# Get a Letter

`GET /v1/letters/:id`

**Required API scopes:** `letters.read`

## Parameters

- `id` (path, `string`) (required)

## Response `200`

The requested `Letter`.

- `object`
  - `automatically_create_resource_permission_for_patient` (`boolean`) - Whether Carebit automatically shares the letter with the patient after processing.
  - `created_at` (`string`) - format: `date-time`; An ISO 8601 timestamp in UTC, with a `Z` suffix. For example, `2026-07-01T09:00:00Z`.
  - `download_url` (`string | null`) - format: `uri`; The short-lived signed download URL for the Letter. Null until the uploaded file passes malware scanning.
  - `filename` (`string | null`) - The original filename of the letter document.
  - `id` (`string`) - format: `uuid`; The resource's unique identifier, formatted as an RFC 4122 version 4 UUID.
  - `links` (`object`) - URLs to related resources.
    - `booking` (`string | null`) - format: `uri`; The full URL of a related resource.
    - `clinician` (`string | null`) - format: `uri`; The full URL of a related resource.
    - `patient` (`string | null`) - format: `uri`; The full URL of a related resource.
    - `remote_file_import_batch` (`string`) - format: `uri`; The full URL of a related resource.
  - `notify_patient_of_resource_permission` (`boolean | null`) - Whether Carebit notifies the patient when the letter is shared with them.
  - `object` (`any`) - Discriminator value emitted at `object`.
  - `remote_file_import_batch_id` (`string`) - format: `uuid`; The identifier of the remote file import batch created for the uploaded file. Set on the create response. Poll `/v1/remote_file_import_batches/:id` for processing status.
  - `sent_at` (`string | null`) - format: `date-time`; An ISO 8601 timestamp in UTC, with a `Z` suffix. For example, `2026-07-01T09:00:00Z`.
  - `status` (`string | null`) - enum: `awaiting_proofreading`, `awaiting_receipt`, `awaiting_review`, `awaiting_sending`, `awaiting_typing`, `complete`, `draft`, `reviewed`, `null`; The Letter's workflow status. Null while the Letter is being created.
  - `title` (`string | null`) - The display title of the letter.
  - `updated_at` (`string`) - format: `date-time`; An ISO 8601 timestamp in UTC, with a `Z` suffix. For example, `2026-07-01T09:00:00Z`.

### Example

```json
{
  "id": "c3d4e5f6-0718-49ab-acde-f01234567890",
  "object": "letter",
  "automatically_create_resource_permission_for_patient": true,
  "created_at": "2026-01-01T09:00:00Z",
  "download_url": "https://files.example.invalid/document.pdf?signature=test",
  "filename": "referral-letter.pdf",
  "links": {
    "booking": "https://api.carebit.co/v1/bookings/92a3b4c5-d6e7-4f01-8234-56789abcdef0",
    "clinician": "https://api.carebit.co/v1/clinicians/2b3c4d5e-6f70-489a-9bcd-ef0123456789",
    "patient": "https://api.carebit.co/v1/patients/1a2b3c4d-5e6f-4789-8abc-def012345678",
    "remote_file_import_batch": "https://api.carebit.co/v1/remote_file_import_batches/ebc38802-f219-4c7b-8136-8e963a0c69e0"
  },
  "notify_patient_of_resource_permission": true,
  "remote_file_import_batch_id": "ebc38802-f219-4c7b-8136-8e963a0c69e0",
  "sent_at": "2026-01-01T09:00:00Z",
  "status": "awaiting_proofreading",
  "title": "Dr",
  "updated_at": "2026-01-01T09:00:00Z"
}
```

## Response `401`

The access token is missing, invalid, expired, or revoked.

- `object`
  - `error` (`object`) - The structured details that describe why the request failed.
    - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable error code.
    - `errors` (`array | null`) - Additional errors from a failed validation.
      - `items` (`object`)
        - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable code for this validation error.
        - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains this validation error.
        - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused this validation error, when known.
    - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains the error and how to resolve it.
    - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused the error, when known.
    - `type` (`string`) - enum: `authentication_error`, `permission_error`, `invalid_request_error`, `rate_limit_error`, `api_error`; The high-level category of the error.

### Example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "resource_missing",
    "errors": [
      {
        "code": "resource_missing",
        "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
        "param": "patient_id"
      }
    ],
    "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
    "param": "patient_id",
    "type": "authentication_error"
  }
}
```

## Response `403`

The access token lacks the required scope, or the project is disabled.

- `object`
  - `error` (`object`) - The structured details that describe why the request failed.
    - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable error code.
    - `errors` (`array | null`) - Additional errors from a failed validation.
      - `items` (`object`)
        - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable code for this validation error.
        - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains this validation error.
        - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused this validation error, when known.
    - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains the error and how to resolve it.
    - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused the error, when known.
    - `type` (`string`) - enum: `authentication_error`, `permission_error`, `invalid_request_error`, `rate_limit_error`, `api_error`; The high-level category of the error.

### Example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "resource_missing",
    "errors": [
      {
        "code": "resource_missing",
        "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
        "param": "patient_id"
      }
    ],
    "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
    "param": "patient_id",
    "type": "authentication_error"
  }
}
```

## Response `404`

Error response.

- `object`
  - `error` (`object`) - The structured details that describe why the request failed.
    - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable error code.
    - `errors` (`array | null`) - Additional errors from a failed validation.
      - `items` (`object`)
        - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable code for this validation error.
        - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains this validation error.
        - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused this validation error, when known.
    - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains the error and how to resolve it.
    - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused the error, when known.
    - `type` (`string`) - enum: `authentication_error`, `permission_error`, `invalid_request_error`, `rate_limit_error`, `api_error`; The high-level category of the error.

### Example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "resource_missing",
    "errors": [
      {
        "code": "resource_missing",
        "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
        "param": "patient_id"
      }
    ],
    "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
    "param": "patient_id",
    "type": "authentication_error"
  }
}
```

## Response `429`

Too many requests. Retry after the delay indicated by `Retry-After`.

- `object`
  - `error` (`object`) - The structured details that describe why the request failed.
    - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable error code.
    - `errors` (`array | null`) - Additional errors from a failed validation.
      - `items` (`object`)
        - `code` (`string`) - The machine-readable code for this validation error.
        - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains this validation error.
        - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused this validation error, when known.
    - `message` (`string`) - A message that explains the error and how to resolve it.
    - `param` (`string | null`) - The name of the parameter that caused the error, when known.
    - `type` (`string`) - enum: `authentication_error`, `permission_error`, `invalid_request_error`, `rate_limit_error`, `api_error`; The high-level category of the error.

### Example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "resource_missing",
    "errors": [
      {
        "code": "resource_missing",
        "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
        "param": "patient_id"
      }
    ],
    "message": "The requested resource was not found.",
    "param": "patient_id",
    "type": "authentication_error"
  }
}
```

## Code samples

```bash
curl -X GET "https://api.carebit.co/v1/letters/8f14e45f-ea7d-4b6f-9c2a-1d3e5f7a9b0c" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CAREBIT_ACCESS_TOKEN"
```

```javascript
const response = await fetch("https://api.carebit.co/v1/letters/8f14e45f-ea7d-4b6f-9c2a-1d3e5f7a9b0c", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CAREBIT_ACCESS_TOKEN}`,
  },
});

if (!response.ok) {
  throw new Error(`Carebit API error: ${response.status}`);
}

const data = await response.json();
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.carebit.co/v1/letters/8f14e45f-ea7d-4b6f-9c2a-1d3e5f7a9b0c",
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['CAREBIT_ACCESS_TOKEN']}",
    }
)
response.raise_for_status()
data = response.json()
```

```ruby
require "httparty"

response = HTTParty.get(
  "https://api.carebit.co/v1/letters/8f14e45f-ea7d-4b6f-9c2a-1d3e5f7a9b0c",
  headers: {
    "Authorization" => "Bearer #{ENV.fetch("CAREBIT_ACCESS_TOKEN")}"
  }
)
raise "Carebit API error: #{response.code}" unless response.success?
data = response.parsed_response
```

```php
<?php

$client = new GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->get("https://api.carebit.co/v1/letters/8f14e45f-ea7d-4b6f-9c2a-1d3e5f7a9b0c", [
    "headers" => [
      "Authorization" => "Bearer " . getenv("CAREBIT_ACCESS_TOKEN"),
    ]
]);
$data = json_decode((string) $response->getBody(), true, flags: JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
```