> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.limitguard.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Key

> Create a new API key for self-service provisioning.

Only free and sandbox tiers can be created directly.
For paid tiers, create a free key first then POST /v1/keys/upgrade/{tier}.

Returns the plaintext key exactly once. The key cannot be retrieved
after this response - only a SHA-256 hash is stored.



## OpenAPI

````yaml /api-reference/openapi.json post /v1/keys/create
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Limitguard.ai
  description: >-
    Lead validation API: the company behind each lead checked against the NL and
    BE business registers, EU VAT and sanctions lists, plus company, KYB and
    agent wallet checks for developers and AI agents
  version: 0.1.0
servers:
  - url: https://api.limitguard.ai
security: []
paths:
  /v1/keys/create:
    post:
      summary: Create Key
      description: >-
        Create a new API key for self-service provisioning.


        Only free and sandbox tiers can be created directly.

        For paid tiers, create a free key first then POST
        /v1/keys/upgrade/{tier}.


        Returns the plaintext key exactly once. The key cannot be retrieved

        after this response - only a SHA-256 hash is stored.
      operationId: create_key_v1_keys_create_post
      requestBody:
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/KeyCreateRequest'
        required: true
      responses:
        '201':
          description: Successful Response
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/KeyCreateResponse'
        '422':
          description: Validation Error
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/HTTPValidationError'
components:
  schemas:
    KeyCreateRequest:
      properties:
        email:
          type: string
          maxLength: 254
          minLength: 3
          title: Email
          description: Email address for key owner
        tier:
          type: string
          title: Tier
          description: Pricing tier
          default: free
      additionalProperties: false
      type: object
      required:
        - email
      title: KeyCreateRequest
      description: Request to create a new API key.
    KeyCreateResponse:
      properties:
        api_key:
          type: string
          title: Api Key
          description: Plaintext API key (shown only once)
        key_id:
          type: string
          title: Key Id
          description: Key identifier (SHA-256 hash prefix)
        tier:
          type: string
          title: Tier
          description: Pricing tier
        monthly_limit:
          type: integer
          title: Monthly Limit
          description: >-
            Monthly request ceiling for this tier (an abuse cap, not prepaid
            calls)
      type: object
      required:
        - api_key
        - key_id
        - tier
        - monthly_limit
      title: KeyCreateResponse
      description: Response after creating a new API key. Plaintext key shown only once.
    HTTPValidationError:
      properties:
        detail:
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/ValidationError'
          type: array
          title: Detail
      type: object
      title: HTTPValidationError
    ValidationError:
      properties:
        loc:
          items:
            anyOf:
              - type: string
              - type: integer
          type: array
          title: Location
        msg:
          type: string
          title: Message
        type:
          type: string
          title: Error Type
        input:
          title: Input
        ctx:
          type: object
          title: Context
      type: object
      required:
        - loc
        - msg
        - type
      title: ValidationError

````

This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.