Enforcing access control based on resource state. A method includes receiving a request for an operation on one or more objects stored on computer readable media. One or more pre-operation states of the one or more objects are determined. One or more post-operation states of the one or more objects are determined. One or more access control rules are referenced. The access control rules control access to resources based on pre-operation state and post operation state. It can then be determined that the one or more access control rules allow the operation to succeed based on the one or more pre-operation states and the one or more post operation states. Based on determining that the one or more access control rules allow the operation to succeed, the operation is allowed to succeed.