---
title: "Bulk delete licence keys"
description: "Delete licence keys in bulk, as the Licence keys page does, one of three ways: ids (a list), {unused: true, tag} (every unassigned key of a tag; include_assigned: true takes the assigned ones too) or {duplicates: true, t"
url: https://docs.filemonk.io/v2/api-reference/licences/bulk-delete-licence-keys/
api: "API v2 reference"
method: POST
path: "/licences/bulk_delete"
---

# Bulk delete licence keys

`POST https://app.filemonk.io/api/v2/external/licences/bulk_delete`

Delete licence keys in bulk, as the Licence keys page does, one of three ways: ids (a list), {unused: true, tag} (every unassigned key of a tag; include_assigned: true takes the assigned ones too) or {duplicates: true, tag} (keep the oldest pending row per key text, drop the rest). Destructive: send it first without `confirm`. Nothing changes and the 409 `confirmation_required` says what would. Tell the merchant, ask, and resend with `confirm: true` only after they agree.

**Note:** Over 5,000 unused keys the delete runs in the background (202, queued: true); otherwise 200 once the keys are gone. Keys on orders leave the order marked so no replacement is assigned. Without confirm: true nothing is deleted: 409 confirmation_required says how many keys (and how many on orders) would go.

## Request body

- `ids` (array of strings)
- `unused` (any)
- `duplicates` (any)
- `tag` (any)
- `include_assigned` (any)
- `confirm` (boolean): e.g. `true`

## Returns

- `deleted` (array of strings, required)
- `missing` (array of anys, required)

Rate limit: this call costs 2 points ([rate limits](https://docs.filemonk.io/v2/errors-and-rate-limits/)).

## Example request

```sh
curl -X POST "https://app.filemonk.io/api/v2/external/licences/bulk_delete" \
  -H "X-Auth-Token: $FILEMONK_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "ids": [
      "bcc87d33-c87e-4f39-9cd2-e43250ebc1ed"
    ],
    "confirm": true
  }'
```

## 200

Success: the write completed; the body is the updated resource.

```json
{
  "deleted": [
    "bcc87d33-c87e-4f39-9cd2-e43250ebc1ed"
  ],
  "missing": []
}
```

## 202

Accepted: the change was saved and the rest of the work (emails, Shopify sync, a bulk job) continues in the background. The body is the resource snapshot plus `queued: true`; there is nothing to poll.

## 401

Missing or invalid API key.

```json
{
  "errors": [
    "Invalid API key"
  ]
}
```

## 404

The resource does not exist for this shop, or the action path is not registered.

```json
{
  "errors": [
    "Order not found: c3d4e5f6-7a8b-4c9d-8e0f-1a2b3c4d5e6f"
  ]
}
```

## 422

The request failed validation, or sent a key the action does not take (`code: "unknown_parameters"` with `unknown` and `accepted`). Nothing was saved.

```json
{
  "errors": [
    "access.download_limit_count must be an integer of at least 0"
  ],
  "field_errors": {
    "access.download_limit_count": [
      "must be an integer of at least 0"
    ]
  }
}
```

## 429

Rate limited. Cost-weighted per API key, shared with API v1: a read costs 1 point, a write 2, 40 points per fixed 60-second window. Every response carries `X-RateLimit-Limit`, `X-RateLimit-Remaining` and `X-RateLimit-Reset` (Unix time the window ends); a 429 adds `Retry-After` (seconds), `retry_after`, `retryable: true` and a `next_step` in the body. A 429 did nothing: wait `retry_after` seconds, then send the same request again. The budget is per key, so every tool or script using the key shares it; prefer one list call with `per_page` over many single reads.

```json
{
  "errors": [
    "You have exceeded the rate limit of 40 points per 60 seconds. Read requests cost 1 point(s) and write requests cost 2 point(s). Please retry after 12 second(s)."
  ],
  "code": "rate_limited",
  "retry_after": 12,
  "error": "Rate limit exceeded",
  "message": "You have exceeded the rate limit of 40 points per 60 seconds. Read requests cost 1 point(s) and write requests cost 2 point(s). Please retry after 12 second(s)."
}
```