# Create a domain

> Adds a sending domain and returns the DNS records to publish: DKIM (TXT), the return-path MX and SPF TXT on a subdomain (bounces by default, change it with custom_return_path), and an optional…

Source: https://docs.pidgely.com/api-reference/domains/create/

`POST https://api.pidgely.com/domains`

Adds a sending domain and returns the DNS records to publish: DKIM (`TXT`), the return-path `MX` and SPF `TXT` on a subdomain (`bounces` by default, change it with `custom_return_path`), and an optional DMARC `TXT`. Then call [Verify a domain](https://docs.pidgely.com/api-reference/domains/verify/), or wait for the automatic checks.

A domain can be verified by only one account, and your plan sets how many domains you can add. Receiving and open/click tracking are not supported yet: `capabilities.receiving: "enabled"` is rejected and the tracking flags are always `false`.

**Authorization:** `Bearer pdg_…`. An API key with `full_access`. A `sending_access` key gets `401 restricted_api_key`.

## Body parameters

JSON object.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `name` | string | Yes | Display name. |
| `region` | string | No | Informative; set by the platform. |
| `custom_return_path` | string | No | Bounce subdomain label (default `bounces`). |
| `tls` | string | No | `opportunistic` (default): TLS when the receiving server offers it. `enforced`: deliver only over TLS. One of `opportunistic`, `enforced`. |
| `open_tracking` | boolean | No | Accepted, not supported yet (always false). |
| `click_tracking` | boolean | No | Accepted, not supported yet. |
| `capabilities` | object | No | — |
| `capabilities.sending` | string | No | — |
| `capabilities.receiving` | string | No | `enabled` is rejected (receiving not supported yet). |

## Request

```js tab="Node.js"
import { Pidgely } from 'pidgely';

const pidgely = new Pidgely(process.env.PIDGELY_API_KEY);

const { data, error } = await pidgely.domains.create({
  name: 'acme.com',
  customReturnPath: 'bounces',
  tls: 'opportunistic',
});
console.log(data ?? error);
```

```python tab="Python"
import os
import pidgely

pidgely.api_key = os.environ["PIDGELY_API_KEY"]

result = pidgely.Domains.create({
    "name": "acme.com",
    "custom_return_path": "bounces",
    "tls": "opportunistic",
})
print(result)
```

```php tab="PHP"
<?php

require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';

$pidgely = Pidgely::client(getenv('PIDGELY_API_KEY'));

$result = $pidgely->domains->create([
    'name' => 'acme.com',
    'custom_return_path' => 'bounces',
    'tls' => 'opportunistic',
]);
var_dump($result);
```

```go tab="Go"
package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"os"

	"github.com/pidgely/pidgely-go"
)

func main() {
	ctx := context.Background()
	client := pidgely.NewClient(os.Getenv("PIDGELY_API_KEY"))

	result, err := client.Domains.Create(ctx, &pidgely.CreateDomainRequest{
		Name:             "acme.com",
		CustomReturnPath: "bounces",
		Tls:              "opportunistic",
	})
	if err != nil {
		panic(err)
	}
	fmt.Println(result)
}
```

```ruby tab="Ruby"
require "pidgely"

Pidgely.api_key = ENV["PIDGELY_API_KEY"]

result = Pidgely::Domains.create({
  name: "acme.com",
  custom_return_path: "bounces",
  tls: "opportunistic"
})
puts result
```

```bash tab="cURL"
curl -X POST 'https://api.pidgely.com/domains' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PIDGELY_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "name": "acme.com",
  "custom_return_path": "bounces",
  "tls": "opportunistic"
}'
```

## Response

`200 OK`

```json
{
  "object": "domain",
  "id": "0199d7f0-1c2b-7e4d-a5f6-0b9c8d7e6f51",
  "name": "acme.com",
  "status": "not_started",
  "created_at": "2026-10-12 16:44:41.000000+00",
  "region": "sa-east-1",
  "open_tracking": false,
  "click_tracking": false,
  "tls": "opportunistic",
  "capabilities": {
    "sending": "enabled",
    "receiving": "disabled"
  },
  "records": [
    {
      "record": "DKIM",
      "name": "pdg202610._domainkey",
      "type": "TXT",
      "ttl": "Auto",
      "status": "not_started",
      "value": "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA…"
    },
    {
      "record": "SPF",
      "name": "bounces",
      "type": "MX",
      "ttl": "Auto",
      "status": "not_started",
      "value": "mta.pidgely.com",
      "priority": 10
    },
    {
      "record": "SPF",
      "name": "bounces",
      "type": "TXT",
      "ttl": "Auto",
      "status": "not_started",
      "value": "v=spf1 include:_spf.mta.pidgely.com ~all"
    },
    {
      "record": "DMARC",
      "name": "_dmarc",
      "type": "TXT",
      "ttl": "Auto",
      "status": "not_started",
      "value": "v=DMARC1; p=none;"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Response fields

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `object` | string | No | Object type. |
| `id` | string | No | Unique id (UUID). UUID. |
| `name` | string | No | Display name. |
| `status` | string | No | Current status. One of `not_started`, `pending`, `verified`, `failed`. |
| `created_at` | string | No | Timestamp in UTC (`2026-10-12 16:44:41.000000+00`). |
| `region` | string | No | Informative; set by the platform. |
| `open_tracking` | boolean | No | — |
| `click_tracking` | boolean | No | — |
| `tls` | string | No | `opportunistic` (default): TLS when the receiving server offers it. `enforced`: deliver only over TLS. One of `opportunistic`, `enforced`. |
| `capabilities` | object | No | — |
| `capabilities.sending` | string | No | — |
| `capabilities.receiving` | string | No | — |
| `records` | object[] | No | DNS records to publish, with their verification status. |
| `records[].record` | string | No | One of `DKIM`, `SPF`, `DMARC`. |
| `records[].name` | string | No | Relative to the domain. |
| `records[].type` | string | No | One of `TXT`, `MX`. |
| `records[].ttl` | string | No | — |
| `records[].status` | string | No | Current status. |
| `records[].value` | string | No | Record value. |
| `records[].priority` | integer | No | MX priority. |

## Errors

Errors have the shape `{"statusCode", "name", "message"}`. See [Errors](https://docs.pidgely.com/errors/) for the full list.

| Status | Name | When |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | `missing_api_key`, `restricted_api_key` | No `Authorization: Bearer` header, or a `sending_access` key called an endpoint that needs `full_access`. |
| 403 | `invalid_api_key`, `validation_error` | The API key is invalid or revoked, or the request is not allowed for this account (unverified domain, plan limit, paused account). |
| 404 | `not_found` | The resource does not exist in this account (or the id is not a valid UUID). |
| 422 | `validation_error` | A field is missing or invalid; `message` names it. |
| 429 | `rate_limit_exceeded` | Too many requests per second. Wait for `Retry-After` seconds. |
| 403 | `validation_error` | The domain already exists in this account, or the plan limit on domains is reached. |