diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
index 9863ed0ca2..02c7f4fe46 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import org.dspace.app.rest.repository.LinkRestRepository;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.utils.RestRepositoryUtils;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.utils.Utils;
 import org.dspace.authorize.AuthorizeException;
+import org.dspace.util.UUIDUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
@@ -441,7 +442,15 @@ public class RestResourceController implements InitializingBean {
         throws HttpRequestMethodNotSupportedException {
         checkModelPluralForm(apiCategory, model);
         DSpaceRestRepository<RestAddressableModel, ID> repository = utils.getResourceRepository(apiCategory, model);
-        RestAddressableModel modelObject = repository.createAndReturn();
+
+        String parentCommunityString = request.getParameter("parent");
+        RestAddressableModel modelObject;
+        if (parentCommunityString != null) {
+            UUID parentCommunityUuid = UUIDUtils.fromString(parentCommunityString);
+            modelObject = repository.createAndReturn(parentCommunityUuid);
+        } else {
+            modelObject = repository.createAndReturn();
+        }
         if (modelObject == null) {
             return ControllerUtils.toEmptyResponse(HttpStatus.CREATED);
         }
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CollectionRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CollectionRestRepository.java
index cceb32b546..c09178eae6 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CollectionRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CollectionRestRepository.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
-import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.Parameter;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.SearchRestMethod;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.converter.CollectionConverter;
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ import org.dspace.content.service.CollectionService;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CommunityService;
 import org.dspace.core.Constants;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
-import org.dspace.util.UUIDUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.PageImpl;
@@ -169,8 +167,19 @@ public class CollectionRestRepository extends DSpaceObjectRestRepository<Collect
     }
 
     @Override
-    @PreAuthorize("hasAuthority('ADMIN')")
     protected CollectionRest createAndReturn(Context context) throws AuthorizeException {
+        throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("Missing parent parameter.");
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    @PreAuthorize("hasPermission(#id, 'COMMUNITY', 'ADD')")
+    protected CollectionRest createAndReturn(Context context, UUID id) throws AuthorizeException {
+
+        if (id == null) {
+            throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("The given parent parameter was invalid: "
+                + id);
+        }
+
         HttpServletRequest req = getRequestService().getCurrentRequest().getHttpServletRequest();
         ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
         CollectionRest collectionRest;
@@ -180,36 +189,19 @@ public class CollectionRestRepository extends DSpaceObjectRestRepository<Collect
         } catch (IOException e1) {
             throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Error parsing request body: " + e1.toString());
         }
-
         Collection collection;
-
-
-        String parentCommunityString = req.getParameter("parent");
         try {
-            Community parent = null;
-            if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(parentCommunityString)) {
-
-                UUID parentCommunityUuid = UUIDUtils.fromString(parentCommunityString);
-                if (parentCommunityUuid == null) {
-                    throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("The given parent was invalid: "
-                            + parentCommunityString);
-                }
-
-                parent = communityService.find(context, parentCommunityUuid);
-                if (parent == null) {
-                    throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Parent community for id: "
-                            + parentCommunityUuid + " not found");
-                }
-            } else {
-                throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("The parent parameter cannot be left empty," +
-                                                  "collections require a parent community.");
+            Community parent = communityService.find(context, id);
+            if (parent == null) {
+                throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Parent community for id: "
+                    + id + " not found");
             }
             collection = cs.create(context, parent);
             cs.update(context, collection);
             metadataConverter.setMetadata(context, collection, collectionRest.getMetadata());
         } catch (SQLException e) {
             throw new RuntimeException("Unable to create new Collection under parent Community " +
-                                           parentCommunityString, e);
+                                           id, e);
         }
         return converter.convert(collection);
     }
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CommunityRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CommunityRestRepository.java
index 9d0e06ff8e..ec9b8bebb0 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CommunityRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/CommunityRestRepository.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonNode;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
-import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.Parameter;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.SearchRestMethod;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.converter.CommunityConverter;
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@ import org.dspace.authorize.AuthorizeException;
 import org.dspace.content.Community;
 import org.dspace.content.service.CommunityService;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
-import org.dspace.util.UUIDUtils;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.Page;
 import org.springframework.data.domain.PageImpl;
@@ -83,25 +81,45 @@ public class CommunityRestRepository extends DSpaceObjectRestRepository<Communit
         }
 
         Community community;
-
-
         try {
-            Community parent = null;
-            String parentCommunityString = req.getParameter("parent");
-            if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(parentCommunityString)) {
+            // top-level community
+            community = cs.create(null, context);
+            cs.update(context, community);
+            metadataConverter.setMetadata(context, community, communityRest.getMetadata());
+        } catch (SQLException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(e.getMessage(), e);
+        }
 
-                UUID parentCommunityUuid = UUIDUtils.fromString(parentCommunityString);
-                if (parentCommunityUuid == null) {
-                    throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("The given parent parameter was invalid: "
-                            + parentCommunityString);
-                }
+        return dsoConverter.convert(community);
+    }
 
-                parent = cs.find(context, parentCommunityUuid);
-                if (parent == null) {
-                    throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Parent community for id: "
-                            + parentCommunityUuid + " not found");
-                }
+    @Override
+    @PreAuthorize("hasPermission(#id, 'COMMUNITY', 'ADD')")
+    protected CommunityRest createAndReturn(Context context, UUID id) throws AuthorizeException {
+
+        if (id == null) {
+            throw new DSpaceBadRequestException("The given parent parameter was invalid: "
+                + id);
+        }
+
+        HttpServletRequest req = getRequestService().getCurrentRequest().getHttpServletRequest();
+        ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
+        CommunityRest communityRest;
+        try {
+            ServletInputStream input = req.getInputStream();
+            communityRest = mapper.readValue(input, CommunityRest.class);
+        } catch (IOException e1) {
+            throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Error parsing request body: " + e1.toString());
+        }
+
+        Community community;
+        try {
+            Community parent = cs.find(context, id);
+            if (parent == null) {
+                throw new UnprocessableEntityException("Parent community for id: "
+                    + id + " not found");
             }
+            // sub-community
             community = cs.create(parent, context);
             cs.update(context, community);
             metadataConverter.setMetadata(context, community, communityRest.getMetadata());
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/DSpaceRestRepository.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/DSpaceRestRepository.java
index af671d92bf..00417ddf7e 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/DSpaceRestRepository.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/repository/DSpaceRestRepository.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.UUID;
 
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 
@@ -259,6 +260,46 @@ public abstract class DSpaceRestRepository<T extends RestAddressableModel, ID ex
      */
     public abstract DSpaceResource<T> wrapResource(T model, String... rels);
 
+    /**
+     * Create and return a new instance. Data are usually retrieved from the thread bound http request
+     *
+     * @return the created REST object
+     */
+    public T createAndReturn() {
+        Context context = null;
+        try {
+            context = obtainContext();
+            T entity = thisRepository.createAndReturn(context);
+            context.commit();
+            return entity;
+        } catch (AuthorizeException e) {
+            throw new RESTAuthorizationException(e);
+        } catch (SQLException ex) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(ex.getMessage(), ex);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Create and return a new instance after adding to the parent. Data are usually retrieved from
+     * the thread bound http request.
+     *
+     * @param uuid the id of the parent object
+     * @return the created REST object
+     */
+    public T createAndReturn(UUID uuid) {
+        Context context = null;
+        try {
+            context = obtainContext();
+            T entity = thisRepository.createAndReturn(context, uuid);
+            context.commit();
+            return entity;
+        } catch (AuthorizeException e) {
+            throw new RESTAuthorizationException(e);
+        } catch (SQLException ex) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(ex.getMessage(), ex);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create and return a new instance. Data is recovered from the thread bound HTTP request and the list
      * of DSpaceObjects provided in the uri-list body
@@ -281,22 +322,22 @@ public abstract class DSpaceRestRepository<T extends RestAddressableModel, ID ex
     }
 
     /**
-     * Create and return a new instance. Data are usually retrieved from the thread bound http request
+     * Method to implement to support the creation of a new instance. Usually require to retrieve the http request from
+     * the thread bound attribute
      *
+     * @param context
+     *            the dspace context
+     * @param uuid
+     *            The uuid of the parent object retrieved from the query param.
      * @return the created REST object
+     * @throws AuthorizeException
+     * @throws SQLException
+     * @throws RepositoryMethodNotImplementedException
+     *             returned by the default implementation when the operation is not supported for the entity
      */
-    public T createAndReturn() {
-        Context context = null;
-        try {
-            context = obtainContext();
-            T entity = thisRepository.createAndReturn(context);
-            context.commit();
-            return entity;
-        } catch (AuthorizeException e) {
-            throw new RESTAuthorizationException(e);
-        } catch (SQLException ex) {
-            throw new RuntimeException(ex.getMessage(), ex);
-        }
+    protected T createAndReturn(Context context, UUID uuid)
+        throws AuthorizeException, SQLException, RepositoryMethodNotImplementedException {
+        throw new RepositoryMethodNotImplementedException("No implementation found; Method not allowed!", "");
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CommunityRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CommunityRestRepositoryIT.java
index 8ed3c22d96..29778d2ae0 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CommunityRestRepositoryIT.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/CommunityRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public class CommunityRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationTest
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void createWithParentTest() throws Exception {
+    public void createSubCommunityUnAuthorizedTest() throws Exception {
         //We turn off the authorization system in order to create the structure as defined below
         context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
 
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ public class CommunityRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationTest
         parentCommunity = CommunityBuilder.createCommunity(context)
                                           .withName("Parent Community")
                                           .build();
+
         context.restoreAuthSystemState();
 
         ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
@@ -147,26 +148,66 @@ public class CommunityRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationTest
         // We send a name but the created community should set this to the title
         comm.setName("Test Sub-Level Community");
 
-        comm.setMetadata(new MetadataRest()
-                .put("dc.description",
-                        new MetadataValueRest("<p>Some cool HTML code here</p>"))
-                .put("dc.description.abstract",
-                        new MetadataValueRest("Sample top-level community created via the REST API"))
-                .put("dc.description.tableofcontents",
-                        new MetadataValueRest("<p>HTML News</p>"))
-                .put("dc.rights",
-                        new MetadataValueRest("Custom Copyright Text"))
-                .put("dc.title",
-                        new MetadataValueRest("Title Text")));
+        // Anonymous user tries to create a community.
+        // Should fail because user is not authenticated. Error 401.
+        getClient().perform(post("/api/core/communities")
+            .content(mapper.writeValueAsBytes(comm))
+            .param("parent", parentCommunity.getID().toString())
+            .contentType(contentType))
+                   .andExpect(status().isUnauthorized());
 
-        String authToken = getAuthToken(admin.getEmail(), password);
-         // Capture the UUID of the created Community (see andDo() below)
+        // Non-admin Eperson tries to create a community.
+        // Should fail because user doesn't have permissions. Error 403.
+        String authToken = getAuthToken(eperson.getEmail(), password);
+        getClient(authToken).perform(post("/api/core/communities")
+            .content(mapper.writeValueAsBytes(comm))
+            .param("parent", parentCommunity.getID().toString())
+            .contentType(contentType))
+                            .andExpect(status().isForbidden());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void createSubCommunityAuthorizedTest() throws Exception {
+        //We turn off the authorization system in order to create the structure as defined below
+        context.turnOffAuthorisationSystem();
+
+        // Create a parent community to POST a new sub-community to
+        parentCommunity = CommunityBuilder.createCommunity(context)
+                                          .withName("Parent Community")
+                                          .build();
+
+        // ADD authorization on parent community
+        context.setCurrentUser(eperson);
+        authorizeService.addPolicy(context, parentCommunity, Constants.ADD, eperson);
+
+        context.restoreAuthSystemState();
+
+        String authToken = getAuthToken(eperson.getEmail(), password);
+
+        ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
+        CommunityRest comm = new CommunityRest();
+        // We send a name but the created community should set this to the title
+        comm.setName("Test Sub-Level Community");
+
+        comm.setMetadata(new MetadataRest()
+            .put("dc.description",
+                new MetadataValueRest("<p>Some cool HTML code here</p>"))
+            .put("dc.description.abstract",
+                new MetadataValueRest("Sample top-level community created via the REST API"))
+            .put("dc.description.tableofcontents",
+                new MetadataValueRest("<p>HTML News</p>"))
+            .put("dc.rights",
+                new MetadataValueRest("Custom Copyright Text"))
+            .put("dc.title",
+                new MetadataValueRest("Title Text")));
+
+        // Capture the UUID of the created Community (see andDo() below)
         AtomicReference<UUID> idRef = new AtomicReference<UUID>();
         try {
             getClient(authToken).perform(post("/api/core/communities")
-                                         .content(mapper.writeValueAsBytes(comm))
-                                         .param("parent", parentCommunity.getID().toString())
-                                         .contentType(contentType))
+                .content(mapper.writeValueAsBytes(comm))
+                .param("parent", parentCommunity.getID().toString())
+                .contentType(contentType))
                                 .andExpect(status().isCreated())
                                 .andExpect(content().contentType(contentType))
                                 .andExpect(jsonPath("$", Matchers.allOf(
@@ -181,15 +222,15 @@ public class CommunityRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationTest
                                     hasJsonPath("$._links.self.href", not(empty())),
                                     hasJsonPath("$.metadata", Matchers.allOf(
                                         MetadataMatcher.matchMetadata("dc.description",
-                                                "<p>Some cool HTML code here</p>"),
+                                            "<p>Some cool HTML code here</p>"),
                                         MetadataMatcher.matchMetadata("dc.description.abstract",
-                                                "Sample top-level community created via the REST API"),
+                                            "Sample top-level community created via the REST API"),
                                         MetadataMatcher.matchMetadata("dc.description.tableofcontents",
-                                                "<p>HTML News</p>"),
+                                            "<p>HTML News</p>"),
                                         MetadataMatcher.matchMetadata("dc.rights",
-                                                "Custom Copyright Text"),
+                                            "Custom Copyright Text"),
                                         MetadataMatcher.matchMetadata("dc.title",
-                                                "Title Text")
+                                            "Title Text")
                                         )
                                     )
                                 )))