Embodiments of the present invention support a flexible access control design that includes flexible ownership and assignment of access control lists (ACLs). The ACLs can be assigned to one or more resources, or items, or types of resources or items. A creator or owner of an ACL can grant privileges to others such that they may modify or assign the ACL. Each ACL can have one or more owners, i.e., users that can exercise control over the ACL. Any owner of an ACL can designate certain privileges to other users. These other users may then use the ACL based on the privileges granted to them.