---
title: "(Deprecated) Create public token"
method: POST
path: "/item/public_token/create"
tags: ["plaid"]
deprecated: true
---

# (Deprecated) Create public token

`POST /item/public_token/create`

> **Deprecated.**

Note: As of July 2020, the `/item/public_token/create` endpoint is deprecated. Instead, use `/link/token/create` with an `access_token` to create a Link token for use with [update mode](https://plaid.com/docs/link/update-mode).

If you need your user to take action to restore or resolve an error associated with an Item, generate a public token with the `/item/public_token/create` endpoint and then initialize Link with that `public_token`.

A `public_token` is one-time use and expires after 30 minutes. You use a `public_token` to initialize Link in [update mode](https://plaid.com/docs/link/update-mode) for a particular Item. You can generate a `public_token` for an Item even if you did not use Link to create the Item originally.

The `/item/public_token/create` endpoint is **not** used to create your initial `public_token`. If you have not already received an `access_token` for a specific Item, use Link to obtain your `public_token` instead. See the [Quickstart](https://plaid.com/docs/quickstart) for more information.

## Request body

- ItemPublicTokenCreateRequest — ItemPublicTokenCreateRequest defines the request schema for `/item/public_token/create`
  - `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.
  - `access_token` string, required — The access token associated with the Item for which data is being requested.

## Response `200`

OK

- ItemPublicTokenCreateResponse — ItemPublicTokenCreateResponse defines the response schema for `/item/public_token/create`
  - `public_token` string, required — A `public_token` for the particular Item corresponding to the specified `access_token`
  - `expiration` string, date-time
  - `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

- **2026-07-22** `a1bbca018160` — 13 warning, 1 info
  - 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`
  - …10 more
- **2026-06-25** `80d23bfdc2e5` — 1 warning
  - added the new `IDEMPOTENCY_ERROR` enum value to the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`
- **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`
- **2025-12-11** `465584b48c99` — 2 info
  - added the optional property `provided_account_subtypes` to the response with the `default` status
  - added the optional property `required_account_subtypes` to the response with the `default` status
- **2025-11-19** `4abee1c56929` — 1 info
  - removed the `IDENTITY_ERROR` enum value from the `error_type` response property for the response status `default`

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/plaid/apis/the-plaid-api/changes/item/public_token/create/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)