> Toden documentation. For the full index fetch /llms.txt. Every page is available as Markdown by appending .md to its URL. Identity verification uses /api/kyc, Risk Intelligence uses /api/v1; they are separate contracts with different error shapes. Never invent an endpoint, field or enum value: read the API reference page for the operation first.

# Decline a presence check

POST https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/{externalUserId}/address/decline
Content-Type: application/json

Declines the latest presence check of the entity, running or ended because its time ran out, because your team decided it should not stand. The check becomes `DECLINED`, and `then` chooses what happens next:

- `fail` (the default): a workflow waiting on the check fails. Workflow rules read `address.presenceStatus` as `failed` (and `address.presenceDeclined` as true), so the verification is declined. To check the customer again later, use `/restart`.
- `restart`: a fresh check starts on the same pin at once, with the same settings. A workflow waiting on the old check keeps waiting and decides on the new one; its wait is held open until the new check can answer. A check whose time already ran out has settled its workflow, so restarting it starts a check no workflow reads.

A decline is your decision, not evidence: it is not billed, and no `entity.address_verified` or `entity.address_presence_failed` follows for the declined check. Fires `entity.address_presence_declined` (with `restarted`), and on a restart also `entity.address_presence_started` with `startedVia: "restart"`. The call is recorded in your audit log with the note.

**Error codes**

| `error` | Status | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `note_required` | 422 | The note is missing or shorter than 10 characters. |
| `watch_not_found` | 404 | The entity does not exist or has no presence check. |
| `already_verified` | 409 | The check is already verified. |
| `integrity_failure` | 409 | The check failed on tampered location reports. |
| `not_declinable` | 409 | Only a running check, or one that ended because its time ran out, can be declined. |
| `stopped` | 409 | The check was stopped. |
| `superseded` | 409 | The entity has a newer check. |
| `another_check_running` | 409 | With `then: restart`: another check is already running for the entity. Nothing was declined. |
| `state_changed` | 409 | The check changed while it was being declined. Nothing was declined. |
| `secret_key_required` | 403 | A publishable key was used. This API accepts secret keys only. |
| `environment_mismatch` | 403 | The key belongs to an environment this host does not serve. |
| `rate_limited` | 429 | The request rate limit for this key was reached. Retry after a short wait. |
| `rate_limit_store_unavailable` | 503 | Rate limiting is temporarily unavailable. Retry shortly. |

A missing or unknown key returns `401` with a plain sentence in `error` rather than a code.

Requires a secret (`sk_`) key. A publishable key receives `403 secret_key_required`.

Reference: https://docs.toden.co/api-reference/verification/address/decline-address-presence

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Send the API key as a Bearer token. Each operation states whether a publishable key is enough or a secret key is required.

## Servers

- `https://sandbox-api.toden.co` (Sandbox, default)
- `https://api.toden.co` (Production)

## Request

### Path parameters

- `externalUserId` (string, required) — Your own stable reference for the person or business, as sent when the entity was registered.

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an AddressDeclineRequest.

- `note` (string, required) — Why the check is declined, at least 10 characters. Kept in your audit log, never sent to webhooks.
- `then` (enum, optional) — What happens next. `fail` (the default) fails a workflow waiting on the check, so the verification is declined. `restart` starts a fresh check on the same pin at once; a workflow waiting on the old check keeps waiting and decides on the new one.
  - Allowed values: `fail`, `restart`

## Response

### 200

Success

- `watchId` (string, required) — The identifier of the presence check.
- `declined` (boolean, required) — Always true.
- `previousStatus` (enum, required) — What the check was before it was declined.
  - Allowed values: `MONITORING`, `INCONCLUSIVE`
- `then` (enum, required) — What the decline did next.
  - Allowed values: `fail`, `restart`
- `restartedWatchId` (string, required, nullable) — The fresh check, when `then` is `restart`.
- `restartedDeadlineAt` (datetime, required, nullable) — When the fresh check must decide by, when `then` is `restart`.
- `workflowsWaiting` (integer, required) — How many workflows now wait on the fresh check. Always 0 unless `then` is `restart`.

## Errors

### 401 Unauthorized Error

The Authorization header is missing, or the API key is unknown or revoked.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

### 403 Forbidden Error

The key may not call this endpoint, or the organisation may not use this feature.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

### 404 Not Found Error

The resource does not exist for this organisation and environment.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

### 422 Unprocessable Entity Error

The request was understood but cannot be processed as sent.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

### 429 Too Many Requests Error

A rate limit was reached. Retry after a short wait.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

### 503 Service Unavailable Error

The service is temporarily unavailable.

- `error` (string, required) — A stable machine-readable code such as `invalid_input`. Authentication failures (401) carry a short sentence here instead of a code.
- `message` (string, optional) — A human-readable explanation, safe to log. The wording may change.

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "note": "Pin placed at the office, not the home address",
  "then": "restart"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "watchId": "aw_01j9x2k4m8",
  "declined": true,
  "previousStatus": "MONITORING",
  "then": "restart",
  "restartedWatchId": "aw_01j9x3p7q2",
  "restartedDeadlineAt": "2026-11-01T09:00:00.000Z",
  "workflowsWaiting": 1
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline"

payload = {
    "note": "Pin placed at the office, not the home address",
    "then": "restart"
}
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <apiKey>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <apiKey>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"note":"Pin placed at the office, not the home address","then":"restart"}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"note\": \"Pin placed at the office, not the home address\",\n  \"then\": \"restart\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <apiKey>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <apiKey>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"note\": \"Pin placed at the office, not the home address\",\n  \"then\": \"restart\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <apiKey>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"note\": \"Pin placed at the office, not the home address\",\n  \"then\": \"restart\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline', [
  'body' => '{
  "note": "Pin placed at the office, not the home address",
  "then": "restart"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <apiKey>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <apiKey>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"note\": \"Pin placed at the office, not the home address\",\n  \"then\": \"restart\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <apiKey>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "note": "Pin placed at the office, not the home address",
  "then": "restart"
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://sandbox-api.toden.co/api/identity/entities/externalUserId/address/decline")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```