> ## 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: Trust Intelligence API - Entity verification and risk scoring
  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
      type: object
      required:
        - loc
        - msg
        - type
      title: ValidationError

````