HTTP 402 Is Back

9|
10|# HTTP 402 Is Back: How get402 Revives the Payment Required Status Code
11|
12|For decades, HTTP 402 "Payment Required" sat dormant in the HTTP specification — a reserved status code with no standardized implementation. While every other 4xx status code found its purpose, 402 remained a ghost in the machine, waiting for the right moment.
13|
14|That moment is now.
15|
16|## What is HTTP 402?
17|
18|HTTP 402 (Payment Required) is a status code defined in RFC 7231 but originally reserved since HTTP/1.0. Unlike 401 (Unauthorized) or 403 (Forbidden), 402 specifically indicates that the server cannot process the request because the client has not paid.
19|
20|

    21|HTTP/1.1 402 Payment Required
    22|Content-Type: application/json
    23|
    24|{
    25|  "error": "payment_required",
    26|  "message": "This endpoint requires a payment of 0.01 USDC",
    27|  "amount": "0.01",
    28|  "currency": "USDC",
    29|  "network": "base"
    30|}
    31|```


    32|
    33|## The get402 Implementation
    34|
    35|[get402](https://get402.net) is the first production-ready implementation of HTTP 402. Here's how it works:
    36|
    37|1. **Developer registers an API endpoint** with get402 and sets a price per request
    38|2. **Client calls the endpoint** — if they haven't paid, they receive a 402 response
    39|3. **Client pays** the required amount in USDC on Base
    40|4. **get402 verifies the transaction** and allows the request through
    41|5. **Developer gets paid** — automatically, every time
    42|
    43|API providers keep **99%** of revenue — get402 takes only **1%**.
    44|
    45|## Why Now?
    46|
    47|Three factors make 2026 the year of HTTP 402:
    48|
    49|1. **Stablecoins are mature** — USDC on Base offers fast, cheap settlements (~$0.001 per transaction)
    50|2. **Developers want fair monetization** — pay-per-call is more equitable than flat subscriptions
    51|3. **The web needs new business models** — AI APIs, premium data feeds, and serverless functions all benefit from granular billing
    52|
    53|## Getting Started
    54|
    55|Ready to implement HTTP 402 in your API? Head to [get402.net](https://get402.net) or check out our [dashboard](https://dashboard.get402.net). Install the SDK:
    56|
    57|

```bash
    58|npm install @get402/sdk
    59|```


    60|
    61|Then protect any endpoint with one line:
    62|
    63|

```typescript
    64|import { get402 } from '@get402/sdk';
    65|
    66|app.get('/api/premium-data', get402.protect('0.01'), handler);
    67|```


    68|
    69|HTTP 402 is no longer just a reserved status code — it's a business model.
    70|
    71|---
    72|
    73|*Built on Base. Powered by USDC. Available now at [get402.net](https://get402.net).*
    74|