Some aspects described herein relate to configuring user equipment (UE) for performing sidelink (SL) random access (RA) procedures, which may include assistance from a base station or other network component. One or more parameters for performing a random access procedure with a second UE over a sidelink can be received from a base station. A first random access message can be transmitted to the second UE as part of the random access procedure over the sidelink. A second random access message can be received, from the second UE, in response to transmitting the first random access message, and as part of the random access procedure over the sidelink, where at least one of transmitting the first random access message or receiving the second random access message are based on the one or more parameters.