# create

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

> Creates a Customer.

Create makes a new [Customer](/business/nouns/customer) from the inputs below. It is inherited: every [Noun](/business/nouns/noun) has `get`, `list`, `create`, `update` and `delete`.

## Inputs
| Input | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `since` | `datetime` | Yes | When the party first accepted an Offer. |
| `outside` | `boolean` | No | Computed: true when it shares no owner, account, or sibling chain with the Startup. |
| `billingEmail` | `email` | No | Where Invoices and receipts go, when it differs from the sign-in email. |
| `billingAddress` | `text` | No | The address printed on new Invoices; Stripe Tax reads it to compute tax. |
| `taxIds` | `string[]` | No | The Customer’s tax ids, such as a VAT number, printed on new Invoices and read by Stripe Tax. |
| `creditRecharge` | `json` | No | When unspent credit falls below `below`, buy `amount` of the credit Offer with the default Payment Source. |
| `portal` | [Portal](/business/nouns/portal) | No | Customers sign in to a Portal to order, track delivery, accept work, and pay. |
| `acquisition` | [Acquisition](/business/nouns/acquisition) | No | A Customer inherits the Acquisition of the Lead it was; Metrics and payouts read this one row. |

## Outputs
| Output | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `customer` | [Customer](/business/nouns/customer) | Yes | The Customer. |

## Effects
- Emits `Customer.created`.
- Two-way: `try`, `send`, `do`.

## 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. | [Customer.create](/business/nouns/customer/create) |

## 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
Add a customer to PetPantry.
```

**API**

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/customers \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $STARTUP_BUILDER_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"since":"2026-10-22T12:00:00Z"}'
```

```json
{
  "api": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop",
  "customer": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/customers/customer_1",
    "$type": "Customer",
    "since": "2026-10-22T12:00:00Z"
  },
  "action": {
    "$id": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/actions/action_1",
    "operation": "Customer.create",
    "status": "done"
  },
  "links": {
    "self": "https://api.sb/petpantry.shop/actions/action_1"
  }
}
```

**SDK**

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

const customer = await $.Customer.create({ since: '2026-10-22T12:00:00Z' })
```

**CLI**

```bash
npx startup-builder do Customer.create --json '{"since":"2026-10-22T12:00:00Z"}'
```

**MCP**

```json
{
  "name": "do",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "return await $.Customer.create({ since: '2026-10-22T12:00:00Z' })"
  }
}
```