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

# Meterlane API Keys: How to Create, Use, and Revoke

> Learn how to create and use Meterlane management API keys, authenticate your API calls with Bearer tokens, and safely revoke keys when needed.

Meterlane API keys authenticate your calls to the management API — the programmatic interface for creating routes, querying corridor quotes, listing payments, and managing your org's configuration. Every key is scoped to your entire org, which means it covers all routes, corridors, and management operations under that org in a single credential.

<Warning>
  API keys are **not** used to make x402 agent payments. Agent payment clients sign transactions with a wallet private key (your `AGENT_PRIVATE_KEY`). Keep the two credential types clearly separated in your implementation.
</Warning>

## Key format

Every Meterlane API key begins with the prefix `bp_live_` followed by 48 hexadecimal characters, for example:

```
bp_live_a3f2c91d0e4b7823...
```

The full raw key is displayed **exactly once** at creation time in the dashboard. Meterlane stores only the first 16 characters (prefix) and a SHA-256 hash — it cannot show you the full key again. Copy the key immediately and store it in a secrets manager or environment variable.

## Creating an API key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open API Keys settings">
    In the dashboard sidebar, navigate to **Settings → API Keys**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Generate a new key">
    Click **Create API Key**, enter a descriptive name (for example, `production-worker` or `ci-pipeline`), and confirm.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the key immediately">
    The full `bp_live_…` key is shown only once. Copy it now and save it in your secrets manager. Once you close this dialog, the full key is gone from the dashboard.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Using an API key in requests

Pass your API key as a Bearer token in the `Authorization` header of every management API request:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://gateway.meterlane.app/api/routes \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer bp_live_a3f2c91d0e4b7823..."
```

The same header format applies to all management API endpoints, including corridor quotes and payment history:

```bash theme={null}
curl https://corridor.meterlane.app/corridors \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer bp_live_a3f2c91d0e4b7823..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
```

## Reading keys from the environment

Never hard-code your API key in source code. Load it from an environment variable at runtime:

```typescript theme={null}
const apiKey = process.env.METERLANE_API_KEY;

const response = await fetch("https://gateway.meterlane.app/api/routes", {
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
});
```

```python theme={null}
import os
import requests

api_key = os.environ["METERLANE_API_KEY"]

response = requests.get(
    "https://gateway.meterlane.app/api/routes",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}"},
)
```

## Revoking a compromised key

If you suspect a key has been exposed, revoke it immediately:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to API Keys">
    Go to **Settings → API Keys** in the dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Revoke the key">
    Find the key by its name or prefix, click the **Revoke** button, and confirm. Revocation takes effect immediately — any in-flight requests using that key will receive a `401 Unauthorized` response.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Issue a replacement">
    Create a new API key and update your environment variables or secrets manager with the new value.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Treat your API key like a password. Never commit it to source control, expose it in client-side JavaScript, or log it to your application logs. Only the first 16 characters of a key (the prefix) are safe to include in log output.
</Warning>

## API keys vs. agent private keys

These two credential types serve different purposes and must never be confused:

| Credential             | Format                  | Purpose                                                                          |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Management API key** | `bp_live_…`             | Authenticates calls to the Meterlane management API (routes, corridors, billing) |
| **Agent private key**  | ECDSA private key (hex) | Signs x402 `X-PAYMENT` headers so an AI agent can pay per-request in USDC        |

Your agent's private key is never stored in or managed by the Meterlane dashboard. It lives in your deployment environment as `AGENT_PRIVATE_KEY` and is used exclusively by the x402 payment client. See the [Security](/account/security) page for safe handling practices.