> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://dev.guardian.hedera.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://dev.guardian.hedera.com/developer-tools-and-resources/api-reference/retirement-apis/creating-new-contract-v2.md).

# Creating new Contract (Api-Version: 2)

**`POST /contracts`** — requires `Api-Version: 2` header

Creates a new smart contract. Only Standard Registry users are allowed to make this request.

**Authentication:** Bearer token required (`Authorization: Bearer <token>`)

**Permission:** `Permissions.CONTRACTS_CONTRACT_CREATE`

***

## Request

### Headers

| Header        | Value | Required | Description          |
| ------------- | ----- | -------- | -------------------- |
| `Api-Version` | `2`   | Yes      | Enables V2 behaviour |

### Request Body

```json
{
  "description": "Example retire contract",
  "type": "RETIRE"
}
```

| Field         | Type   | Required | Description                                |
| ------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `description` | string | Yes      | Human-readable description of the contract |
| `type`        | string | Yes      | Contract type: `RETIRE` or `WIPE`          |

***

## Response

### Success Response

**Status:** `201 Created`

Returns the created `ContractDTO` object.

```json
{
  "id": "63e3e5e8a01b3c001234abcd",
  "contractId": "0.0.4532001",
  "description": "Example retire contract",
  "type": "RETIRE",
  "owner": "did:hedera:testnet:...",
  "permissions": 3,
  "topicId": "0.0.4532000",
  "createDate": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "updateDate": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}
```

| Field         | Type   | Description                                                                              |
| ------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id`          | string | Database record ID                                                                       |
| `contractId`  | string | Hedera contract account ID                                                               |
| `description` | string | Contract description                                                                     |
| `type`        | string | `RETIRE` or `WIPE`                                                                       |
| `owner`       | string | DID of the contract owner                                                                |
| `permissions` | number | Bitmask of caller roles: 1=Owner, 2=Admin, 4=Manager (WIPE only), 8=Wiper (WIPE v1 only) |
| `topicId`     | string | Hedera topic ID associated with the contract                                             |
| `createDate`  | string | ISO 8601 creation timestamp                                                              |
| `updateDate`  | string | ISO 8601 last-update timestamp                                                           |

### Error Responses

| Status                      | Description               |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| `401 Unauthorized`          | Missing or invalid token  |
| `403 Forbidden`             | Insufficient permissions  |
| `500 Internal Server Error` | Unexpected server failure |