# Offer ownership to another member

> The ownership_transfers.create operation: POST /api/v1/ownership_transfers in the REST API and the ownership_transfers_create tool in the MCP server.

An owner offers ownership of the organization to another member. The member is emailed and has 7 days to
accept (`ownership_transfers.accept`, with their own recent sign-in). When they accept, they become an owner
and you become an admin (`org_admin`), so the organization keeps the same number of owners. Until then
nothing changes, and you can withdraw the offer (`ownership_transfers.cancel`). One offer is open at a time.

Only an owner can offer ownership, from the console, with a sign-in in the last 15 minutes.

## At a glance

- **REST:** `POST /api/v1/ownership_transfers`
- **MCP tool:** `ownership_transfers_create`
- **Operation ID:** `ownership_transfers.create`
- **Scope:** Organization
- **Permission:** `org:admin`
- **Risk tier:** `security`
- **Dry run:** Supported (send `Ownrecord-Dry-Run: true`)
- **Idempotency:** `Idempotency-Key` required
- **Modes:** Test and live
- **Authentication:** API key with the `org:admin` scope
- **Fresh sign-in:** In the console, a sign-in within the last 15 minutes
- **Since:** M12

## Request

### Body

A JSON object (`Content-Type: application/json`):

| Field      | Type       | Required | Description                            |
| ---------- | ---------- | -------- | -------------------------------------- |
| `toUserId` | `usr_…` ID | Yes      | The member who would become the owner. |

## Response

`201 Created` with a JSON object:

| Field        | Type                   | Description |
| ------------ | ---------------------- | ----------- |
| `object`     | `"ownership_transfer"` |             |
| `orgId`      | `org_…` ID             |             |
| `fromUserId` | `usr_…` ID             |             |
| `toUserId`   | `usr_…` ID             |             |
| `toEmail`    | string or null         |             |
| `status`     | one of `pending`       |             |
| `createdAt`  | date-time              |             |
| `expiresAt`  | date-time              |             |

## Examples

### Offer ownership to an admin

```http
POST /api/v1/ownership_transfers
Authorization: Bearer or_test_…
Idempotency-Key: 3f1c9a52-7d0e-4b8f-9a61-0c2d5e8b7f14
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "toUserId": "usr_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47xb"
}
```

Response (`201`):

```json
{
  "object": "ownership_transfer",
  "orgId": "org_01m4tx5nj7ekd958x53w4bntcg",
  "fromUserId": "usr_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47xa",
  "toUserId": "usr_01m4tx5nj8emwbyf7y9vcf47xb",
  "toEmail": "ana@acme.example",
  "status": "pending",
  "createdAt": "2026-10-26T09:00:00.000Z",
  "expiresAt": "2026-11-02T09:00:00.000Z"
}
```

## Errors

| Code                                                                                                             | HTTP status | When                                                                           | What to do                                                                       |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`owner_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#owner_required)                                 | 403         | You aren't an owner of the organization (or you aren't a person).              | Ask an organization owner (`org_owner`).                                         |
| [`ownership_transfer_not_allowed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#ownership_transfer_not_allowed) | 409         | The person isn't a member, is an owner already, or is you (`details.problem`). | Offer ownership to another member of the organization who isn't an owner yet.    |
| [`ownership_transfer_exists`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#ownership_transfer_exists)           | 409         | An offer is open already; cancel it first.                                     | Cancel the open offer first (`ownership_transfers.cancel`), then make a new one. |
| [`fresh_auth_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#fresh_auth_required)                       | 403         | Your last sign-in is older than 15 minutes.                                    | Sign in again, then repeat the action within 15 minutes.                         |
| [`permission_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#permission_denied)                           | 403         | You can't manage this organization.                                            | Ask an organization owner or admin for a role or scope that allows this action.  |

It can also return these [common errors](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference.md#common-errors): [`validation_failed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#validation_failed), [`api_version_unsupported`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_version_unsupported), [`invalid_json`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#invalid_json), [`unsupported_media_type`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#unsupported_media_type), [`authentication_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#authentication_required), [`api_key_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_key_invalid), [`resource_not_found`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#resource_not_found), [`idempotency_key_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_key_required), [`idempotency_key_reused`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_key_reused), [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_in_progress), [`approval_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#approval_required), [`approval_rejected`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#approval_rejected), [`approval_expired`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#approval_expired), [`stale_approval`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#stale_approval), [`approval_policy_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#approval_policy_denied), [`rate_limited`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#rate_limited), [`internal_error`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#internal_error).