API access policy prioritization

concept brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read api-access-policy-prioritization.md

Learn about the policy prioritization logic if there are multiple API access policy configured for your ServiceNow® instance.

API access policies are prioritized based on the type of REST API policy set on your ServiceNow® instance.

The approach is defining different weights for each part of the API such as,method, resource, and version.

The API policy is prioritized for non-global first, then global. In other words, a non-global access policy will always override a global API access policy.

Prioritization logic are as follows:

Fields	Priority	Prioritization Logic
Method, resource, and version	1	If the 3 fields matches with the policy then that policy takes the 1st priority.
Method+ resource	2	If the 2 fields matches with the policy then that policy takes the 1st priority.
Resource + version	3	If the 2 fields along with the field Apply to all methods matches with the policy then that policy takes the 3rd priority.
Resource	4	If the field along with the field Apply to all methods matches with the policy then that policy takes the 4th priority.
Method + version	5	If the 2 fields along with the field Apply to all resources matches with the policy then that policy takes the 5th priority.
Method	6	If the field along with the field Apply to all resources matches with the policy then that policy takes the 5th priority.
Version	7	If the field along with the fields Apply to all methods and Apply to all versions matches with the policy then that policy takes the 7th priority.
Global but not Apply to all methods	8	If the fields Global is `true` and Apply to all methods is `false` then that policy takes the 8th priority.
Global and Apply to all methods	9	If the fields Global is `true` and Apply to all methods is `true` then that policy takes the 9th priority.

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---
title: API access policy prioritization
description: Learn about the policy prioritization logic if there are multiple API access policy configured for your ServiceNow instance.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/platform-security/authentication/api-access-policy-prioritization.html
release: brazil
product: Authentication
classification: authentication
topic_type: concept
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Create REST API access policy, REST API access policies, API access policy, Authentication, Access Management]
---

# API access policy prioritization

Learn about the policy prioritization logic if there are multiple API access policy configured for your ServiceNow® instance.

API access policies are prioritized based on the type of REST API policy set on your ServiceNow® instance.

The approach is defining different weights for each part of the API such as,method, resource, and version.

The API policy is prioritized for non-global first, then global. In other words, a non-global access policy will always override a global API access policy.

Prioritization logic are as follows:

<table id="table_cb3_5nh_bwb"><thead><tr><th>

Fields

</th><th>

Priority

</th><th>

Prioritization Logic

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Method, resource, and version

</td><td>

1

</td><td>

If the 3 fields matches with the policy then that policy takes the 1st priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Method+ resource

</td><td>

2

</td><td>

If the 2 fields matches with the policy then that policy takes the 1st priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Resource + version

</td><td>

3

</td><td>

If the 2 fields along with the field **Apply to all methods** matches with the policy then that policy takes the 3rd priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Resource

</td><td>

4

</td><td>

If the field along with the field **Apply to all methods** matches with the policy then that policy takes the 4th priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Method + version

</td><td>

5

</td><td>

If the 2 fields along with the field **Apply to all resources** matches with the policy then that policy takes the 5th priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Method

</td><td>

6

</td><td>

If the field along with the field **Apply to all resources** matches with the policy then that policy takes the 5th priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Version

</td><td>

7

</td><td>

If the field along with the fields **Apply to all methods** and **Apply to all versions** matches with the policy then that policy takes the 7th priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Global but not Apply to all methods

</td><td>

8

</td><td>

If the fields **Global** is `true` and **Apply to all methods** is `false` then that policy takes the 8th priority.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Global and Apply to all methods

</td><td>

9

</td><td>

If the fields **Global** is `true` and **Apply to all methods** is `true` then that policy takes the 9th priority.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>