# ERROR: Could not install packages due to an OSError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/usr/local/lib/python3.10/site-packages'

- **ID:** `python/pip-install-permission-denied-site-packages`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** system_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

The user lacks write permissions to the system-wide site-packages directory.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.x | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (98% success)
   ```
   python -m venv myenv; source myenv/bin/activate; pip install package
   ```
2. **** (85% success)
   ```
   pip install --user package
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — May cause permission issues for other users and is not recommended in virtualenvs. (60% fail)
- **** — Installs to user site-packages, which may not be in PATH or may conflict with system packages. (40% fail)