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If you're unable to use [OAuth2](../../api/oauth2.md), you can use a personal access token to authenticate with the [GitLab API](../../api/README.md#personalproject-access-tokens). You can also use a personal access token with Git to authenticate over HTTP.
For examples of how you can use a personal access token to authenticate with the API, see the [API documentation](../../api/README.md#personalproject-access-tokens).
| `api` | [8.15](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/5951) | Read-write for the complete API, including all groups and projects, the Container Registry, and the Package Registry. |
| `read_user` | [8.15](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/5951) | Read-only for endpoints under `/users`. Essentially, access to any of the `GET` requests in the [Users API](../../api/users.md). |
| `read_api` | [12.10](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/28944) | Read-only for the complete API, including all groups and projects, the Container Registry, and the Package Registry. |
| `read_repository` | [10.7](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/17894) | Read-only (pull) for the repository through `git clone`. |
| `write_repository` | [11.11](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/26021) | Read-write (pull, push) for the repository through `git clone`. Required for accessing Git repositories over HTTP when 2FA is enabled. |
| `read_registry` | [9.3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/11845) | Read-only (pull) for [Container Registry](../packages/container_registry/index.md) images if a project is private and authorization is required. |
| `write_registry` | [12.10](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/28958) | Read-write (push) for [Container Registry](../packages/container_registry/index.md) images if a project is private and authorization is required. |
| `sudo` | [10.2](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-foss/-/merge_requests/14838) | API actions as any user in the system (if the authenticated user is an administrator). |
Personal access tokens expire on the date you define, at midnight UTC.
- GitLab runs a check at 01:00 AM UTC every day to identify personal access tokens that expire in the next seven days. The owners of these tokens are notified by email.
- GitLab runs a check at 02:00 AM UTC every day to identify personal access tokens that expire on the current date. The owners of these tokens are notified by email.
- In GitLab Ultimate, administrators can [limit the lifetime of personal access tokens](../admin_area/settings/account_and_limit_settings.md#limiting-lifetime-of-personal-access-tokens).
- In GitLab Ultimate, administrators can choose whether or not to [enforce personal access token expiration](../admin_area/settings/account_and_limit_settings.md#optional-non-enforcement-of-personal-access-token-expiration).
## Create a personal access token programmatically **(FREE SELF)**
You can create a predetermined personal access token