# revoke

URL: /business/nouns/api-key/revoke · Id: `verb:APIKey.revoke` · Call: `await $.APIKey.revoke({ … })` (SDK) or the `do` tool at `https://api.sb/mcp`. Inputs says what to pass, Outputs what returns, When it waits who approves.

> Revoke stops an API Key at once: its next call fails with 401, and the record and its history stay.

Revoke stops an [API Key](/business/nouns/api-key) at once: its next call fails with 401, and the record and its history stay.

## Inputs
| Input | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `apiKey` | [API Key](/business/nouns/api-key) | Yes | The API Key to stop. |
| `reason` | `text` | No | Why, shown to the Customer’s admins. |

## Outputs
| Output | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `apiKey` | [API Key](/business/nouns/api-key) | Yes | The API Key, with `revokedAt` set. |

## Effects
- Emits [`APIKey.revoked`](/business/events/APIKey.revoked).
- Two-way: it runs at once, in the `try`, `send` and `do` modes.
- Emails the Customer’s admins which key stopped, and why.

## Refuses when
| Check | Error | Fix | Then call |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The key is valid, but its scopes do not allow this operation. | [`forbidden`](/code/api/errors/forbidden) | Use a key whose scopes cover the operation, or ask an owner of the namespace to grant them. | [APIKey.revoke](/business/nouns/api-key/revoke) |

## When it waits
| Gate | Default |
| --- | --- |
| Decision class | Low: two-way, nothing at stake |
| [Delay window](/systems/trust-and-governance/controls/one-way-windows) | None: it runs once review passes. |
| Limit | The call [Limit](/business/nouns/limit) of the [Permission](/business/nouns/permission) it runs under. |
| Over the Limit | It waits `pending` for an [Approval](/business/nouns/approval) from the [Founder](/agents/founding/founder). Approved, it runs; refused, it ends `refused` with [`limit-exceeded`](/code/api/errors/limit-exceeded); unanswered by its deadline, it ends `canceled`. |

## Example

**Ask**

```text
Revoke the latest API key.
```

**API**

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/api-keys/api_key_1/revoke \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY"
```

```json
{
  "api": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app",
  "apiKey": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/api-keys/api_key_1",
    "$type": "APIKey",
    "name": "Nightly sync",
    "environment": "test"
  },
  "action": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/actions/action_1",
    "operation": "APIKey.revoke",
    "status": "done"
  },
  "links": {
    "self": "https://api.sb/shiftnote.app/actions/action_1"
  }
}
```

**SDK**

```ts
import { $ } from 'startup-builder'

const apiKey = await $.APIKey.revoke({ apiKey: 'api_key_1' })
```

**CLI**

```bash
npx startup-builder do APIKey.revoke --json '{"apiKey":"api_key_1"}'
```

**MCP**

```json
{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "return await $.APIKey.revoke({ apiKey: 'api_key_1' })"
  }
}
```