> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.instantcompliance.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add a beneficial owner

> Record a beneficial owner on the entity's ownership tree — the same
write the in-app "add UBO" modal makes. Nothing is emailed, charged, or
verified; the owner lands `NOT_STARTED` (or `NOT_REQUIRED` for an
excluded / recorded-only party), and the entity's KYB completion is
recomputed exactly as in-app.

Provide either a single `holderType` (company / partnership owner) or a
typed `roleTypes` set (trust party). The entity's KYB must have begun —
the ownership tree comes from the entity document, so adding owners
before verification starts returns **409 conflict**.

Requires `customers:write`. Include an `Idempotency-Key` header to make
retries safe.


Record a beneficial owner on the entity's ownership tree — the same write the
in-app "add UBO" modal makes, so the resulting record is identical to an
officer-added one. Nothing is emailed, charged, or verified here.

Provide **either** a single `holderType` (a company / partnership owner) **or** a
typed `roleTypes` set (a trust party).

<Note>
  The entity's KYB must have **begun** — the ownership tree is built from the
  entity document, so adding owners before verification starts returns
  `409 conflict`. Start KYB first via [Start KYB](/api-reference/entities/kyb).
</Note>

Adding an unverified owner to an already-verified entity re-opens its KYB, and
completion is recomputed automatically once every required owner is verified.
Requires the `customers:write` scope.


## OpenAPI

````yaml POST /entities/{id}/ubos
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Instant Compliance API
  version: 1.0.0
  summary: External integration API for Instant Compliance.
  description: |
    The Instant Compliance v1 API lets your systems push customers into
    Instant Compliance and pull their verification / AML status back out.
    Designed for server-to-server use (CRMs, Zapier, internal back-office
    tools).

    **Base URL:** `https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1`

    **Authentication:** Bearer API key — `Authorization: Bearer ic_live_…`
    Issue keys from **Settings → Developers** in your Instant Compliance
    organisation.

    **Scope:** individual customers (`INDIVIDUAL` and `SOLE_TRADER`, KYC)
    live on `/customers`; entity customers (companies, trusts,
    partnerships, SMSFs — KYB) live on `/entities`.
  contact:
    name: Instant Compliance Support
    email: support@instantcompliance.ai
    url: https://instantcompliance.ai
  license:
    name: Proprietary
servers:
  - url: https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1
    description: Production
security:
  - bearerAuth: []
tags:
  - name: Customers
    description: |
      Create, read, and update individual customer records ingested through
      the external API.
  - name: Entities
    description: |
      Create, read, and update entity customer records (companies, trusts,
      partnerships, SMSFs). Entities verify via KYB instead of KYC; the API
      ingests the record and reports status — verification is started by
      your back-office team in-app.
  - name: Designated services
    description: |
      Read-only catalog of the designated-service codes accepted when
      creating customers.
  - name: Groups
    description: |
      Create group workspaces (multi-party deals/matters — e.g. one per
      property for real-estate integrators) and discover the group
      templates available to your organisation. Requires the Groups
      feature to be enabled for your organisation.
paths:
  /entities/{id}/ubos:
    parameters:
      - in: path
        name: id
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
        description: |
          Entity identifier. Accepts either Instant Compliance's UUID or your
          own `external_id`.
    post:
      tags:
        - Entities
      summary: Add a beneficial owner
      description: |
        Record a beneficial owner on the entity's ownership tree — the same
        write the in-app "add UBO" modal makes. Nothing is emailed, charged, or
        verified; the owner lands `NOT_STARTED` (or `NOT_REQUIRED` for an
        excluded / recorded-only party), and the entity's KYB completion is
        recomputed exactly as in-app.

        Provide either a single `holderType` (company / partnership owner) or a
        typed `roleTypes` set (trust party). The entity's KYB must have begun —
        the ownership tree comes from the entity document, so adding owners
        before verification starts returns **409 conflict**.

        Requires `customers:write`. Include an `Idempotency-Key` header to make
        retries safe.
      operationId: addEntityUbo
      parameters:
        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/IdempotencyKey'
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/AddUboRequest'
            example:
              name: Dana Owner
              email: dana@example.com
              holderType: individual
              percentageHeld: 40
      responses:
        '201':
          description: The beneficial owner that was recorded.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Ubo'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/ForbiddenScope'
        '404':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
        '409':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Conflict'
        '422':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/ValidationFailed'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'
      security:
        - bearerAuth: []
components:
  parameters:
    IdempotencyKey:
      in: header
      name: Idempotency-Key
      required: false
      schema:
        type: string
        maxLength: 255
      description: |
        Caller-supplied unique key for safe retries. Repeat the same key
        within 24 hours and we replay the original response instead of
        repeating the side effect. Reusing the key with a *different*
        request body returns **409 idempotency_conflict**.
  schemas:
    AddUboRequest:
      type: object
      required:
        - name
      additionalProperties: false
      description: |
        Provide either `holderType` (company / partnership owner) or a non-empty
        `roleTypes` set (trust party).
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          minLength: 1
          maxLength: 255
        email:
          type: string
          format: email
          maxLength: 255
        dateOfBirth:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          description: ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD), stored on the owner's linked person record.
        holderType:
          type: string
          enum:
            - trustee
            - settlor
            - beneficiary
            - partner
            - individual
          description: A single holder type for a company / partnership owner.
        roleTypes:
          type: array
          maxItems: 12
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/UboRoleType'
          description: The full typed role set for a trust party.
        percentageHeld:
          type: number
          minimum: 0
          maximum: 100
        address:
          type: object
          additionalProperties: false
          properties:
            street:
              type: string
              maxLength: 255
            suburb:
              type: string
              maxLength: 255
            state:
              type: string
              maxLength: 255
            postcode:
              type: string
              maxLength: 40
            country:
              type: string
              maxLength: 255
    Ubo:
      type: object
      description: >-
        A beneficial owner. Never includes link tokens, applicant ids, or
        payment fields.
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
        name:
          type: string
        holder_type:
          type: string
        role_type:
          oneOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/UboRoleType'
            - type: 'null'
        role_types:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/UboRoleType'
        percentage_held:
          type: number
          nullable: true
        kyc_required:
          type: boolean
          description: False for excluded / recorded-only parties that are never checked.
        kyc_status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/KycStatus'
        kyc_email:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        linked_customer:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          properties:
            id:
              type: string
              format: uuid
            external_id:
              type: string
              nullable: true
        added_via:
          type: string
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
        updated_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
    UboRoleType:
      type: string
      description: Typed trust-party / ownership role.
      enum:
        - TRUSTEE
        - CORPORATE_TRUSTEE
        - SETTLOR
        - APPOINTOR
        - GUARDIAN
        - PROTECTOR
        - BENEFICIARY_NAMED
        - BENEFICIARY_CLASS
        - BENEFICIARY_EXCLUDED
        - UNIT_HOLDER
        - MEMBER
        - DIRECTOR
        - SHAREHOLDER
        - OTHER_CONTROLLER
        - OTHER
    KycStatus:
      type: string
      enum:
        - NOT_STARTED
        - PENDING
        - IN_PROGRESS
        - VERIFIED
        - FAILED
        - NOT_REQUIRED
        - AWAITING_RESUBMISSION
    Error:
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          required:
            - code
            - message
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
              enum:
                - unauthorized
                - forbidden_scope
                - not_found
                - validation_failed
                - conflict
                - insufficient_credits
                - rate_limited
                - idempotency_conflict
                - feature_disabled
                - internal
            message:
              type: string
            details:
              type: object
              additionalProperties: true
  responses:
    Unauthorized:
      description: Missing, invalid, expired, or revoked API key.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: unauthorized
              message: Invalid or revoked API key.
    ForbiddenScope:
      description: API key lacks the required scope.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: forbidden_scope
              message: This API key does not have the required scope. customers:write
              details:
                required_scope: customers:write
    NotFound:
      description: No customer matching the supplied id in this organisation.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: not_found
              message: Customer not found.
    Conflict:
      description: |
        The record is not in a state the request can act on — most often a
        verification has already been started for it.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: conflict
              message: KYB verification has already been started for this customer.
    ValidationFailed:
      description: Request payload failed schema validation.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: validation_failed
              message: Invalid customer payload.
              details:
                issues:
                  email:
                    - Must be a valid email address.
    RateLimited:
      description: Burst or daily rate limit exceeded for this API key.
      headers:
        Retry-After:
          schema:
            type: integer
          description: Seconds to wait before retrying.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: rate_limited
              message: Rate limit exceeded. Slow down and retry shortly.
              details:
                limit: 60
                window_seconds: 60
  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      bearerFormat: API Key
      description: |
        Bearer API key issued from **Settings → Developers** in your
        Instant Compliance organisation. Format: `ic_live_…`.

````