---
updatedAt: 2026-09-25T00:18:54.000Z
agentTools:
  projectIndex: https://developer.sovrn.com/llms.txt
---

# Authentication

Authenticate every request with your Sovrn-issued API key.

Every request must include the API key Sovrn issued to you, in the `x-api-key`
request header:

```
x-api-key: <your-sovrn-api-key>
```

Send it on every call to the base URL in
[Introduction](https://developer.sovrn.com/docs/introduction#base-url). A request with a missing, invalid or
malformed key returns `401` with a plain-text body; see
[Errors](https://developer.sovrn.com/docs/errors).

> 📘 One header is all you send
>
> Sovrn's API gateway exchanges your `x-api-key` for an internal credential
> before the request reaches the service, so you only ever send `x-api-key`.

Your key is scoped to the Curation API. A write key can create and edit deals
on your account. A read-only key can only read them: every write it sends
returns `403` with the message `Insufficient scope`. Treat either kind as a
secret.

Contact your Sovrn representative to obtain or rotate a key.