Authentication

All API requests (except /health) require an API key. Authentication is handled at the API Gateway layer before requests reach the application.

System Use Notification

This is a U.S. Government information system. By accessing this system, you acknowledge and consent to the following:

This system is provided for authorized use only.
Usage may be monitored, recorded, and subject to audit.
Unauthorized use of this system is prohibited and subject to criminal and civil penalties.
Use of this system constitutes consent to monitoring and recording.

This notice satisfies NIST SP 800-53 AC-8 (System Use Notification) for programmatic API access.

Passing Your API Key

Include your key in the x-api-key header:

curl https://api.consus.io/v1/models \
  -H "x-api-key: $CONSUS_API_KEY"

When using the OpenAI SDK, pass it via default_headers:

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.consus.io/v1",
    api_key="dummy",  # Required by SDK but not used
    default_headers={"x-api-key": "CONSUS_API_KEY"},
)

The OpenAI SDK requires an api_key value and sends it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header. Consus Gateway ignores this header. Authentication is performed via the x-api-key header, which is validated at the API Gateway layer before your request reaches the application. Set api_key to any non-empty string.

Rate Limits

See Rate Limits for API key limits and per-model upstream limits.

Error Responses

Status Code	Meaning
`401 Unauthorized`	Authentication failed
`403 Forbidden`	Invalid or missing API key
`429 Too Many Requests`	Rate limit or monthly quota exceeded

Key Management

To get an API key or adjust rate limits, book a call with our team.

Models Rate Limits

Product

Getting Started

API Reference

Integrations

System Use Notification

Passing Your API Key

Rate Limits

Error Responses

Key Management

​System Use Notification

​Passing Your API Key

​Rate Limits

​Error Responses

​Key Management

System Use Notification

Passing Your API Key

Rate Limits

Error Responses

Key Management