HomeBrandsStripePayments APIsecret_key_required
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secret_key_required
Easy Fix
Stripe · Payments API
Operation requires a secret API key, not publishable key.
Quick Answer
Error code secret_key_required on your Stripe Payments API means: Operation requires a secret API key, not publishable key.. This is usually fixable — see the step-by-step guide below.
Affected Models
Applies to all models
STRIPE-BILLINGSTRIPE-CHECKOUTSTRIPE-CONNECTSTRIPE-PISTRIPE-TERMINALSTRIPE-WEBHOOKS
Likely Causes
  1. Credential, token, or signature presented by the client is invalid for this operation.
  2. Session/account state changed (revocation, inactivity, scope reduction) since token issuance.
  3. Authentication flow implementation differs from the provider’s current API requirements.
How to Fix It
1
Stripe: Validate token/key format, expiration, and environment (test vs live) in the failing request.
2
Re-issue credentials with the minimum required scopes and rotate stale secrets.
3
Confirm account/project status and access policy before retrying the same call.
4
Re-run request with fresh auth artifacts and monitor for repeat failures.
5
Add guardrails in client code to detect and refresh invalid auth state automatically.
Pro Tip
This is a common issue that most users can resolve without specialized tools. Try the first step before moving on to more complex solutions.
Related Error Codes
account_closedaccount_country_invalid_addressaccount_error_country_change_requires_additional_stepsaccount_invalidaccount_number_invalid
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