Google Ads API Developer Token Sunset

TL;DR: Google says it sunset Google Ads API developer tokens on September 9, 2026. API access levels (Test, Explorer, Basic, Standard) now belong to the Google Cloud project behind your OAuth credentials, not to a token. Existing integrations keep working and sending a token is now optional, but Google plans to reject tokens in a future API version. If you only use the Google Ads web interface, nothing changes. If a vendor or agency tool connects to your account through the API, it is their job to check their setup.

If you have never heard of a developer token, that is the normal case. It is a 22-character alphanumeric string that developers used to connect an app to the Google Ads API, and it sat in a manager account's API Center. Google's developer token page says that was sunset on September 9, 2026. Some trade coverage dates the announcement a day later, September 10, so treat the exact day as Google's page states it. Google's page itself shows a last updated date of October 30, 2026.

Most of what's on that page is written for developers. I've split it below into what it says, what it means if you run ads rather than write code, and what Google hasn't said.

What changed

Access levels moved from tokens to Cloud projects. Google says each token's access level was copied to the Google Cloud projects that used it in the 90 days before the sunset. Your access level is now decided by the project that owns your OAuth client ID and secret, or your service account.
Sending a developer token is optional. Google says existing code keeps working and the API ignores the token. It also says it will start rejecting developer tokens in a future major version of the API, with no version or date given.
Signup moved to Google Cloud Console. New developers apply on the Google Ads API Overview page, not in the API Center inside a manager account. Google says you no longer need a manager account just to start, only to link and manage multiple accounts through the API.
Brand verification is now required for new Basic and Standard applications. Existing access holders don't have to verify, though Google encourages it.
Pending Basic applications were closed. Affected applicants got an email and have to reapply from the new page.
A new error code in API v25. A Test access project calling a production account now gets CLOUD_PROJECT_NOT_APPROVED_FOR_PRODUCTION. Version 24 and older return ACTION_NOT_PERMITTED.
The API Center is being retired. Management functions are gone, the page remains for reference, and Google gives no removal date.

The four access levels

These limits come from Google's access levels page, also last updated October 30, 2026.

Level	Can reach	Daily operation limit	How you get it
Test	Test accounts only	15,000	Granted automatically when you enable the API in a Cloud project
Explorer	Test and production accounts	2,880 on production, 15,000 on test	Apply on the Overview page, automated review in most cases
Basic	Test and production accounts	15,000	Apply after brand verification, automated review
Standard	Test and production accounts	Unlimited	Manual audit by Google's Compliance team, typically 10 business days

Google says "per day" is a sliding 24-hour window. Individual services can still have their own limits, even on Standard.

Explorer also blocks some features. Per Google, you need Basic or Standard to create accounts, manage user access, use the keyword planning and reach planning services, or use the billing and payments services.

If you already had a developer token

Google's checklist for existing developers is short:

Check each Cloud project's access level on the Google Ads API Overview page and compare it to what your old token had. A project that never made a call with the token in the 90 days before the sunset may not have inherited anything.
Check IAM roles. Google is moving mandatory service announcements to the owner and editor users of each Cloud project, so those people need to be the ones actually watching the inbox. For now it also keeps emailing the address in the API Center.
Stop sending the token and update client libraries. Google says the latest versions of its client libraries, its Google Ads MCP server, and its Developer Assistant work without one.

Some details that catch people out:

You can't move an approved token to a new project. Google stopped re-associating tokens on September 9. A new project means a new application.
An unused token is dead. If it wasn't used in the 90 days before the sunset, or was approved but never used, its access wasn't transferred.
A leaked token no longer needs a reset, because it can't be used with someone else's Cloud project to get your access level.
App Conversion Tracking API users are an exception. Google says they should keep requesting a token from the API Center.

If you run ads rather than write code

This is my reading, not Google's advice to advertisers, because the page is addressed to developers.

Using only the Google Ads web interface: nothing here asks you to do anything. The page describes API access, not the interface.
Using a tool that connects to your account: a reporting connector, a bid or budget tool, or something your agency built. Existing connections are supposed to keep working without changes, and the vendor owns the migration. A reasonable question for them is whether they confirmed their Cloud project's access level and updated their libraries before Google starts rejecting tokens.
Paying someone who built a custom integration: ask who owns the Cloud project behind it. Access now lives there, so it matters who the owners and editors are.

I haven't seen Google say anything about Google Ads scripts, which run inside the account, one way or the other, so I'm not going to assume.

A separate but related policy

On August 31, 2026, Google published updated Google Ads Developer Policies, formerly the Google Ads API Policy. Google's announcement says some integrations relied on programmatic proxies that bypass the verifiable interface between users and Google, and that integrations now need to connect directly to Google Ads using their own dedicated Google Cloud project. It names cross-tenant data leaks and throttling from shared traffic as the risks. It also says the Ads API Compliance team is actively reviewing existing integrations.

Trade coverage says the policy text specifically names MCP servers as a possible form of proxy. I didn't read the policy document itself, so I'm not relying on that detail here. If you connect an AI assistant to a Google Ads account, check the policy and the setup guide for the exact tool you're using.

What's confirmed, what's reported, what's unknown

Confirmed on Google's pages:

Developer tokens were sunset on September 9, 2026, and access levels now attach to Cloud projects.
Sending a token is optional, and Google will reject tokens in a future major version.
The four access levels, their daily limits, and the Explorer restrictions in the table above.
Brand verification for new Basic and Standard applications, and closure of pending Basic applications.
Two known issues, below.

Reported by trade press, not by Google's pages:

The September 10 announcement date. Relevant Audience and PPC Land both cite it.
That advertisers using third-party tools should ask their vendors about readiness. That is the outlets' reading, not Google's wording.

Not stated by Google:

The API version or date when tokens will be rejected.
When the API Center will be fully removed.
How many Basic applications were closed, or how the 90-day project matching handled edge cases.

Known issues Google lists

Google documents two open problems on the page:

Rejected for Basic or Explorer despite brand verification. Google's stated cause is a project on the Google Cloud free trial, or with a suspended or disabled billing account. Google says a fix is in progress. Its workarounds are upgrading to a paid tier, removing billing from a project used only for the Ads API, or using a different brand-verified project.
AUTHORIZATION_ERROR after an upgrade. It affects projects that used a token before September 9 and were upgraded to Explorer, Basic, or Standard afterward. Production calls fail while test calls work. Google says a fix is rolling out and suggests applying for Explorer from a new project as a workaround.

Both were listed as of October 30, so check the page for the current status before acting on either.

What to check this week

If you have a developer who built something: ask which Cloud project it uses, what access level it shows on the Overview page, and who the owners and editors are.
If you use a paid third-party tool: ask whether their API access was confirmed after the sunset and whether they've dropped the token from their calls.
If something broke since September 9: compare the error to the two known issues above and to the new v25 error code.
If nothing connects to your account through the API: you can ignore this one.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Google Ads API developer token? It is a 22-character alphanumeric string that developers used to connect an app to the Google Ads API. Google says tokens were sunset on September 9, 2026, and API access is now determined by the Google Cloud project behind your OAuth credentials.

Do I need a developer token to use the Google Ads API now? No. Google says new developers don't need a token or a manager account to get started. Enabling the API in a Cloud project grants Test access, and you can apply for Explorer access on the Google Ads API Overview page for up to 2,880 operations per day on production accounts.

Will my existing Google Ads API integration stop working? Not because of the sunset itself, according to Google. Access levels were transferred to the Cloud projects used in the previous 90 days, and sending a token is optional. Google does say it will reject tokens in a future major API version, so removing the token from your calls is the safe move.

Do small businesses that only use the Google Ads dashboard need to do anything? Nothing on Google's page asks them to. The page is aimed at developers and API users. If an agency or software vendor connects to your account through the API, that is their migration to handle.

What is the difference between Explorer, Basic, and Standard access? Explorer allows up to 2,880 operations per day on production accounts and blocks features like account creation and user management. Basic allows 15,000 operations per day and requires brand verification. Standard is unlimited and needs a manual audit by Google's Compliance team.

If you aren't sure what's connected to your Google Ads account, or whether your reporting and tracking setup depends on a tool that touches the API, a PPC account audit is a good starting point. For ongoing work after that, Google Ads management covers the day-to-day.