# Extend a task's lease

> The tasks.heartbeat operation: POST /api/v1/tasks/{id}/heartbeat in the REST API and the tasks_heartbeat tool in the MCP server.

Keeps the caller's lease on a task alive: `claimedUntil` becomes now plus `leaseSeconds` (default 15
minutes). Send it well before the lease ends, for example every third of `leaseSeconds`. With
`status: "in_progress"`, a claimed task is marked as being worked on.

Only the holder can extend a lease (`task_not_claimed`, `task_claimed`). After it ended the claim is lost
(`task_lease_expired`): claim the task again, unless someone else did meanwhile.

## At a glance

- **REST:** `POST /api/v1/tasks/{id}/heartbeat`
- **MCP tool:** `tasks_heartbeat`
- **Operation ID:** `tasks.heartbeat`
- **Scope:** Organization, or one of its legal entities or brands
- **Permission:** `tasks:write`
- **Risk tier:** `write`
- **Dry run:** Supported (send `Ownrecord-Dry-Run: true`)
- **Idempotency:** `Idempotency-Key` required
- **Modes:** Test and live
- **Authentication:** API key with the `tasks:write` scope
- **Since:** M10

## Request

### Path parameters

| Field | Type        | Description |
| ----- | ----------- | ----------- |
| `id`  | `task_…` ID |             |

### Body

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

| Field          | Type                 | Required | Description                                                  |
| -------------- | -------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `leaseSeconds` | integer (60 to 3600) | No       | How long the lease lasts, in seconds (60–3600, default 900). |
| `status`       | `"in_progress"`      | No       | Mark a claimed task as being worked on.                      |

## Response

`200 OK` with a JSON object:

| Field                | Type                                                                                                                             | Description |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| `id`                 | `task_…` ID                                                                                                                      |             |
| `object`             | `"task"`                                                                                                                         |             |
| `type`               | one of 12 values, e.g. `registration.prerequisites`, `registration.prepare`, `registration.submit` (all in the OpenAPI document) |             |
| `entityId`           | `ent_…` ID                                                                                                                       |             |
| `livemode`           | boolean                                                                                                                          |             |
| `regimeId`           | string or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `registrationId`     | `regn_…` ID or null                                                                                                              |             |
| `filingPeriodId`     | `fp_…` ID or null                                                                                                                |             |
| `prerequisiteCode`   | string or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `title`              | string                                                                                                                           |             |
| `description`        | string or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `priority`           | one of `low`, `normal`, `high`, `urgent`                                                                                         |             |
| `status`             | one of `open`, `claimed`, `in_progress`, `awaiting_approval`, `done`, `failed`, `cancelled`                                      |             |
| `reason`             | one of 11 values, e.g. `auto_blocked`, `existing_customer_sale`, `prerequisite_open` (all in the OpenAPI document) or null       |             |
| `dueAt`              | date-time or null                                                                                                                |             |
| `overdue`            | boolean                                                                                                                          |             |
| `assignee`           | object or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `claimedUntil`       | date-time or null                                                                                                                |             |
| `leaseActive`        | boolean                                                                                                                          |             |
| `completeWith`       | one of `tasks.complete`, `tasks.submit`                                                                                          |             |
| `needsAuthorization` | boolean                                                                                                                          |             |
| `inputs`             | array of object                                                                                                                  |             |
| `inputs[].kind`      | string                                                                                                                           |             |
| `inputs[].fileId`    | `file_…` ID or null                                                                                                              |             |
| `inputs[].data`      | object or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `outputs`            | object or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `authorizationId`    | `atz_…` ID or null                                                                                                               |             |
| `approvalRequestId`  | `apr_…` ID or null                                                                                                               |             |
| `failure`            | object or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `checklist`          | array of object                                                                                                                  |             |
| `checklist[].text`   | string                                                                                                                           |             |
| `checklist[].done`   | boolean                                                                                                                          |             |
| `createdAt`          | date-time                                                                                                                        |             |
| `updatedAt`          | date-time                                                                                                                        |             |
| `completedAt`        | date-time or null                                                                                                                |             |
| `completedBy`        | string or null                                                                                                                   |             |
| `version`            | integer (at least 1)                                                                                                             |             |

## Examples

### Keep working on the return

```http
POST /api/v1/tasks/task_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa9/heartbeat
Authorization: Bearer or_test_…
Idempotency-Key: 3f1c9a52-7d0e-4b8f-9a61-0c2d5e8b7f14
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "status": "in_progress"
}
```

Response (`200`):

```json
{
  "id": "task_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa9",
  "object": "task",
  "type": "filing.submit",
  "entityId": "ent_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xh4",
  "livemode": true,
  "regimeId": "EU_OSS_UNION",
  "registrationId": "regn_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa8",
  "filingPeriodId": "fp_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa7",
  "prerequisiteCode": null,
  "title": "File the One-Stop Shop, Union scheme 2026-Q3 return",
  "description": "File the One-Stop Shop, Union scheme 2026-Q3 return with the authority using the filing package, by 2026-10-31. Then submit this task with the return's reference, the portal's confirmation and the authorization you acted under: the period becomes submitted.",
  "priority": "high",
  "status": "in_progress",
  "reason": "period_ended",
  "dueAt": "2026-10-31T22:59:59.000Z",
  "overdue": false,
  "assignee": {
    "type": "agent",
    "id": "agt_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa6"
  },
  "claimedUntil": "2026-10-15T09:40:00.000Z",
  "leaseActive": true,
  "completeWith": "tasks.submit",
  "needsAuthorization": true,
  "inputs": [
    {
      "kind": "filing_period",
      "fileId": null,
      "data": {
        "filingPeriodId": "fp_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa7",
        "regimeId": "EU_OSS_UNION",
        "periodKey": "2026-Q3",
        "dueDate": "2026-10-31",
        "dueAt": "2026-10-31T22:59:59.000Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "filing_package",
      "fileId": null,
      "data": {
        "filingPeriodId": "fp_01m4ttwd3veh9apbewxheq5xa7"
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "playbook",
      "fileId": null,
      "data": {
        "regimeId": "EU_OSS_UNION",
        "playbookKind": "filing"
      }
    }
  ],
  "outputs": null,
  "authorizationId": null,
  "approvalRequestId": null,
  "failure": null,
  "checklist": [
    {
      "text": "Download the filing package",
      "done": false
    },
    {
      "text": "File the return in the authority's portal",
      "done": false
    },
    {
      "text": "Submit this task with the reference, the confirmation and the authorization",
      "done": false
    }
  ],
  "createdAt": "2026-10-01T00:23:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-10-15T09:25:00.000Z",
  "completedAt": null,
  "completedBy": null,
  "version": 3
}
```

## Errors

| Code                                                                                             | HTTP status | When                                                        | What to do                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`validation_failed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#validation_failed)           | 400         | `leaseSeconds` is out of range.                             | Fix the fields listed in `details.issues` and send the request again.                                                                                                                       |
| [`resource_not_found`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#resource_not_found)         | 404         | No task with this ID in this organization, entity and mode. | Check the ID and that your credentials are scoped to the right organization, entity, brand and mode.                                                                                        |
| [`task_status_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#task_status_invalid)       | 409         | The task is finished, or it waits for an approval.          | Reload the task: finished tasks (`done`, `failed`, `cancelled`) don't change, and a task waiting for an approval changes only through that approval. `details.status` is the task's status. |
| [`task_not_claimed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#task_not_claimed)             | 409         | You don't hold this task's lease.                           | Claim the task first with `tasks.claim`; only the holder can extend or release a lease.                                                                                                     |
| [`task_claimed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#task_claimed)                     | 409         | Someone else holds the task's lease.                        | Work on another task (`tasks.list` with `claimable: true`), or try again after `details.claimedUntil`: an expired lease frees the task. `details.assignee` is who holds it.                 |
| [`task_lease_expired`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#task_lease_expired)         | 409         | Your lease ended: claim the task again.                     | Claim the task again with `tasks.claim`. If someone else claimed it meanwhile, work on another task. Send heartbeats well before `claimedUntil`.                                            |
| [`task_claim_not_allowed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#task_claim_not_allowed) | 403         | The caller is an API key, which can't hold tasks.           | People, organization agents and installed apps claim tasks. With an API key, work on tasks nobody holds without claiming them, or use an agent or app credential (OAuth).                   |
| [`version_conflict`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#version_conflict)             | 409         | The task changed at the same moment.                        | Fetch the object again and retry the change.                                                                                                                                                |
| [`permission_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#permission_denied)           | 403         | You can't work on compliance tasks here.                    | 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): [`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), [`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).
