# LifterLMS: Add a Role While Users Are in a Membership

> Gives users an extra role when they join a LifterLMS membership and removes it again when they leave, so other plugins can use roles for access.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Run everywhere
- Category: [Courses & Community](https://wpide.com/library/category/learning/)
- Tags: lifterlms, memberships, roles
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/lifterlms-membership-role-sync/

## Code

```php
if ( ! function_exists( 'llms_get_student' ) ) {
    return;
}

// Membership ID => role.
$wpide_llms_membership_roles = array(
    123 => 'contributor',
);

add_action( 'llms_user_added_to_membership_level', function ( $user_id, $membership_id ) use ( $wpide_llms_membership_roles ) {
    $role = $wpide_llms_membership_roles[ (int) $membership_id ] ?? '';
    $user = get_userdata( $user_id );

    if ( $role && $user && get_role( $role ) ) {
        $user->add_role( $role );
    }
}, 10, 2 );

$wpide_llms_membership_left = function ( $user_id, $membership_id ) use ( $wpide_llms_membership_roles ) {
    $role = $wpide_llms_membership_roles[ (int) $membership_id ] ?? '';
    $user = get_userdata( $user_id );

    if ( $role && $user && count( $user->roles ) > 1 ) {
        $user->remove_role( $role );
    }
};
add_action( 'llms_user_removed_from_membership', $wpide_llms_membership_left, 10, 2 );
```

## Notes

Map membership IDs to roles that already exist. The user's main role is never touched.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "LifterLMS: Add a Role While Users Are in a Membership" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/