# Create a shipment

**POST** `/v1/shipments`

Base URL: `https://api.parcel-events.example`

Tags: `Shipments`

## Authorization

Any ONE of the following options authorizes this operation; every scheme listed within an option is required together.

| Option | Scheme | Type | Sent as | Scopes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Option 1 | `ApiKey` | `apiKey` | header `Parcel-API-Key` | — |
| Option 2 | `BearerToken` | `http` | `Authorization: Bearer <token>` (opaque) | — |

## Header parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `Idempotency-Key` | `string` (uuid) | Yes | — |

## Request body

Required. Media type: `application/json`

### Example request body

```json
{
  "delivery_instructions": "Leave with the synthetic reception desk",
  "metadata": {
    "additionalProp1": "string"
  },
  "parcels": [
    {
      "contents": [
        {
          "customs_code": "610910",
          "description": "Synthetic cotton shirt",
          "quantity": 2,
          "unit_value": {
            "amount": "12.50",
            "currency": "XTS"
          }
        }
      ],
      "height_cm": 12,
      "length_cm": 30.5,
      "weight_grams": 1750,
      "width_cm": 20
    }
  ],
  "recipient": {
    "city": "Exampleton",
    "company": "Northstar Supplies",
    "country": "ZZ",
    "line1": "14 Fictional Quay",
    "line2": "Unit 7",
    "name": "Rowan Example",
    "phone": "+00000000000",
    "postal_code": "EX4 2PL",
    "region": "Test Province"
  },
  "reference": "synthetic-order-1042",
  "sender": {
    "city": "Exampleton",
    "company": "Northstar Supplies",
    "country": "ZZ",
    "line1": "14 Fictional Quay",
    "line2": "Unit 7",
    "name": "Rowan Example",
    "phone": "+00000000000",
    "postal_code": "EX4 2PL",
    "region": "Test Province"
  },
  "service": "economy"
}
```

## Responses

| Status | Description | Media type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `201` | Shipment created | `application/json` |
| `400` | Request syntax or parameters are invalid | `application/problem+json` |
| `409` | Current resource state prevents the operation | `application/problem+json` |

### Example response: 201 — Shipment created

```json
{
  "created_at": "2026-09-04T08:15:30Z",
  "delivery_instructions": "string",
  "id": "shp_00000000000000000001",
  "metadata": {
    "additionalProp1": "string"
  },
  "object": "shipment",
  "parcels": [
    {
      "contents": [
        {
          "customs_code": "610910",
          "description": "Synthetic cotton shirt",
          "quantity": 2,
          "unit_value": {
            "amount": "12.50",
            "currency": "XTS"
          }
        }
      ],
      "height_cm": 12,
      "length_cm": 30.5,
      "weight_grams": 1750,
      "width_cm": 20
    }
  ],
  "recipient": {
    "city": "Exampleton",
    "company": "Northstar Supplies",
    "country": "ZZ",
    "line1": "14 Fictional Quay",
    "line2": "Unit 7",
    "name": "Rowan Example",
    "phone": "+00000000000",
    "postal_code": "EX4 2PL",
    "region": "Test Province"
  },
  "reference": "synthetic-order-1042",
  "sender": {
    "city": "Exampleton",
    "company": "Northstar Supplies",
    "country": "ZZ",
    "line1": "14 Fictional Quay",
    "line2": "Unit 7",
    "name": "Rowan Example",
    "phone": "+00000000000",
    "postal_code": "EX4 2PL",
    "region": "Test Province"
  },
  "service": "economy",
  "status": "canceled",
  "tracking_number": "PE-000000000001",
  "updated_at": "2026-09-04T08:16:12Z"
}
```

### Example response: 400 — Request syntax or parameters are invalid

```json
{
  "request_id": "req_00000000000000000001",
  "status": 400,
  "title": "Synthetic request is invalid",
  "type": "https://parcel-events.example/problems/bad-request"
}
```

### Example response: 409 — Current resource state prevents the operation

```json
{
  "request_id": "req_00000000000000000005",
  "status": 409,
  "title": "Synthetic resource state conflicts",
  "type": "https://parcel-events.example/problems/conflict"
}
```

## Related pages

- [Buy and render a shipping label](./createlabel.md)
- [Cancel a pickup](./cancelpickup.md)
- [Cancel a shipment before handoff](./cancelshipment.md)
- [Delete a webhook endpoint](./deletewebhookendpoint.md)
- [Labels](./tags/labels.md)
- [List scheduled pickups](./listpickups.md)
- [List shipments](./listshipments.md)
- [List tracking events for a shipment](./listshipmentevents.md)
- [List webhook endpoints](./listwebhookendpoints.md)
- [Parcel Events Sandbox API](../../api.md)

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