Create an API authentication policy

task australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read create-api-authentication-policy.md

Raw file servicenow.com

Authentication policies enables you to enforce access restrictions on the APIs based on the specified filter criteria.

Before you begin

Role required: api_service_admin, adaptive_auth_policy_admin

Procedure

Navigate to All > System Web Services > API Authentication Policy.
Select New.
On the form, fill in these fields.

Field Description

Name Name to identify the policy.

Description Short description of the policy.

Application Scope of the application.
Select and hold (or right-click) the form header and select Save.
From the Policy Inputs tab, select Edit to add the existing Filter Criteria.

You can also create a new Policy Input. For more information, see Create policy inputs.
Move one or more filter criteria from the Collections list to the Policy Inputs List.[Omitted image "authentication-filter-criteria.png"] Alt text: Adding one or more filter criteria to an authentication policy.
Select Save.
From the Policy Conditions tab, select New.

Field	Description
Name	Name to identify the policy.
Description	Short description of the policy.
Application	Scope of the application.

On the form, fill in these fields.

Field	Description
Label	Name of the policy condition.
Description	Short description of the policy condition.
Application	Scope of the application.
Condition	One or more conditions that are combined with OR filter.

[Omitted image "policy-conditions-authentication.png"] Alt text: Example policy condition with multiple criteria.

Select Submit.

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---
title: Create an API authentication policy
description: Authentication policies enables you to enforce access restrictions on the APIs based on the specified filter criteria.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security/authentication/create-api-authentication-policy.html
release: australia
product: Authentication
classification: authentication
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [API authentication policies, API access policy, Authentication, Access Management]
---

# Create an API authentication policy

Authentication policies enables you to enforce access restrictions on the APIs based on the specified filter criteria.

## Before you begin

Role required: api\_service\_admin, adaptive\_auth\_policy\_admin

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **All** &gt; **System Web Services** &gt; **API Authentication Policy**.

2.  Select **New**.

3.  On the form, fill in these fields.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Name|Name to identify the policy.|
    |Description|Short description of the policy.|
    |Application|Scope of the application.|

4.  Select and hold \(or right-click\) the form header and select **Save**.

5.  From the Policy Inputs tab, select **Edit** to add the existing Filter Criteria.

    You can also create a new Policy Input. For more information, see [Create policy inputs](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/it-service-management/create-policy-input.md).

6.  Move one or more filter criteria from the Collections list to the Policy Inputs List.\[Omitted image "authentication-filter-criteria.png"\] Alt text: Adding one or more filter criteria to an authentication policy.

7.  Select **Save**.

8.  From the Policy Conditions tab, select **New**.

9.  On the form, fill in these fields.

    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Label|Name of the policy condition.|
    |Description|Short description of the policy condition.|
    |Application|Scope of the application.|
    |Condition|One or more conditions that are combined with **OR** filter.|

    \[Omitted image "policy-conditions-authentication.png"\] Alt text: Example policy condition with multiple criteria.

10. Select **Submit**.