> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.shimi.cash/api-reference/shimi-api/corporate-accounts/initiate-corporate-kyc/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.shimi.cash/_mcp/server.

# Initiate Corporate KYC

POST https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc
Content-Type: application/json

Starts BVN verification for the signatory and triggers an OTP. Returns a `session_id` (also usable as `kyc_id`) for the next steps. Rate-limited: a maximum of 3 attempts, with a 60-second cooldown between attempts.

**Errors:** `429` too many attempts / retry too soon.

**Body**

| Field | Type              | Required | Rules                                                                      |
| ----- | ----------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `bvn` | string or integer | yes      | Exactly 11 digits (string `^\d{11}$`, or integer 10000000000-99999999999). |

**Behaviour**

* Opens (or reuses) a KYC *session* for this company + BVN while it is `PENDING`/`OTP_SENT`, then asks Safe Haven to send an OTP to the phone linked to the BVN. Calling this again for the same BVN re-uses the same session and counts as another attempt.
* Every call (success **or** provider failure) consumes one attempt and starts a 60-second cooldown. Max 3 attempts per session (shared with **Resend Corporate KYC OTP**).
* `data.session_id` and `data.kyc_id` are the **same value (the session id)**. Use it as `session_id` in Resend/Validate. It is **not** the `kyc_id` required by **Create Corporate Sub-account** - that one comes from **Validate Corporate KYC OTP**.
* `message` on success/provider-failure is passed through from the BVN provider (falls back to `OTP sent` / `Unable to initiate BVN`).
* Validation errors return `400` with an `errors` array (Joi `path` + `message`).

Reference: https://docs.shimi.cash/api-reference/shimi-api/corporate-accounts/initiate-corporate-kyc

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Access token from Generate Access Token (valid 15 minutes).

## Request

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an object.

- `bvn` (string, optional)

## Response

### 200

OK

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)
- `data` (CoopInitiateKycPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaData, optional)

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Validation error - invalid BVN / Validation error - BVN missing / Provider could not initiate

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)
- `errors` (list of CoopInitiateKycPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaErrorsItems, optional)

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Unauthorized

- `message` (string, optional)

### 403 Forbidden Error

Invalid or expired access token / KYB not approved / Account deactivated

- `message` (string, optional)
- `code` (string, optional)
- `kybStatus` (string, optional)

### 429 Too Many Requests Error

Retry cooldown / Max attempts reached

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)

### 500 Internal Server Error

Internal Server Error

- `status` (string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)

## Types

### CoopInitiateKycPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaData

- `session_id` (string, optional)
- `kyc_id` (string, optional)

### CoopInitiateKycPostResponsesContentApplicationJsonSchemaErrorsItems

- `path` (list of string, optional)
- `message` (string, optional)

## Examples

### 200 OTP sent

**Response**

```json
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "OTP sent",
  "data": {
    "session_id": "cm9x4k2qz0001qy8l7h3b2v1n",
    "kyc_id": "cm9x4k2qz0001qy8l7h3b2v1n"
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python 200 OTP sent
import requests

url = "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc"

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer <token>"}

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

print(response.json())
```

```javascript 200 OTP sent
const url = 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc';
const options = {method: 'POST', headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>'}};

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

```go 200 OTP sent
package main

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

func main() {

	url := "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc"

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

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")

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

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

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

}
```

```ruby 200 OTP sent
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")

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

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'

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

```java 200 OTP sent
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .asString();
```

```php 200 OTP sent
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc', [
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
  ],
]);

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

```csharp 200 OTP sent
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift 200 OTP sent
import Foundation

let headers = ["Authorization": "Bearer <token>"]

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers

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()
```

### Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example

**Request**

```json
{
  "bvn": "12345678901"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "OTP sent",
  "data": {
    "session_id": "cm9x4k2qz0001qy8l7h3b2v1n",
    "kyc_id": "cm9x4k2qz0001qy8l7h3b2v1n"
  }
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
import requests

url = "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc"

payload = { "bvn": "12345678901" }
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

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

print(response.json())
```

```javascript Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
const url = 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc';
const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"bvn":"12345678901"}'
};

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

```go Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
package main

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

func main() {

	url := "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"bvn\": \"12345678901\"\n}")

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

	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
	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 Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")

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

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"bvn\": \"12345678901\"\n}"

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

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

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"bvn\": \"12345678901\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

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

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc', [
  'body' => '{
  "bvn": "12345678901"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

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

```csharp Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);
request.AddHeader("Authorization", "Bearer <token>");
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"bvn\": \"12345678901\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift Corporate Accounts_initiateCorporateKYC_example
import Foundation

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Bearer <token>",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = ["bvn": "12345678901"] as [String : Any]

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

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://shimi-waas-api-9493532b9281.herokuapp.com/api/v1/coop/initiate-kyc")! 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()
```