---
layout: commands
page_title: 'Commands: ACL Token'
description: |
  The `consul acl token` command interacts with Consul's ACL tokens. It exposes commands for creating, updating, reading, deleting, listing, and cloning tokens. Tokens include secrets that can be attached to policies to secure communication in the service mesh.
---

# Consul ACL Tokens

Command: `consul acl token`

The `acl token` command is used to manage Consul's ACL tokens.
It exposes commands for creating, updating, reading, deleting, and listing tokens.
This command is available in Consul 1.4.0 and newer.

ACL tokens may also be managed via the [HTTP API](/consul/api-docs/acl/tokens).

-> **Note:** All of the example subcommands in this document will require a valid
Consul token with the appropriate permissions. Either set the
`CONSUL_HTTP_TOKEN` environment variable to the token's secret ID or pass the
secret ID as the value of the `-token` parameter.

## Usage

Usage: `consul acl token <subcommand>`

For the exact documentation for your Consul version, run `consul acl token -h` to view the complete list of subcommands.

```text
Usage: consul acl token <subcommand> [options] [args]

  ...

Subcommands:
    clone     Clone an ACL token
    create    Create an ACL token
    delete    Delete an ACL token
    list      List ACL tokens
    read      Read an ACL token
    update    Update an ACL token
```

For more information, examples, and usage about a subcommand, click on the name
of the subcommand in the sidebar.

## Identifying Tokens

Several of the subcommands need to operate on a specific token. Those
subcommands support specifying the token by its ID using the `-id` parameter.

The ID may be specified as a unique UUID prefix instead of the entire UUID. As
long as it is unique it will be resolved to the full UUID and used. Additionally
builtin token names will be accepted as the value of the `-id`.

Builtin Tokens:

| Token UUID                           | Token Name |
| ------------------------------------ | ---------- |
| 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000002 | anonymous  |

## Basic Examples

Create a new ACL token:

```shell-session
$ consul acl token create \
             -description "This is an example token" \
             -policy-id 06acc965
```

List all tokens:

```shell-session
$ consul acl token list
```

Update a token:

```shell-session
$ consul acl token update -id 986193 -description "WonderToken"
```

Read a token with an accessor ID:

```shell-session
$ consul acl token read -id 986193
```

Delete a token

```shell-session
$ consul acl token delete -id 986193
```