Set ratelimit override

Create or update a custom rate limit for specific identifiers, bypassing the namespace default.

Use this to create premium tiers with higher limits, apply stricter limits to specific users, or implement emergency throttling.

Important: Overrides take effect immediately and completely replace the default limit for matching identifiers. Use wildcard patterns (e.g., premium_*) to match multiple identifiers.

Permissions: Requires ratelimit.*.set_override or ratelimit.<namespace_id>.set_override

1 min read

post/v2/ratelimit.setOverride

Request example

package main

import(
	"context"
	"os"
	unkey "github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2"
	"github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2/models/components"
	"log"
)

func main() {
    ctx := context.Background()

    s := unkey.New(
        unkey.WithSecurity(os.Getenv("UNKEY_ROOT_KEY")),
    )

    res, err := s.Ratelimit.SetOverride(ctx, components.V2RatelimitSetOverrideRequestBody{
        Namespace: "api.requests",
        Duration: 60000,
        Identifier: "premium_user_123",
        Limit: 1000,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    if res.V2RatelimitSetOverrideResponseBody != nil {
        // handle response
    }
}

Response

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "data": {
    "overrideId": "<string>"
  }
}

post/v2/ratelimit.setOverride

Authorization

Authorizationstringheaderrequired#

Unkey uses bearer tokens for authentication. Public integrations use root keys, while the dashboard proxy uses short-lived JWTs.
To authenticate, include the token in the Authorization header of each request:

Authorization: Bearer unkey_123

Root keys have specific permissions attached to them, controlling what operations they can perform. Legacy permissions use tuple strings like api.*.create_key; resource permissions use Unkey Resource Names plus actions, like unkey:v1:ws_123:keyspaces/*#create_key.
Security best practices:

Keep root keys secure and never expose them in client-side code
Use different root keys for different environments
Rotate keys periodically, especially after team member departures
Create keys with minimal necessary permissions following least privilege principle
Monitor key usage with audit logs.

Body

application/json

namespacestringrequired#

The ID or name of the rate limit namespace.

Length: 1–512

durationintegerrequired#

The duration in milliseconds for the rate limit window. This defines how long the rate limit counter accumulates before resetting to zero.

Considerations:

This can differ from the default duration for the namespace
Longer durations create stricter limits that take longer to reset
Shorter durations allow more frequent bursts of activity
Common values: 60000 (1 minute), 3600000 (1 hour), 86400000 (1 day)

Range: >= 1000

identifierstringrequired#

Identifier of the entity receiving this custom rate limit. This can be:

A specific user ID for individual custom limits
An IP address for location-based rules
An email domain for organization-wide policies
Any other string that identifies the target entity

Wildcards (*) can be used to create pattern-matching rules that apply to multiple identifiers. For example:

'premium_*' would match all identifiers starting with 'premium_'
'*_admin' would match all identifiers ending with '_admin'
'suspicious' would match any identifier containing 'suspicious'

More detailed information on wildcard pattern rules is available at https://www.unkey.com/docs/ratelimiting/overrides#wildcard-rules

Length: 1–512

limitintegerrequired#

The maximum number of requests allowed for this override. This defines the custom quota for the specified identifier(s).

Special values:

Higher than default: For premium or trusted entities
Lower than default: For suspicious or abusive entities
0: To completely block access (useful for ban implementation)

This limit entirely replaces the default limit for matching identifiers.

Range: >= 0

Responses

application/json

Override successfully created or updated and is now active.

metaobjectrequired#

Metadata object included in every API response. This provides context about the request and is essential for debugging, audit trails, and support inquiries. The requestId is particularly important when troubleshooting issues with the Unkey support team.

Show child attributes

requestIdstringrequired#

A unique id for this request. Always include this ID when contacting support about a specific API request. This identifier allows Unkey's support team to trace the exact request through logs and diagnostic systems to provide faster assistance.

dataobjectrequired#

Show child attributes

overrideIdstringrequired#

The unique identifier for the newly created or updated rate limit override. This ID can be used to:

Reference this specific override in subsequent API calls
Delete or modify this override later
Track which override is being applied in rate limit responses
Associate override effects with specific rules in analytics

Store this ID if you need to manage the override in the future.

metaobjectrequired#

Show child attributes

requestIdstringrequired#

errorobjectrequired#

Base error structure following Problem Details for HTTP APIs (RFC 7807). This provides a standardized way to carry machine-readable details of errors in HTTP response content.

Show child attributes

detailstringrequired#

A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence of the problem. This provides detailed information about what went wrong and potential remediation steps. The message is intended to be helpful for developers troubleshooting the issue.

statusintegerrequired#

HTTP status code that corresponds to this error. This will match the status code in the HTTP response. Common codes include 400 (Bad Request), 401 (Unauthorized), 403 (Forbidden), 404 (Not Found), 409 (Conflict), and 500 (Internal Server Error).

titlestringrequired#

A short, human-readable summary of the problem type. This remains constant from occurrence to occurrence of the same problem and should be used for programmatic handling.

typestringrequired#

A URI reference that identifies the problem type. This provides a stable identifier for the error that can be used for documentation lookups and programmatic error handling. When followed, this URI should provide human-readable documentation for the problem type.

errorsobject[]required#

List of individual validation errors that occurred in the request. Each error provides specific details about what failed validation, where the error occurred in the request, and suggestions for fixing it. This granular information helps developers quickly identify and resolve multiple issues in a single request without having to make repeated API calls.

Show child attributes

locationstringrequired#

JSON path indicating exactly where in the request the error occurred. This helps pinpoint the problematic field or parameter. Examples include:

'body.name' (field in request body)
'body.items[3].tags' (nested array element)
'path.apiId' (path parameter)
'query.limit' (query parameter)
Use this location to identify exactly which part of your request needs correction.

messagestringrequired#

Detailed error message explaining what validation rule was violated. This provides specific information about why the field or parameter was rejected, such as format errors, invalid values, or constraint violations.

fixstring#

A human-readable suggestion describing how to fix the error. This provides practical guidance on what changes would satisfy the validation requirements. Not all validation errors include fix suggestions, but when present, they offer specific remediation advice.

Apply multiple rate limit checks