---
title: "Create Book Transfer"
method: POST
path: "/accounts/{account_id}/book"
tags: ["Transfers"]
---

# Create Book Transfer

`POST /accounts/{account_id}/book`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.meow.com/v1`
- URL: `https://api.meow.com/v1/accounts/{account_id}/book`
- Auth: API key in header `x-api-key`
- TypeScript: <https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/docs/accounts/:account_id/book/post.ts> (a function with typed inputs; its response is checked against the schema)

Creates a new internal book transfer between bank accounts.

## Path parameters

- `account_id` string, required: The ID of the account.

## Headers

- `Idempotency-Key` string, nullable: A unique key you generate (1-50 printable ASCII characters, no spaces) so retrying this request never creates a duplicate. Reusing a key is rejected.
- `x-entity-id` string, uuid

## Request body

- CreateBookTransferRequest
  - `amount` union, required: Amount to move, in USD.
    - number
    - string
  - `to_account_id` string, uuid, required: Destination account, owned by the same entity. Use list_bank_accounts to find one.
  - `description` string, nullable: Description shown on the transfer.
  - `metadata` object, nullable: Your own key/value data to attach to this object. Meow stores it unchanged and returns it on every read of the object and on every webhook event about it, so you can match it back to your own records. Up to 20 pairs; keys up to 40 characters, values up to 200, and 5 KB serialized as JSON in total — note that a non-ASCII character counts as 6 bytes and an emoji as 12. Values must be strings. Meow never interprets it — do not put anything here that needs to stay private.
  - `idempotency_key` string, nullable: Deprecated: send the key in the `Idempotency-Key` header instead. When both are sent they must match.

## Response `200`

Successful Response

- CreateBookTransferResponse
  - `id` string, nullable: Identifier of the book transfer at the bank. `null` until the transfer leaves the queue, so it is always absent while `status` is `processing` or `pending_approval`. Use `approval_id` as the stable handle instead.
  - `amount` string, required: Amount moved, in USD. Echoes the request.
  - `description` string, nullable, required: Description shown on the transfer. Echoes the request.
  - `created_time` integer, required: When the transfer was created, as a Unix timestamp in seconds.
  - `transfer_type` 'book' | 'usdc' | 'usdt' | 'pyusd' | 'cash' | 'usdg' | 'path_usd' | 'ach' | 'wire' | 'international', required: The rail a transfer moves on, as the customer API reports it.
  - `to_account_id` string, uuid, required: Destination account. Echoes the request.
  - `to_account_name` string, required: Display name of the destination account.
  - `to_account_account_number_masked` string, required: Last 4 digits of the destination account number.
  - `to_entity_id` string, uuid, nullable: Entity that owns the destination account. Set only when that entity differs from the one sending the transfer; `null` for a transfer between two of your own accounts.
  - `to_entity_name` string, nullable: Legal name of the entity that owns the destination account. Set under the same condition as `to_entity_id`.
  - `status` 'pending' | 'pending_approval' | 'canceled' | 'processing' | 'error' | 'sent' | 'returned' | 'void'
  - `approval_id` string, uuid, required: Handle for this transfer, returned whether or not an approval policy gated it. Pass it to `GET /approvals/{approval_id}` to follow the transfer to completion.
  - `message` string, nullable: Human-readable next step. Set only when `status` is `pending_approval`; otherwise `null`.
  - `metadata` object, nullable: The metadata attached when this object was created, unchanged. `null` when none was attached. Rarely, a `.created` webhook can be published before the create request finishes committing, and that one event reports `null`; every later event and every read of the object carries the metadata.

## Other responses

- `400`: The request could not be processed.
- `401`: Authentication failed.
- `403`: The API key is not authorized for this operation, or the user of a global API key is an admin or controller without approved KYC. The KYC case returns the message `KYC is required for controllers and admins.` until that user completes KYC in the Meow dashboard.
- `429`: Too many requests.

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/meow/apis/meow-api/revisions/ea2d7e25b63b?raw)