Allowance Status API

openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Allowance Mandates Status API
  version: 0.1.0-pre-launch
  description: 'Consumer trust layer for AI agent payments.


    ## How it works


    1. **Agent proposes a mandate.** The agent calls `POST /v1/mandates` with a suggested amount, merchant, and cadence. The mandate starts in `pending_approval` status.

    2. **Human approves the mandate.** The mandate owner receives a notification (push, email, or in-app) and approves it. The mandate becomes `active`. The agent never triggers this step — it waits.

    3. **Agent requests a virtual card.** When a purchase is needed, the agent calls `POST /v1/mandates/{id}/credential-requests`. Allowance automatically validates the request against the mandate rules (amount, merchant, time period). No human involvement. If valid, a single-use virtual card (PAN, expiry, CVV) is returned — the agent uses it like a card number at checkout. If not, the request is denied with reasons.

    4. **Mandate lifecycle.** For `cadence: "once"` (immediate) mandates, the mandate auto-expires after the first virtual card is issued. For recurring mandates, the mandate stays active and the agent can request a new virtual card on each purchase cycle within the defined rules.


    ## AP2 compatibility


    This API is designed to be a natural precursor to the [AP2 Agent Payments Protocol](https://ap2-protocol.org). The Allowance mandate maps directly to AP2''s Intent Mandate (human-not-present scenario). In a future AP2-compatible version, the mandate will be a cryptographically signed Verifiable Digital Credential (VDC), and human approval will produce a non-repudiable cryptographic attestation rather than an in-system state change. The same concepts and fields carry forward.


    **Status: Pre-launch.** All endpoints return `501 Not Implemented`. Contact hello@useallowance.com for early access.'
  contact:
    name: Allowance
    email: hello@useallowance.com
    url: https://useallowance.com/
  x-pre-launch: true
  x-status-url: https://useallowance.com/status.json
  x-ap2-compatible: true
servers:
- url: https://api.useallowance.com/v1
  description: Production (pre-launch — not yet active)
security:
- ApiKeyAuth: []
tags:
- name: Status
paths:
  /status:
    get:
      operationId: getStatus
      summary: Health check
      description: Mirrors https://useallowance.com/status.json.
      security: []
      responses:
        '200':
          description: System status
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
        '501':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/NotImplemented'
      tags:
      - Status
components:
  schemas:
    Error:
      type: object
      required:
      - error
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          required:
          - code
          - message
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
            message:
              type: string
            param:
              type: string
            doc_url:
              type: string
              format: uri
  responses:
    NotImplemented:
      description: 'Pre-launch: this endpoint is not yet active'
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: not_implemented
              message: Allowance is pre-launch. This endpoint is not yet active. Contact hello@useallowance.com for early access.
              doc_url: https://useallowance.com/connect-agent
  securitySchemes:
    ApiKeyAuth:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-Allowance-Key
      description: API key with prefix alw_. Contact hello@useallowance.com for early access.
    OAuth2:
      type: oauth2
      description: OAuth2 authorization code flow (planned — not yet active)
      flows:
        authorizationCode:
          authorizationUrl: https://useallowance.com/oauth/authorize
          tokenUrl: https://useallowance.com/oauth/token
          scopes:
            mandates:write: Propose and manage spending mandates
            mandates:read: Read mandate details and status
            credentials:request: Request payment credentials against active mandates
x-rate-limits:
  standard: 100 requests per minute per API key
  credential_requests_post: 10 requests per minute per API key
  headers:
  - X-RateLimit-Limit
  - X-RateLimit-Remaining
  - X-RateLimit-Reset
x-agent-notes: 'All monetary amounts are integers in minor currency units (cents for USD). Example: 47231 = $472.31. Never use floats. Always set Idempotency-Key on credential requests. Poll GET /v1/mandates/{id} to detect when a mandate moves from pending_approval to active — do not request credentials until the mandate is active.'
x-ap2:
  compatible: true
  mandate_mapping: AllowanceMandate → AP2 Intent Mandate (human-not-present scenario)
  future_changes: Mandate body will be a signed VDC. Human approval will produce a cryptographic attestation. Payment tokens will be AP2 Payment Mandate VDCs.
  spec_url: https://ap2-protocol.org/specification/