Registering an Application
You need to register an application if you want to access the majority of the Trade Me API methods. Registering an application generates a 'Consumer Key' and 'Consumer Secret' and you'll need to include these in your application so it can request and modify data on behalf of a user using OAuth.
Your application should not request or store the username and/or password for any Trade Me membership.
Changes to Trade Me Marketplace API access
We’ve recently updated how the Trade Me API works for Marketplace listings:
- From 10 March 2026, bidding on and buying Marketplace listings via the API is no longer supported for casual listings. Some applications that previously offered this functionality will no longer be able to do so.
- From 10 April 2026 application registration for API access for Marketplace is limited to in-trade sellers only
Before you submit your application, review our use cases guide for the full list of supported and unsupported uses.
Live site approval
All applications are subject to our approval process and terms and conditions. If you intend to use your application in production we suggest that you register it in on the live site to gain approval before you begin the development process. For testing purposes you can register a test application on the Trade Me Sandbox.
Applications are automatically submitted for approval when they are registered on our live site.
Sandbox
We provide www.tmsandbox.co.nz as a playground for developing applications. Registration for the sandbox is separate to the main Trade Me website
All sandbox applications are automatically approved, however when you are ready to go to production your application will be subject to our approval process and terms and conditions. If you intend to use your application in production we suggest that you register it on the production site as well to gain approval before you begin the development process.
How to register
Registering an application is easy.
For the Trade Me sandbox:
- If you don't already have a Trade Me sandbox membership you'll need to create one.
- Go to Register a new application directly, or navigate via My Trade Me → Settings → API Applications.
- Fill in the form fields and once you’ve successfully submitted the form make a note of your ‘Consumer key’ and ‘Consumer secret’ – add these to your application to be used as part of the OAuth authorization process. Read more about Authentication.
Note that this account is only valid in the sandbox environment. You will need to register again on www.trademe.co.nz once you are ready to deploy your application against our production environment. Registering on our production environment is subject to a review process.
For the main Trade Me site:
- If you don't already have a Trade Me membership you'll need to create one.
- Go to Register a new application directly, or navigate via My Trade Me → Settings → API Applications.
Fill in the form fields. Once submitted, make a note of your 'Consumer key' and 'Consumer secret' — you'll add these to your application as part of the OAuth authorization process.
Wait for your application to be approved. Approval is subject to our use cases guidelines and terms and conditions.
Registration Tips
Registration Member
Registered apps belong to the member that created them and cannot be transferred. If your are building an app for the company you work for we recommend that the Trade Me Member belongs to that company or can be transferred. Likewise, the email address should be suitable, so when we get in touch about site outages or upcoming changes we know we'll be getting in touch with the right people. Consider using a group email or distribution list as the contact, and don't use your personal Trade Me account unless you are sure it's the right thing.