# Get access and create an API key

[Sign up](https://dash.scrapingcow.com/signup) to request a workspace. Accounts require operator review and creation; submitting the form does not create an account or send an automated email. Once your account is created, [log in](https://dash.scrapingcow.com/). Workspace owners can open API keys; members and viewers cannot issue or rotate them and should ask an owner.

The dashboard starts new keys with only the least-privileged `read` scope selected. Add `write` or `owner` only when the integration needs that capability. Save the new key when it is shown: the full value is displayed once.

New keys expire after 1–365 days, with a default of 90 days. Send the key in the Authorization: Bearer header. Keep it on your server, out of browser code and request URLs. The examples below use an API_KEY environment variable and illustrative example.com URLs.