vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV(3)

# vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV(3) Manual Page

## Name

vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV - Copy an acceleration structure

## C Specification

To copy an acceleration structure for the `VK_NV_ray_tracing` extension call:

    // Provided by VK_NV_ray_tracing
    void vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV(
        VkCommandBuffer                             commandBuffer,
        VkAccelerationStructureNV                   dst,
        VkAccelerationStructureNV                   src,
        VkCopyAccelerationStructureModeKHR          mode);

## Parameters

- `commandBuffer` is the command buffer into which the command will be recorded.

- `dst` is the target acceleration structure for the copy.

- `src` is the source acceleration structure for the copy.

- `mode` is a VkCopyAccelerationStructureModeKHR value specifying additional operations to perform during the copy.

## Description

Accesses to `src` and `dst` must be synchronized with the VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_2_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_COPY_BIT_KHR pipeline stage or the VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_BUILD_BIT_KHR pipeline stage, and an access type of VK_ACCESS_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_READ_BIT_KHR or VK_ACCESS_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_WRITE_BIT_KHR as appropriate.

Valid Usage

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-mode-03410
  `mode` must be VK_COPY_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_MODE_COMPACT_KHR or VK_COPY_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_MODE_CLONE_KHR

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-src-03411
  If `mode` is VK_COPY_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_MODE_COMPACT_KHR, `src` must have been constructed with VK_BUILD_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_ALLOW_COMPACTION_BIT_KHR in the build

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-buffer-03718
  The range of `src` accessed by this command must be fully backed by physical memory

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-buffer-03719
  The range of `dst` accessed by this command must be fully backed by physical memory

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-dst-07791
  The range of memory backing `dst` that is accessed by this command must not overlap the memory backing `src` that is accessed by this command

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-mode-12418
  If `mode` is VK_COPY_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_MODE_CLONE_KHR, the memory pointed to by `dst` must be at least as large as the size of `src`, as reported by vkWriteAccelerationStructuresPropertiesKHR or vkCmdWriteAccelerationStructuresPropertiesKHR with a query type of VK_QUERY_TYPE_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_SIZE_KHR

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-mode-12419
  If `mode` is VK_COPY_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_MODE_COMPACT_KHR, the memory pointed to by `dst` must be at least as large as the compacted size of `src`, as reported by vkWriteAccelerationStructuresPropertiesKHR or vkCmdWriteAccelerationStructuresPropertiesKHR with a query type of VK_QUERY_TYPE_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_COMPACTED_SIZE_KHR

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-commandBuffer-parameter
  `commandBuffer` must be a valid VkCommandBuffer handle

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-dst-parameter
  `dst` must be a valid VkAccelerationStructureNV handle

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-src-parameter
  `src` must be a valid VkAccelerationStructureNV handle

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-mode-parameter
  `mode` must be a valid VkCopyAccelerationStructureModeKHR value

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-commandBuffer-recording
  `commandBuffer` must be in the recording state

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-commandBuffer-cmdpool
  The `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must support VK_QUEUE_COMPUTE_BIT operations

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-renderpass
  This command must only be called outside of a render pass instance

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-suspended
  This command must not be called between suspended render pass instances

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-videocoding
  This command must only be called outside of a video coding scope

- VUID-vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV-commonparent
  Each of `commandBuffer`, `dst`, and `src` must have been created, allocated, or retrieved from the same VkDevice

Host Synchronization

- Host access to `commandBuffer` must be externally synchronized

- Host access to the `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must be externally synchronized

Command Properties

Command Buffer Levels | Render Pass Scope | Video Coding Scope | Supported Queue Types | Command Type
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Primary Secondary | Outside | Outside | VK_QUEUE_COMPUTE_BIT | Action

Conditional Rendering

vkCmdCopyAccelerationStructureNV is not affected by conditional rendering

## See Also

VK_NV_ray_tracing, VkAccelerationStructureNV, VkCommandBuffer, VkCopyAccelerationStructureModeKHR

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0