---
title: "Import Item"
method: POST
path: "/item/import"
tags: ["plaid"]
---

# Import Item

`POST /item/import`

`/item/import` creates an Item for one of your customers and returns an `access_token`, which the other Permissions Manager endpoints take in place of a customer identifier. You supply your own identifier for the customer as `user_auth.user_id`.

The endpoint is idempotent and the `access_token` it returns is long-lived: repeated calls for the same `user_auth.user_id` return the same token.

Upon creating an Item via `/item/import`, Plaid will automatically begin an extraction of that Item through the data provider API endpoints you have already integrated.

## Request body

- ItemImportRequest — ItemImportRequest defines the request schema for `/item/import`
  - `client_id` string — Your Plaid API `client_id`. The `client_id` is required and may be provided either in the `PLAID-CLIENT-ID` header or as part of a request body.
  - `secret` string — Your Plaid API `secret`. The `secret` is required and may be provided either in the `PLAID-SECRET` header or as part of a request body.
  - `institution_id` string — The Plaid Institution ID associated with the Item. Most callers omit this field; Plaid resolves your institution automatically. If your organization has multiple institutions, contact Plaid to determine whether you should send it.
  - `products` Products[] — Array of product strings. Sent only by a Plaid-internal caller, the Data Partner Dashboard validation tool; external callers never need it. Not required for Permissions Manager callers, who authenticate with `user_auth.user_id`.
  - `user_auth` ItemImportRequestUserAuth, required — Object of user ID and auth token pair, permitting Plaid to aggregate a user's accounts
    - `user_id` string, required — Your persistent, unique identifier for the customer.
    - `auth_token` string — Authorization token used by the legacy Plaid Exchange integration; not required for Permissions Manager callers.
  - `options` ItemImportRequestOptions — An optional object to configure `/item/import` request. Retained for the legacy Plaid Exchange integration; not required for Permissions Manager callers.
    - `webhook` string, url — Specifies a webhook URL to associate with an Item. Plaid fires a webhook if credentials fail.

## Response `200`

OK

- ItemImportResponse — ItemImportResponse defines the response schema for `/item/import`
  - `access_token` string, required — The access token associated with the Item for which data is being requested.
  - `request_id` string, required — A unique identifier for the request, which can be used for troubleshooting. This identifier, like all Plaid identifiers, is case sensitive.

## Other responses

- `default` — Error response

## Changes

> 52 revisions in range; 1 could not be searched.

- **2026-07-22** `a1bbca018160` — 13 warning
  - added the new `ASSETS_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
  - added the new `CRA_MONITORING_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
  - added the new `CREDIT_PROFILE_REPORT_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
  - added the new `ENCOMPASS_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
  - …9 more
- **2026-06-25** `80d23bfdc2e5` — 1 warning, 1 info
  - added the new `IDEMPOTENCY_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
  - added the new `cra_qualify` enum value to the request property `products/items/`
- **2026-06-10** `fb8c3f188d8b` — 1 warning
  - added the new `BASE_REPORT_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
- **2026-04-02** `7f9a02ad0ce3` — 1 info
  - added the new `protect_transactions` enum value to the request property `products/items/`
- **2026-01-26** `8addecd0b74a` — 1 info
  - added the new `cra_plaid_credit_score` enum value to the request property `products/items/`

[Full history](https://skmtc.dev/plaid/apis/the-plaid-api/changes/item/import/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/plaid/apis/the-plaid-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/plaid/apis/the-plaid-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/plaid/the-plaid-api/revisions/e536704a333f/schema)