> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mailchannels.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authenticating a sub-account

> Issue API keys and SMTP passwords for sub-accounts.

## How sub-account authentication works

Every sub-account has its own credentials, separate from the parent account. A request authenticated with a
sub-account API key is treated as that sub-account: it sends from the sub-account's quota, writes to the
sub-account's suppression list, and triggers the sub-account's webhooks.

Sub-accounts have access to the full API and Console. Sub-accounts cannot create sub-accounts.

To get the sub-account ready to send, create at least one API key. Use the parent API key when using the sub-account API
to create a sub-account API key.

Sub-accounts can manage their own [API keys](/email-api/authentication).

Or a parent account can manage sub-account keys using the [sub-account API](/email-api/authentication#sub-account-key-management).