the network stays open and the joining details.
  7. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Duration (Optional)

How long, in seconds, the network stays open for joining. Defaults to 60 seconds.
IEEE (Optional)

The IEEE address of an existing router device through which the new device should join. Useful when you want a device to join through a specific router.
Source IEEE (Optional)

The IEEE address of the joining device. Use together with the install code.
Install code (Optional)

The install code of the joining device. Use together with the source IEEE address.
QR code (Optional)

A QR code that contains both the IEEE address and the install code of the joining device.

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required. For how an automation or a script is built in YAML, refer to Automations in YAML and Scripts.

In YAML, refer to this action as zha.permit. A basic example looks like this:

ActionAn action makes Home Assistant do something, for example, turn on a light, send a notification, or activate a scene. Automations and scripts run a list of actions. [Learn more] 
action: zha.permit
data:
  duration: 120

This opens the network for new devices to join for 120 seconds.

Options in YAML

duration integer (Optional)

How long, in seconds, the network stays open for joining. Defaults to 60 seconds.

ieee string (Optional)

The IEEE address of an existing router device through which the new device should join.

source_ieee string (Optional)

The IEEE address of the joining device. Use together with the install code.

install_code string (Optional)

The install code of the joining device. Use together with the source IEEE address.

qr_code string (Optional)

A QR code that contains both the IEEE address and the install code of the joining device.

Good to know

  • To join a device that uses an install code, provide either the QR code, or the source IEEE address and install code together.
  • QR install codes are supported from Aqara, Bosch, Consciot, and Embrighten.
  • For everyday device pairing, the Add device flow in the UI is the easier path.

Still stuck?

To test the action on its own, run it in the automation editor with Run action, and check the message that it shows. To see what the action did when the automation ran, open the trace of that run. For details, refer to Testing automations. For common problems and their solutions, refer to Troubleshooting automations.

If that doesn’t help, the Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Tip

AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can also explain actions or suggest the right one when you describe what you want in plain language.

Related actions

Explore related actions:

  • Remove: Removes a node from the ZHA Zigbee network.