# Request an access token

Request an access token for authentication with Ripple APIs.
You need to request a token for the environment you want to authenticate with.
**Note**: The length of the access token isn't fixed, hence it can vary. Avoid validating tokens based on character length.
**Developer guide**
* Learn how to [Request an access token](../developer-guides/request-an-access-token.md).

#### Environments
| Environment | Domain | Description |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| Test | `api.test.ripple.com` | Test environment with simulated currency. |
| Production | `api.ripple.com` | Production environment for Ripple Payments Direct |

Endpoint: POST /v2/oauth/token
Version: 2026.04
Security: BasicAuth

## Description:

  - `Environments` ()
    EnvironmentDomainDescriptionTestapi.test.ripple.comTest environment with simulated currency.Productionapi.ripple.comProduction environment for Ripple Payments Direct

## Security:

  - `BasicAuth` (unknown)
    http basic

## Header parameters:

  - `Authorization` (string)

## Request fields (application/json):

  - `client_id` (string, required)
    The client ID associated with a specific set of API credentials.
    Example: {YOUR_CLIENT_ID}

  - `client_secret` (string, required)
    The client secret associated with a specific set of API credentials.
    Example: {YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET}

  - `audience` (string, required)
    The value of the `audience` field is based on [URN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Resource_Name) syntax.
**Format**: `urn:ripplexcurrent-{ENVIRONMENT_STRING}:{YOUR_TENANT_ID}`
* The first component is `urn:ripplexcurrent-`.
* The second component refers to the environment you want to access.
* The third component is your tenant ID. Ripple integration engineers provide this component during training.

| Environment | Environment string | Description |
|  --- | --- | --- |
| UAT | `uat` | UAT environment with simulated partners and simulated currency. |
| Production | `prod` | Production environment for Ripple's internal services. |

**Example**: `urn:ripplexcurrent-uat:{YOUR_TENANT_ID}`
    Example: urn:ripplexcurrent-uat:{YOUR_TENANT_ID}

  - `grant_type` (string, required)
    Set the grant-type for this client credentials request. This must be set to `client_credentials`.
    Enum: "client_credentials"

## Response 200:

  - `200` (unknown)
    Returns the authentication response object that includes the token, type, scopes, and expiry.

## Response 200 fields (application/json):

  - `access_token` (string)
    The bearer token you use when authenticating with a Ripple API.
    Example: eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzUxMiJ9.eyJ

  - `scope` (string)
    List of scopes applied to your `access_token`.
    Example: pos:payments:create quote_collection:quote:create quote:quote:read pos:payments:read pcs_config:external_read data_requirements:read identities:create identities:read identities:write ledger:balance:r…

  - `expires_in` (integer)
    How long your `access_token` is valid. You need to request a new token when it expires.
    Example: 3600

  - `token_type` (string)
    The type of token. Ripple APIs use `Bearer` auth tokens.
    Example: Bearer

## Response 400:

  - `400` (unknown)
    Bad Request

## Response 400 fields (application/json):

  - `error_description` (string)
    Summary of the returned problem.
    Example: Unauthorized

  - `error` (string)
    Error status.
    Example: access_denied

## Response 401:

  - `401` (unknown)
    Unauthorized

## Response 401 fields (application/json):

  - `error_description` (string)
    Summary of the returned problem.
    Example: Unauthorized

  - `error` (string)
    Error status.
    Example: access_denied

## Response 403:

  - `403` (unknown)
    Forbidden. Returns `access_denied` when the domain is not enabled, or `unauthorized_client` when the caller (client ID or audience) is not authorized to request a token.

## Response 403 fields (application/json):

  - `error_description` (string)
    Summary of the returned problem.
    Example: Unauthorized

  - `error` (string)
    Error status.
    Example: access_denied