# Create a contact

`POST /v1/contacts`

- Authentication: required (Bearer token)
- Required scope: `api.contacts.manage`

Creates a new contact in the org's SES contact list.

Returns `409 conflict` when an active contact with that email already
exists. An archived contact (previously deleted via this API) is
reactivated instead and the call returns `201`.

Attribute values are validated against the org's registry — an unknown
attribute key or a type mismatch returns `422 attribute_validation_failed`
with a per-attribute `errors[]` array.

Supports the `Idempotency-Key` header: a duplicate key within 24 h
replays the original response.

## Request body

Content type: `application/json`

```json
{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "attributes": {},
  "unsubscribe_all": true,
  "topic_preferences": [
    {
      "topic_name": "string",
      "subscription_status": "OPT_IN"
    }
  ],
  "lists": {
    "add": [
      "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
    ],
    "remove": [
      "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
    ],
    "set": [
      "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
    ]
  }
}
```

## Example request

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.sendops.dev/v1/contacts' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SENDOPS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"user@example.com","attributes":{},"unsubscribe_all":true,"topic_preferences":[{"topic_name":"string","subscription_status":"OPT_IN"}],"lists":{"add":["00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"],"remove":["00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"],"set":["00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"]}}'
```

## Responses

### 201 — Contact created (or archived contact reactivated)

Content type: `application/json`

```json
{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "unsubscribe_all": true,
  "attributes": {},
  "topic_preferences": [
    {
      "topic_name": "string",
      "subscription_status": "OPT_IN"
    }
  ],
  "lists": [
    "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"
  ],
  "created_at": "2026-05-17T20:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-05-17T20:00:00Z"
}
```

### 401 — Missing, malformed, or unknown API key

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 403 — Key lacks the required scope or plan limit violated

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 404 — Resource not found

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 409 — The mutation is rejected by a state rule rather than a bad request — e.g.
editing a git-backed (read-only) definition. The `code` is `conflict`.

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 422 — Query parameter or path value failed validation

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 429 — Per-org rate limit exceeded

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

### 500 — Unexpected server-side failure. The `code` is `internal_error`. The
`request_id` field can be quoted to SendOps support to investigate.

Content type: `application/problem+json`

```json
{
  "type": "https://example.com",
  "title": "string",
  "status": 0,
  "detail": "string",
  "code": "invalid_key",
  "request_id": "string",
  "retry_after": 0,
  "retention_days": 0,
  "scope": "string",
  "resource": "string",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "string",
      "reason": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```