Clerk API (unofficial showcase)
POST/users

Create a new user

Creates a new user. Your user management settings determine how you should setup your user model.

By default, any email address and phone number created using this method is marked as verified. Use the email_address_identification_status and phone_number_identification_status arrays to instead create some or all of them as reserved (unverified but usable for sign-in and locked so no other user can claim them).

Note: If you are performing a migration, check out our guide on zero downtime migrations.

The following rate limit rules apply to this endpoint: 1000 requests per 10 seconds for production instances and 100 requests per 10 seconds for development instances

  • IdempotentThe SDK sends Idempotency-Key, so a retried request is only applied once.

32 body fields
external_idstringoptional
The ID of the user as used in your external systems or your previous authentication solution. Must be unique across your instance.
first_namestringoptional
The first name to assign to the user
last_namestringoptional
The last name to assign to the user
localestringoptional
The locale to assign to the user (e.g., "en-US", "fr-FR")
timezonestringoptional
The IANA timezone to assign to the user (e.g., "America/New_York", "Europe/Paris"). Set to null to clear it and allow automatic capture on a later trusted sign-in.
email_addressarray<string>optional
Email addresses to add to the user. Must be unique across your instance. The first email address will be set as the user's primary email address. Created verified by default; see `email_address_identification_status` to create them reserved.
email_address_identification_statusarray<string>optional
Controls the status each email address is created with. Runs parallel to `email_address`: when provided, it must contain exactly one item per email address, applied by position. When omitted or empty, every email address is created `verified`. Set an item to `reserved` to create the corresponding email address reserved instead (unverified but usable for sign-in and locked so no other user can claim it).
phone_numberarray<string>optional
Phone numbers to add to the user. Must be unique across your instance. The first phone number will be set as the user's primary phone number. Created verified by default; see `phone_number_identification_status` to create them reserved.
phone_number_identification_statusarray<string>optional
Controls the status each phone number is created with. Runs parallel to `phone_number`: when provided, it must contain exactly one item per phone number, applied by position. When omitted or empty, every phone number is created `verified`. Set an item to `reserved` to create the corresponding phone number reserved instead (unverified but usable for sign-in and locked so no other user can claim it).
web3_walletarray<string>optional
Web3 wallets to add to the user. Must be unique across your instance. The first wallet will be set as the user's primary wallet.
usernamestringoptional
The username to give to the user. It must be unique across your instance.
passwordstringoptional
The plaintext password to give the user. Must be at least 8 characters long, and cannot be in any list of hacked passwords.
password_digeststringoptional
In case you already have the password digests and not the passwords, you can use them for the newly created user via this property. The digests should be generated with one of the supported algorithms. The hashing algorithm can be specified using the `password_hasher` property.
password_hasherstringoptional
The hashing algorithm that was used to generate the password digest. The algorithms we support at the moment are [`bcrypt`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bcrypt), [`bcrypt_sha256_django`](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/topics/auth/passwords/), [`md5`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD5), `pbkdf2_sha1`, `pbkdf2_sha256`, [`pbkdf2_sha256_django`](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/topics/auth/passwords/), `pbkdf2_sha512`, [`phpass`](https://www.openwall.com/phpass/), `md5_phpass`, [`scrypt_firebase`](https://firebaseopensource.com/projects/firebase/scrypt/), [`scrypt_werkzeug`](https://werkzeug.palletsprojects.com/en/3.0.x/utils/#werkzeug.security.generate_password_hash), [`sha256`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SHA-2), [`ldap_ssha`](https://www.openldap.org/faq/data/cache/347.html), the [`argon2`](https://argon2.online/) variants: `argon2i` and `argon2id`, `sha512_symfony`, the SHA-512 variant of the [Symfony](https://symfony.com/doc/current/security/passwords.html) legacy hasher, and `pbkdf2_sha512_hex`, a variant of `pbkdf2_sha512` that accepts hex-encoded salt and hash. Each of the supported hashers expects the incoming digest to be in a particular format. See the [Clerk docs](https://clerk.com/docs/references/backend/user/create-user) for more information.
skip_password_checksbooleanoptional
When set to `true` all password checks are skipped. It is recommended to use this method only when migrating plaintext passwords to Clerk. Upon migration the user base should be prompted to pick stronger password.
skip_password_requirementbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, `password` is not required anymore when creating the user and can be omitted. This is useful when you are trying to create a user that doesn't have a password, in an instance that is using passwords. Please note that you cannot use this flag if password is the only way for a user to sign into your instance.
skip_restriction_checksbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, the instance's restrictions are not applied to this user. Those settings are the allowlist, the blocklist, blocked disposable email domains and blocked email subaddresses, and they normally reject a matching identifier here just as they do at sign-up. Use this when your backend is creating a user it already trusts, such as during a migration or from an admin tool.
totp_secretstringoptional
In case TOTP is configured on the instance, you can provide the secret to enable it on the newly created user without the need to reset it. Please note that currently the supported options are: * Period: 30 seconds * Code length: 6 digits * Algorithm: SHA1
backup_codesarray<string>optional
If Backup Codes are configured on the instance, you can provide them to enable it on the newly created user without the need to reset them. You must provide the backup codes in plain format or the corresponding bcrypt digest.
public_metadataobjectoptional
Metadata saved on the user, that is visible to both your Frontend and Backend APIs
private_metadataobjectoptional
Metadata saved on the user, that is only visible to your Backend API
unsafe_metadataobjectoptional
Metadata saved on the user, that can be updated from both the Frontend and Backend APIs. Note: Since this data can be modified from the frontend, it is not guaranteed to be safe.
delete_self_enabledbooleanoptional
If enabled, user can delete themselves via FAPI.
legal_accepted_atstringoptional
A custom timestamp denoting _when_ the user accepted legal requirements, specified in RFC3339 format (e.g. `2012-10-20T07:15:20.902Z`).
skip_legal_checksbooleanoptional
When set to `true` all legal checks are skipped. It is not recommended to skip legal checks unless you are migrating a user to Clerk.
skip_user_requirementbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, identification types are not enforced. At least one identification type must be enabled and provided on your instance (email, phone, web3 wallet, or username). Users created without required identification types cannot use those authentication strategies It is not recommended to use this flag unless you need to allow Clerk UI components to prompt for required fields while BAPI creates users with minimal data, or for migration a user to Clerk.
create_organization_enabledbooleanoptional
If enabled, user can create organizations via FAPI.
create_organizations_limitintegeroptional
The maximum number of organizations the user can create. 0 means unlimited.
created_atstringoptional
A custom date/time denoting _when_ the user signed up to the application, specified in RFC3339 format (e.g. `2012-10-20T07:15:20.902Z`).
bypass_client_trustbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, the user will bypass Device Trust checks during sign-in.
bannedbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, the user is created already banned and cannot sign in. Requires the same plan support as the ban user endpoint.
lockedbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, the user is created already locked. Requires the user lockout feature to be enabled on the instance.

6 status codes
200Success
idstringrequired
objectstringrequired
String representing the object's type. Objects of the same type share the same value.
Allowed:user
external_idstringrequired
primary_email_address_idstringrequired
primary_phone_number_idstringrequired
primary_web3_wallet_idstringrequired
usernamestringrequired
first_namestringrequired
last_namestringrequired
localestringoptional
timezonestringoptional
profile_image_urlstringdeprecatedoptional
image_urlstringoptional
has_imagebooleanrequired
public_metadataobjectrequired
private_metadataobjectoptional
unsafe_metadataobjectoptional
email_addressesarray<object>required
phone_numbersarray<object>required
web3_walletsarray<object>required
passkeysarray<object>required
password_enabledbooleanrequired
two_factor_enabledbooleanrequired
totp_enabledbooleanrequired
backup_code_enabledbooleanrequired
mfa_enabled_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of when MFA was last enabled for this user. It should be noted that this field is not nullified if MFA is disabled.
mfa_disabled_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of when MFA was last disabled for this user. It should be noted that this field is not nullified if MFA is enabled again.
password_last_updated_atintegeroptional
Unix timestamp of when the user's password was last updated.
external_accountsarray<object>required
saml_accountsarray<object>required
enterprise_accountsarray<object>required
organization_membershipsarray<object>optional
last_sign_in_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of last sign-in.
bannedbooleanrequired
Flag to denote whether user is banned or not.
lockedbooleanrequired
Flag to denote whether user is currently locked, i.e. restricted from signing in or not.
deprovisionedbooleanoptional
Flag to denote whether user has been deprovisioned and is restricted from signing in.
lockout_expires_in_secondsintegerrequired
The number of seconds remaining until the lockout period expires for a locked user. A null value for a locked user indicates that lockout never expires.
verification_attempts_remainingintegerrequired
The number of verification attempts remaining until the user is locked. Null if account lockout is not enabled. Note: if a user is locked explicitly via the Backend API, they may still have verification attempts remaining.
updated_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of last update.
created_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of creation.
delete_self_enabledbooleanrequired
If enabled, user can delete themselves via FAPI.
create_organization_enabledbooleanrequired
If enabled, user can create organizations via FAPI.
create_organizations_limitintegeroptional
The maximum number of organizations the user can create. 0 means unlimited.
last_active_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of the latest session activity, with day precision.
legal_accepted_atintegerrequired
Unix timestamp of when the user accepted the legal requirements.
bypass_client_trustbooleanoptional
When set to `true`, the user will bypass Device Trust checks during sign-in.
Default:false
directoriesarray<object>optional
All loaded directory links. Omitted when links were not loaded; an empty array means the user has no directory links.
directoryobjectdeprecatedoptional
The most recently updated directory link. Use directories for all links.
scimobjectdeprecatedoptional
Alias of directory. Use directories for all links.
400Request was not successful
errorsarray<object>required
metaobjectoptional
clerk_trace_idstringoptional
401Authentication invalid
errorsarray<object>required
metaobjectoptional
clerk_trace_idstringoptional
402Payment required
errorsarray<object>required
metaobjectoptional
clerk_trace_idstringoptional
403Authentication invalid
errorsarray<object>required
metaobjectoptional
clerk_trace_idstringoptional
422Invalid request parameters
errorsarray<object>required
metaobjectoptional
clerk_trace_idstringoptional

Error handling

A 400 is returned: Request was not successful. A 401 is returned: Authentication invalid. A 402 is returned: Payment required. A 403 is returned: Authentication invalid. A 422 is returned: Invalid request parameters.