## Create a department

`POST /v1/departments`

Creates a new department in the Bitrix24 account's organizational structure tree.

## Request fields (body)

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|------|-----|:-----:|---------|
| `name` | string | yes | Department name |
| `parentId` | number | yes | Parent department ID. Parent list: [`GET /v1/departments`](./list.md). For a top-level department use `parentId: 1` |
| `headId` | number | no | Department head ID. Source: [`GET /v1/users`](/docs/entities/users) |
| `sort` | number | no | Department order among siblings: a smaller value places it higher in the list. Defaults to `500` |

You cannot create a second top-level department: a Bitrix24 account supports only one root department. A request without `parentId` or with `parentId: 0` returns `422 BITRIX_ERROR`.

> **`headId` is not checked for existence.** A nonexistent `userId` in `headId` is accepted and stored as the department head, and the request returns `201`. Only `parentId` is checked: a nonexistent parent returns `422 BITRIX_ERROR`. Confirm the user exists via [`GET /v1/users`](/docs/entities/users) before assigning.

## Examples

### curl — personal key

```bash
curl -X POST "https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/departments" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Sales department",
    "parentId": 1,
    "headId": 99,
    "sort": 500
  }'
```

### curl — OAuth application

```bash
curl -X POST "https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/departments" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_APP_KEY" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Sales department",
    "parentId": 1,
    "headId": 99,
    "sort": 500
  }'
```

### JavaScript — personal key

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/departments', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: 'Sales department',
    parentId: 1,
    headId: 99,
    sort: 500,
  }),
})

const { success, data } = await res.json()
console.log('Department ID:', data.id)
```

### JavaScript — OAuth application

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/departments', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_APP_KEY',
    'Authorization': 'Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: 'Sales department',
    parentId: 1,
    headId: 99,
    sort: 500,
  }),
})

const { success, data } = await res.json()
```

## Response fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| `success` | boolean | Always `true` on success |
| `data` | object | The created department |
| `data.id` | number | ID of the created department |
| `data.name` | string | Name |
| `data.parentId` | number | Parent department ID |
| `data.headId` | number | Head ID. Present only if `headId` was passed on creation |
| `data.sort` | number | Sort order |

## Response example

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "id": 189,
    "name": "Sales department",
    "sort": 500,
    "parentId": 1,
    "headId": 99
  }
}
```

## Error response example

422 — `parentId` is passed, but the required field `name` is missing:

```json
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "BITRIX_ERROR",
    "message": "Section name is not entered."
  }
}
```

Fields are checked in order. First, whether `parentId` is present: without it, including an empty body, the single-root-department error is returned. Then `name`, and last, whether the parent department exists.

## Errors

| HTTP | Code | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | `parentId` is missing or set to `0`: an attempt to create a second root department |
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | `name` is missing |
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | `parentId` references a nonexistent department |
| 403 | `SCOPE_DENIED` | The API key does not have the `department` scope |
| 401 | `TOKEN_MISSING` | The API key has no configured tokens |

Full list of common API errors — [Errors](/docs/errors).

## See also

- [List departments](/docs/entities/departments/list)
- [Department fields](/docs/entities/departments/fields)
- [Employees](/docs/entities/users)
- [Batch](/docs/batch)