## Create a department

`POST /v1/departments`

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

## Request fields (body)

| Parameter | 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 | | Department head ID. Source: [`GET /v1/users`](/docs/entities/users) |
| `sort` | number | | Department order among siblings (a smaller value places it higher in the list). Defaults to `500` |

You cannot create a second top-level department (without `parentId` or with `parentId: 0`) — a Bitrix24 account supports only one root department.

> **`headId` is not checked for existence.** Bitrix24 does not validate the user in `headId`: a nonexistent `userId` is accepted and stored as the department head (a dangling reference), and the request returns `201`. Only `parentId` is validated (a nonexistent parent → `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 |
|------|-----|---------|
| `id` | number | ID of the created department |
| `name` | string | Name |
| `parentId` | number | Parent department ID |
| `headId` | number | Head ID (if provided on creation) |
| `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 — required field `name` not provided (with a valid `parentId`):

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

Validation order: `parentId` is checked first (an empty body or a missing `parentId` triggers the single-root-department error), and only then the `name` requirement.

## Errors

| HTTP | Code | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| 422 | `BITRIX_ERROR` | `name` not provided, or an attempt to create a second root department, or `parentId` references a nonexistent department. `headId` is NOT validated (a nonexistent user is accepted) |
| 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) — view the current tree before creating
- [Department fields](/docs/entities/departments/fields) — which fields can be passed
- [Employees](/docs/entities/users) — find a head
- [Batch](/docs/batch) — bulk department creation