> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adcontextprotocol.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# check_governance
> check_governance is the universal validation gate in AdCP — orchestrators and sellers call it before executing any campaign action.
# check\_governance
**Experimental.** Campaign governance ([`sync_plans`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/sync_plans), `check_governance`, [`report_plan_outcome`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/report_plan_outcome), [`get_plan_audit_logs`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/get_plan_audit_logs)) is part of AdCP 3.0 as an experimental surface — it may change between 3.x releases with at least 6 weeks' notice. Sellers implementing it MUST declare `governance.campaign` in `experimental_features`. See [experimental status](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/reference/experimental-status) for the full contract.
Universal governance check for campaign actions. Both the orchestrator (buyer-side) and the seller call this task. The governance agent infers the check type from the fields present:
| Check type | Who calls | Discriminating fields | Purpose |
| ------------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Intent** | Orchestrator | `tool` + `payload` | Validates the intended action before sending to a seller. No budget committed. |
| **Execution** | Seller | `planned_delivery` + `governance_context` | Validates what the seller will actually deliver. Budget is committed later via `report_plan_outcome`. |
The governance agent maintains all state. Initial intent checks are addressed by `plan_id`; subsequent execution and lifecycle checks are addressed by the opaque `governance_context`. Services do not need the buyer's plan ID and do not chain check IDs or track governance history.
An account binds to one governance agent (see [`sync_governance`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/accounts/tasks/sync_governance) and [One governance agent per account](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/specification#one-governance-agent-per-account)). All lifecycle calls for a governed action go to that same agent.
**Per-specialist review surfaces here.** Internal decomposition (legal, brand safety, category) is not exposed as separate endpoints — it appears as agent-internal labels in `categories_evaluated` and, on `denied`, `conditions`, or informational `approved` responses, in `findings[].details`. Treat these values as opaque audit values; do not pattern-match against a fixed list.
## Check types
### Intent checks (orchestrator)
The orchestrator calls `check_governance` with `tool` and `payload` before sending a tool call to a seller. The governance agent evaluates the intended action against the campaign plan.
1. Orchestrator decides to call a seller tool (e.g., [`create_media_buy`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/create_media_buy))
2. Orchestrator calls `check_governance` with the tool name and full payload
3. If `approved`, orchestrator sends the tool call to the seller
4. If `denied`, orchestrator does not send the tool call
5. If `conditions`, orchestrator adjusts the payload and re-calls `check_governance`
6. If the governance agent needs human review, the task goes async and eventually resolves to `approved` or `denied`
### Runtime signal attestations
For an [`activate_signal`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/signals/tasks/activate_signal) intent check, the orchestrator MAY attach `runtime_attestations[]`: independently issued evidence that a signal-quality claim still holds at activation time. Each item is the shared [portable `AttestationReference`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/by-layer/L1/security#portable-attestations), not a governance decision supplied by the buyer.
AdCP does not define a credential issuance API or an orchestrator-side API for discovering or retrieving these references. Before calling `check_governance`, the orchestrator obtains each reference through an issuer-defined or other out-of-band mechanism. Evaluator-side resolution of a supplied credential locator still follows the portable-attestation procedure and the governance agent's published allowlist.
The governance agent advertises support in two capability locations:
* `adcp.attestations` is the shared issuer, resolver, verifier, proof-format, and delivery allowlist.
* `governance.runtime_attestations.signal_activation` declares whether evidence is `optional` or `required` for signal activation and which signal-quality claim types apply.
```json theme={null}
{
"plan_id": "plan_nova_signal_launch",
"caller": "https://buying.pinnacle-agency.example",
"target_agent": "https://signals.meridian.example/adcp",
"purchase_type": "signal_activation",
"proposed_commitment": {
"amount": 0,
"currency": "USD"
},
"tool": "activate_signal",
"payload": {
"idempotency_key": "67da3ce4-f2aa-4b63-93a1-215106690f73",
"signal_agent_segment_id": "segment_urban_commuters",
"destinations": [
{
"type": "agent",
"agent_url": "https://sales.streamhaus.example"
}
]
},
"runtime_attestations": [
{
"issuer": {
"type": "origin",
"origin": "https://credentials.example"
},
"claim_type": "https://claims.example/audience/population-stability",
"subject": {
"type": "resource",
"resource_type": "https://adcontextprotocol.org/claims/subjects/signal",
"namespace": "https://signals.meridian.example/adcp",
"id": "segment_urban_commuters"
},
"locator": {
"type": "issuer_credential_id",
"credential_id": "cred_population_2026_08",
"resolver_id": "primary"
},
"content_digest": "sha256:cee39fac0bff75b76b0dd193c19e259d7bfed089dd9ae4a528a132d32ec7449a"
}
]
}
```
For `tool: activate_signal`, the governance agent MUST confirm that each subject is the signal resource governed by the action. `subject.id` MUST match `payload.signal_agent_segment_id`; `subject.namespace` and any richer signal identity MUST match the signals agent and plan/action state known to the governance agent. The comparison is on the complete typed subject, not the opaque id alone.
Runtime attestations apply only when `payload.action` is `activate` or omitted (the default). They MUST NOT be supplied for `payload.action: deactivate`. A capability with `requirement: required` requires evidence only for activation; missing evidence MUST NOT block deactivation.
`runtime_attestations[]` is per-check evidence. It is not stored inside the plan and is not part of the `plan_hash` preimage. Delegation continuity remains plan-owned through `delegations[]`; runtime attestations do not create another delegation mechanism.
For each presentation the response returns one `runtime_attestation_evaluations[]` item in the same order. The governance agent produces `outcome`, optional `confidence`, and `reason_codes`; buyer input cannot make those values authoritative. Each evaluation's `action_binding.action_id` equals the response `check_id`.
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "check_signal_001",
"check_type": "intent",
"verdict": "approved",
"plan_id": "plan_nova_signal_launch",
"explanation": "Signal activation is within plan policy and the required population-stability credential verified.",
"runtime_attestation_evaluations": [
{
"reference_digest": "sha256:c3eeeaaad0916bb04f14940f21303ce0abf27296c4cf979ba9c22e2e8245ac07",
"credential_digest": "sha256:cee39fac0bff75b76b0dd193c19e259d7bfed089dd9ae4a528a132d32ec7449a",
"proof_format": "https://formats.example/jcs-signed-json",
"outcome": "verified",
"confidence": 0.98,
"evaluated_at": "2026-08-04T12:00:00Z",
"evaluated_by": "https://governance.example/adcp",
"valid_until": "2026-08-04T13:00:00Z",
"action_binding": {
"action_type": "https://adcontextprotocol.org/actions/governance-check",
"action_id": "check_signal_001"
}
}
],
"runtime_attestation_binding_digest": "sha256:3a746f172de517f24ad53ec0c12a4ad39d0f02dcf7187aa92eb26760d9438934",
"governance_context": "eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsImtpZCI6ImdvdjIwMjYwOCIsInR5cCI6ImFkY3AtZ292K2p3cyJ9...",
"expires_at": "2026-08-04T12:15:00Z"
}
```
`runtime_attestation_binding_digest` binds the ordered evaluations plus findings that carry `attestation_reference_digest`. The signed `governance_context` carries the same digest, and [`get_plan_audit_logs`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/get_plan_audit_logs) retains ordered `{ reference, evaluation }` pairs plus the full attestation-bound findings. An auditor first recomputes each evaluation's `reference_digest` from its paired reference, then recomputes the binding digest.
When the capability says `requirement: required`, missing evidence cannot approve the signal activation. A supplied expired, revoked, invalid, subject-mismatched, or digest-mismatched credential MUST NOT be ignored or treated as verified. Off-policy issuers, resolver IDs, credential origins, and verifier nominations are rejected before network access. Resolution failures surface as normalized outcomes and are evaluated under plan policy; they never silently become `verified`.
### Execution checks (seller)
The seller calls `check_governance` with `governance_context` and `planned_delivery` when processing a request on an account that has a governance agent configured (set via [`sync_governance`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/accounts/tasks/sync_governance)). Execution checks are always binding — if the governance agent denies, the seller must not proceed.
Before executing the check, the seller verifies the signed `governance_context` token that arrived on the protocol envelope from the buyer. The buyer produces an **intent-phase** token (per the [JWS profile](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/by-layer/L1/security#adcp-jws-profile)); the seller's execution check produces a purchase token bound by opaque action `sub`, optionally adding a provisional `media_buy_id`. Modification and delivery tokens require the durable `media_buy_id`.
```
on receive(create_media_buy request):
token = request.envelope.governance_context
persist(token) # always persist for audit/forwarding
verify(token, { # per Security — Signed Governance Context
sellerId: my_adagents_url,
phase: "intent", # buyer produces intent tokens
mediaBuyId: null, # intent tokens have no media_buy_id
}) # throws on any of 15 checks failing
candidate = prepare_without_commit(request)
call check_governance(candidate.planned_delivery, token)
proceed only if governance_agent verdict = approved
commit(candidate) # atomic after approval
```
Sellers that have not yet implemented verification MUST still persist and forward the token unchanged — auditors and regulators rely on this. Verification is the ramp from "forward-only" compliance to cryptographic accountability and can be adopted incrementally.
Execution checks cover the full media buy lifecycle through three phases:
| Phase | When | What's checked |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| `purchase` | Before confirming `create_media_buy` | Budget, geo, channels, flight dates, policies |
| `modification` | Before confirming [`update_media_buy`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/update_media_buy) | Change magnitude, reallocation, new parameters |
| `delivery` | Periodically during delivery | Pacing, spend rate, geo drift, channel distribution |
Sellers can adopt committed governance checks incrementally:
* **Level 1: Purchase only** -- One call per `create_media_buy`. The minimum viable integration.
* **Level 2: + Modification** -- One call per `update_media_buy`.
* **Level 3: + Delivery reporting** -- Periodic calls during active delivery.
## Invocation requirement
When a governance agent is configured on the plan, buyer agents MUST invoke `check_governance` before every operation classified by its request schema's `x-governed-commitment` annotation. There is no dollar floor or cold-start exemption for commitment-bearing operations. Conditional tasks keep cancellation, pause, deactivation, decrease-only changes, estimates, and zero-cost retrieval outside the gate so governance cannot block risk-reducing cleanup.
Service-side enforcement makes the MUST real through the [signed `governance_context` token](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/by-layer/L1/security#signed-governance-context): a service receiving a governed commitment MUST require a valid, in-date intent-phase token addressed to that service. The service treats the context as the authoritative opaque plan binding; it does not require `plan_id`. Media-buy services that additionally declare `online_execution_check` prepare `planned_delivery`, call `check_governance`, and commit atomically only on `approved`.
When no governance agent is configured on the plan, `check_governance` invocation is neither required nor meaningful — there is nothing to call. Sellers MAY refuse to transact on plans lacking a configured governance agent as a matter of their own commercial policy.
See the [specification](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/specification#spend-commit-invocation) for the full definition, including audit requirements, seller-side retention MUSTs, and interaction with idempotency.
## Status values
| Status | Meaning | Caller action |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `approved` | Proceed as planned. | Act before `expires_at` or re-call. |
| `denied` | Do not proceed. | Return error to upstream caller. |
| `conditions` | Intent counterproposal; not authorization. | Apply conditions, then re-call `check_governance` with adjusted parameters. |
### Expiration
`expires_at` and `governance_context` are present only when the `verdict` is `approved`. A lapsed approval is no approval -- the caller must re-call `check_governance` before proceeding.
### Conditions
`conditions` is valid only for intent checks and carries no `governance_context`. It returns a separate `consultation_context`, which is only a negotiation handle: the buyer returns it with the adjusted `plan_id` + `tool` + `payload` re-check and MUST NOT send it to a service. The governance agent binds that handle to the authenticated principal, caller, plan, tool, purchase type, and target audience; any mismatch is rejected. The caller must receive `approved` before proceeding. Conditions with a `required_value` are machine-actionable; conditions without one describe the adjustment the buyer must make. Execution and lifecycle checks return either `approved` or `denied`.
Governance agents SHOULD return `denied` after 3 unsuccessful intent re-calls for the same action. This prevents infinite negotiation loops.
### Human review
When the governance agent determines that human review is required (e.g., the action exceeds the plan's `reallocation_threshold`, or the plan carries `human_review_required: true`), it handles the escalation internally. The `check_governance` task goes async — the caller receives standard async task lifecycle statuses (`submitted`, `working`) and eventually gets `approved` or `denied` once the human acts. The caller does not need special handling for this case beyond supporting async tasks (see [task lifecycle](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/by-layer/L3/task-lifecycle)).
For `committed` checks (seller-side), the seller sets a timeout. If the governance agent does not respond within the timeout, the seller treats it as `denied` and returns an error to the orchestrator. The orchestrator can re-initiate the media buy after the governance agent resolves.
### Linking to outcomes
The response includes a `check_id`. Use this in [`report_plan_outcome`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/report_plan_outcome) to link outcomes to the governance check that authorized them.
## When the governance agent is unavailable
If the governance agent is configured and the caller cannot reach it (timeout, network error), the caller MUST NOT proceed. Governance is a gate -- when the gate is unreachable, the default is halt. The caller SHOULD retry with backoff and report the failure upstream.
## Delivery cadence
The presence of `next_check` in a response is the signal that the governance agent expects ongoing delivery reporting. The seller SHOULD call no later than the `next_check` time. The governance agent MAY treat a missed deadline as a finding on the next delivery check.
## Request
### Intent check (orchestrator checking before sending to seller)
```json theme={null}
{
"tool": "check_governance",
"arguments": {
"plan_id": "plan_q1_2026_launch",
"caller": "https://orchestrator.example.com",
"target_agent": "https://seller.example.com",
"tool": "create_media_buy",
"payload": {
"idempotency_key": "buy-plan-q1-2026-001",
"account": { "brand": { "domain": "acmecorp.com" }, "operator": "pinnacle-agency.example" },
"brand": { "domain": "acmecorp.com" },
"proposal_id": "prop_premium_video_300k",
"total_budget": { "amount": 150000, "currency": "USD" },
"start_time": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end_time": "2026-06-15T00:00:00Z"
}
}
}
```
On the first `check_governance` call, the governance agent extracts what it needs from `payload`. The response includes a `governance_context` string that the caller attaches to the protocol envelope and includes on all subsequent governance calls for this governed action. In 3.0 the governance agent MUST emit a compact JWS signed per the [AdCP JWS profile](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/by-layer/L1/security#signed-governance-context) so sellers can verify authenticity, authorization scope, and freshness (the 15-step seller checklist). Action-authorizing tokens critically bind `authorized_task` and the canonical `authorized_payload_hash`, so the receiving service can verify the request without access to governance-private state. The token also carries a required `plan_hash` audit-layer claim — see [Plan binding and audit](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/specification#plan-binding-and-audit) for canonicalization rules, retention obligations, and the eleven reference vectors governance-agent implementers SHOULD validate against before shipping.
### Intent check (rights license)
```json theme={null}
{
"tool": "check_governance",
"arguments": {
"plan_id": "plan_acme_summer_2026",
"caller": "https://buying.pinnacle-agency.example",
"target_agent": "https://rights.example.com",
"purchase_type": "rights_license",
"proposed_commitment": { "amount": 25000, "currency": "USD" },
"tool": "acquire_rights",
"payload": {
"idempotency_key": "rights-acme-summer-2026-001",
"account": { "brand": { "domain": "acmeoutdoor.com" }, "operator": "pinnacle-agency.example" },
"rights_id": "acme-athlete-likeness-2026",
"pricing_option_id": "standard_monthly",
"buyer": { "domain": "acmeoutdoor.com" },
"campaign": {
"description": "AI-generated summer campaign creative",
"uses": ["likeness"],
"countries": ["US"],
"start_date": "2026-04-01",
"end_date": "2026-06-30"
},
"revocation_webhook": {
"url": "https://buying.pinnacle-agency.example/webhooks/rights",
"authentication": {
"schemes": ["HMAC-SHA256"],
"credentials": "rights_webhook_shared_secret_32_chars"
}
}
}
}
}
```
### Execution check -- purchase
```json theme={null}
{
"tool": "check_governance",
"arguments": {
"caller": "https://seller.example.com",
"governance_context": "gc_from_buyer_envelope",
"phase": "purchase",
"planned_delivery": {
"media_buy_id": "mb_seller_456",
"geo": { "countries": ["US"] },
"channels": ["olv"],
"start_time": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end_time": "2026-06-15T00:00:00Z",
"total_budget": 150000,
"currency": "USD",
"frequency_cap": { "max_impressions": 3, "per": "user", "window": { "interval": 1, "unit": "days" } },
"audience_summary": "Adults 25-54, US, premium video inventory",
"enforced_policies": ["us_coppa"]
}
}
}
```
### Execution check -- modification
```json theme={null}
{
"tool": "check_governance",
"arguments": {
"caller": "https://seller.example.com",
"governance_context": "gc_from_buyer_envelope",
"phase": "modification",
"execution_commitment": { "amount": 50000, "currency": "USD" },
"modification_summary": "Budget increase from $150,000 to $200,000 and flight extension to 2026-07-15.",
"planned_delivery": {
"media_buy_id": "mb_seller_456",
"geo": { "countries": ["US"] },
"channels": ["olv"],
"start_time": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end_time": "2026-07-15T00:00:00Z",
"total_budget": 200000,
"currency": "USD",
"frequency_cap": { "max_impressions": 3, "per": "user", "window": { "interval": 1, "unit": "days" } },
"audience_summary": "Adults 25-54, US, premium video inventory",
"enforced_policies": ["us_coppa"]
}
}
}
```
### Execution check -- delivery
```json theme={null}
{
"tool": "check_governance",
"arguments": {
"caller": "https://seller.example.com",
"governance_context": "gc_from_buyer_envelope",
"phase": "delivery",
"planned_delivery": {
"media_buy_id": "mb_seller_456",
"geo": { "countries": ["US"] },
"channels": ["olv"],
"start_time": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end_time": "2026-06-15T00:00:00Z",
"total_budget": 150000,
"currency": "USD",
"frequency_cap": { "max_impressions": 3, "per": "user", "window": { "interval": 1, "unit": "days" } },
"audience_summary": "Adults 25-54, US, premium video inventory",
"enforced_policies": ["us_coppa"]
},
"delivery_metrics": {
"statement_id": "stmt_mb_seller_456_0001",
"statement_digest": "sha256:4b55f1157094ed8df2635250f71568701d294cb0da57845eba886a62e5434633",
"sequence": 1,
"issued_at": "2026-03-22T01:00:00Z",
"reporting_period": {
"start": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end": "2026-03-22T00:00:00Z"
},
"spend": 12500,
"cumulative_spend": 12500,
"currency": "USD",
"impressions": 850000,
"cumulative_impressions": 850000,
"geo_distribution": { "US": 100 },
"channel_distribution": { "olv": 100 },
"pacing": "on_track",
"audience_distribution": {
"baseline": "platform",
"indices": {
"age:18-24": 0.8,
"age:25-34": 1.4,
"age:35-44": 1.3,
"age:45-54": 1.1,
"gender:female": 1.05,
"gender:male": 0.95
},
"cumulative_indices": {
"age:18-24": 0.85,
"age:25-34": 1.35,
"age:35-44": 1.25,
"age:45-54": 1.1,
"gender:female": 1.03,
"gender:male": 0.97
}
}
}
}
}
```
## Response
### approved (intent check)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_001",
"check_type": "intent",
"verdict": "approved",
"plan_id": "plan_q1_2026_launch",
"explanation": "Proposed create_media_buy is within plan parameters. Budget: $150,000 of $500,000 plan total. Geo: US (within plan). Channel: OLV (within 40-70% target range).",
"categories_evaluated": ["budget_authority", "geo_compliance", "channel_compliance", "flight_compliance", "delegation_authority"],
"policies_evaluated": ["us_coppa", "alcohol_advertising"],
"expires_at": "2026-03-15T01:00:00Z",
"governance_context": "eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsInR5cCI6ImFkY3AtZ292K2p3cyJ9.intent.signature"
}
```
The orchestrator proceeds to send the [`create_media_buy`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/create_media_buy) to the seller before `expires_at`.
### approved (execution check -- purchase with delivery opt-in)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_002",
"check_type": "execution",
"verdict": "approved",
"explanation": "Planned delivery is within plan parameters. Budget: $150,000 of $500,000 plan total. Geo: US (within plan). Channel: OLV (within 40-70% target range).",
"mode": "enforce",
"expires_at": "2026-03-15T01:00:00Z",
"governance_context": "eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsInR5cCI6ImFkY3AtZ292K2p3cyJ9.purchase.signature",
"next_check": "2026-03-22T00:00:00Z"
}
```
The seller proceeds with the media buy. The presence of `next_check` signals that the governance agent expects delivery reporting starting at that time.
### approved (execution check -- delivery)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_003",
"check_type": "execution",
"verdict": "approved",
"explanation": "Delivery on track. Week 1 spend: $12,500 of $150,000 (8.3%). Pacing is on target for 13-week flight. Geo and channel distribution match plan parameters.",
"delivery_statement": {
"statement_id": "stmt_mb_seller_456_0001",
"statement_digest": "sha256:4b55f1157094ed8df2635250f71568701d294cb0da57845eba886a62e5434633",
"sequence": 1,
"issued_at": "2026-03-22T01:00:00Z",
"seller_reference": "mb_seller_456",
"reporting_period": {
"start": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end": "2026-03-22T00:00:00Z"
},
"cumulative_spend": 12500,
"currency": "USD",
"canonical_payload": {
"seller_reference": "mb_seller_456",
"delivery_metrics": {
"statement_id": "stmt_mb_seller_456_0001",
"statement_digest": "sha256:4b55f1157094ed8df2635250f71568701d294cb0da57845eba886a62e5434633",
"sequence": 1,
"issued_at": "2026-03-22T01:00:00Z",
"reporting_period": {
"start": "2026-03-15T00:00:00Z",
"end": "2026-03-22T00:00:00Z"
},
"spend": 12500,
"cumulative_spend": 12500,
"currency": "USD",
"impressions": 850000,
"cumulative_impressions": 850000,
"geo_distribution": { "US": 100 },
"channel_distribution": { "olv": 100 },
"pacing": "on_track",
"audience_distribution": {
"baseline": "platform",
"indices": {
"age:18-24": 0.8,
"age:25-34": 1.4,
"age:35-44": 1.3,
"age:45-54": 1.1,
"gender:female": 1.05,
"gender:male": 0.95
},
"cumulative_indices": {
"age:18-24": 0.85,
"age:25-34": 1.35,
"age:35-44": 1.25,
"age:45-54": 1.1,
"gender:female": 1.03,
"gender:male": 0.97
}
}
}
}
},
"expires_at": "2026-03-29T00:00:00Z",
"governance_context": "eyJhbGciOiJFZERTQSIsInR5cCI6ImFkY3AtZ292K2p3cyJ9.delivery.signature",
"next_check": "2026-03-29T00:00:00Z"
}
```
The seller continues delivery and schedules the next governance check for `next_check`.
### denied (intent check)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_004",
"check_type": "intent",
"verdict": "denied",
"plan_id": "plan_q1_2026_launch",
"explanation": "Proposed media buy targets CA (Canada) which is not within the plan's geography.",
"findings": [
{
"category_id": "strategic_alignment",
"severity": "critical",
"explanation": "Geo targeting includes CA but plan only covers US.",
"details": {
"plan_countries": ["US"],
"payload_countries": ["US", "CA"]
}
}
]
}
```
The orchestrator MUST NOT send the tool call to the seller.
### conditions (intent counterproposal)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_004b",
"check_type": "intent",
"verdict": "conditions",
"plan_id": "plan_q1_2026_launch",
"explanation": "Reduce the proposed budget before re-checking.",
"consultation_context": "consult_01K1W8Q4X5Y6Z7",
"conditions": [
{
"field": "payload.total_budget.amount",
"required_value": 100000,
"reason": "The proposed amount exceeds delegated authority."
}
]
}
```
The buyer adjusts the indicated field on the complete request-arguments object and re-calls `check_governance` with the same `plan_id`, `target_agent`, `tool`, and `consultation_context`. Paths are rooted at that complete object, so `payload.*` changes the downstream task arguments while `proposed_commitment.*` changes the declared ceiling. The buyer does not send the consultation handle to the service.
### denied (execution check -- delivery geo drift)
```json theme={null}
{
"check_id": "chk_005",
"check_type": "execution",
"verdict": "denied",
"explanation": "Delivery has drifted outside plan parameters. 12% of impressions delivered in CA (Canada) which is not within the plan's geography.",
"findings": [
{
"category_id": "strategic_alignment",
"severity": "critical",
"confidence": 0.98,
"explanation": "Geo distribution shows 12% delivery in CA, but plan only covers US.",
"details": {
"plan_countries": ["US"],
"actual_distribution": { "US": 88, "CA": 12 }
}
}
]
}
```
The seller MUST pause delivery immediately and correct the geo targeting before resuming.
## Fields
### Request
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `plan_id` | string | Initial | Campaign governance plan identifier. Required before a context exists; optional on continuation checks. If sent with a context, it must match the token binding. Services do not require or interpret it. |
| `caller` | string (URI) | Yes | Claimed agent URL. The transport credential must resolve to the same URL, which is used for authorization and audit. Intent callers must be the authenticated plan owner or hold an active delegation; execution callers must match the preserved target audience. |
| `purchase_type` | enum | No | The kind of financial commitment being validated: `media_buy` (default), `rights_license`, `signal_activation`, or `creative_services`. When omitted, the governance agent assumes `media_buy`. |
| `target_agent` | string (URI) | Intent | Exact downstream service URL. Required on intent checks and signed as the token audience. It is routing metadata and is not included in `payload`. |
| `proposed_commitment` | object | Conditional | Intent-only task-neutral `{amount, currency}`. Required for [`buy_products`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/buy_products), [`accept_proposal`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/accept_proposal), [`control_media_buy`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/control_media_buy), [`update_media_buy`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/media-buy/task-reference/update_media_buy), [`acquire_rights`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/brand-protocol/tasks/acquire_rights), commitment-increasing [`update_rights`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/brand-protocol/tasks/update_rights), [`activate_signal`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/signals/tasks/activate_signal), and [`build_creative`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/creative/task-reference/build_creative). For update/control it is the positive delta; for `accept_proposal` it derives from `proposal.commercial_terms`; for `buy_products` it derives from the purchase payload. Use amount `0` for a verified no-cost or non-increasing action. |
| `execution_commitment` | object | Update execution | Seller-computed `{amount, currency}` positive delta for `update_media_buy`. The seller derives it from authoritative current state atomically with the revision check and write. It must not exceed or change the currency of `proposed_commitment`; a mismatch requires a fresh intent. |
| `tool` | string | Intent | The AdCP tool being checked, including compact `buy_products`, `accept_proposal`, and `control_media_buy`. Present on intent checks; `tool` + `payload` identifies an intent check. |
| `payload` | object | Intent | Full downstream tool arguments exactly as they will be sent to `target_agent`. Present on intent checks. |
| `proposal` | CanonicalProposal | `accept_proposal` | Exact committed proposal being authorized. The governance agent verifies `terms_digest` over `commercial_terms` and binds that digest into its decision; the downstream payload carries the same digest. |
| `governance_context` | string | Execution | Opaque context from a prior approved response. Required with `planned_delivery` or `delivery_metrics`; the governance agent derives the plan from it. Services persist and forward it without business-level parsing. |
| `consultation_context` | string | Intent re-check | Non-authorizing handle from a conditions response. Return only with the adjusted intent and the same authenticated principal, caller, plan, tool, purchase type, and target audience; never forward it to a service. |
| `phase` | enum | Execution | `purchase`, `modification`, or `delivery`. Defaults to `purchase`. Present on execution checks. |
| `planned_delivery` | object | Execution | What will actually be delivered. Present on execution checks. When `total_budget` is present, `currency` is required and must equal the intent-authorized currency. Creates compare the total with the ceiling. Updates carry their seller-computed positive delta separately in `execution_commitment`; `total_budget` remains the post-update delivery total. `media_buy_id` is optional during purchase prepare and required for modification/delivery. See [planned delivery](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/specification#integration-with-create_media_buy). |
| `delivery_metrics` | object | Delivery | Seller-attributed canonical delivery statement. Required when `phase` is `delivery`; it describes an existing commitment and is never charged again. |
| `delivery_metrics.statement_id` | string | Delivery | Immutable seller-issued statement ID. Reuse with different content is a conflict. |
| `delivery_metrics.statement_digest` | string | Delivery | `sha256:` plus lowercase hex SHA-256 of RFC 8785 JCS over `{seller_reference, delivery_metrics}`, excluding this field. |
| `delivery_metrics.sequence` | integer | Delivery | Monotonically increasing sequence for the governed action. |
| `delivery_metrics.issued_at` | date-time | Delivery | When the seller issued the statement. |
| `delivery_metrics.reporting_period` | object | Delivery | Exact start and end timestamps for this statement. |
| `delivery_metrics.cumulative_spend` | number | Delivery | Finite, non-negative cumulative seller-attributed spend. |
| `delivery_metrics.currency` | string | Delivery | Plan currency for spend fields. |
| `delivery_metrics.audience_distribution` | object | No | Audience demographic composition relative to a baseline. Used for bias/fairness drift detection. |
| `delivery_metrics.audience_distribution.baseline` | enum | Yes | Reference population: `census` (national population), `platform` (platform's user base), or `custom`. |
| `delivery_metrics.audience_distribution.baseline_description` | string | No | Description of the baseline when `baseline` is `custom` (e.g., "US adults 18+ with broadband access"). |
| `delivery_metrics.audience_distribution.indices` | object | Yes | Index values for the current reporting period. Key format: `dimension:value` (e.g., `age:25-34`, `gender:female`). Value of 1.0 means parity with baseline; above 1.0 means over-indexed; below 1.0 means under-indexed. |
| `delivery_metrics.audience_distribution.cumulative_indices` | object | No | Index values across all reporting periods. Same format as `indices`. Helps governance agents detect trends vs. one-period noise. |
| `modification_summary` | string | No | Human-readable summary of what changed. SHOULD be present for `modification` phase. |
| `runtime_attestations` | AttestationReference\[] | No | Signal-quality evidence for `purchase_type: signal_activation`; maximum 10. When supplied, `tool` is required and must be `activate_signal`. Items use the shared portable-attestation schema and cannot carry an authoritative buyer decision or confidence. |
### Delivery metrics
| Field | Type | Description |
| ------------------------ | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `reporting_period` | object | Reporting window with `start` and `end` timestamps (ISO 8601). Required. |
| `spend` | number | Spend during the reporting period. |
| `cumulative_spend` | number | Total spend since the media buy started. |
| `impressions` | integer | Impressions during the reporting period. |
| `cumulative_impressions` | integer | Total impressions since the media buy started. |
| `geo_distribution` | object | Actual geographic distribution. Keys are ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, values are percentages. |
| `channel_distribution` | object | Actual channel distribution. Keys are values from the channels enum, values are percentages. |
| `pacing` | enum | `ahead`, `on_track`, or `behind`. |
| `audience_distribution` | object | Audience composition relative to a baseline. Contains `baseline` (enum), optional `baseline_description` (string, for custom baselines), `indices` (current period), and optional `cumulative_indices` (all periods). Keys are `dimension:value` strings, values are index numbers (1.0 means parity). |
### Response
| Field | Type | Description |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `check_id` | string | Unique identifier for this governance check. Use in [`report_plan_outcome`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/report_plan_outcome) to link outcomes. |
| `check_type` | enum | `intent` or `execution`. Conditions are valid only for intent. |
| `verdict` | enum | `approved`, `denied`, or `conditions`. |
| `plan_id` | string | Echoed on an initial plan-addressed check; optional on context-addressed continuation checks. |
| `explanation` | string | Human-readable explanation of the decision. |
| `findings` | array | Per-category issues found. Present when `verdict` is `denied` or `conditions`. MAY also be present on `approved` for informational findings. Each finding has `category_id`, `severity`, `explanation`, and optionally `policy_id`, `details`, `confidence` (0-1), `uncertainty_reason`, and `attestation_reference_digest` when it relies on a runtime evaluation. `category_id` is an **agent-internal label**, not a protocol-level enum — treat as opaque for display/audit, not for machine pattern-matching. |
| `conditions` | array | Intent-only counterproposal. `field` is rooted at the complete check request arguments (for example `payload.total_budget.amount` or `proposed_commitment.amount`). Adjustments must be re-checked and never authorize execution. |
| `consultation_context` | string | Present only with `conditions`. Correlates negotiation attempts but carries no authorization. |
| `categories_evaluated` | string\[] | Governance categories evaluated during this check (e.g., `budget_authority`, `geo_compliance`, `channel_compliance`). **Agent-internal labels** — each string is defined by the governance agent's policy model and is how internal specialist review (legal, brand safety, category) surfaces for audit from behind the agent's single endpoint. Not a protocol enum; not safe to pattern-match against a fixed list. |
| `policies_evaluated` | string\[] | Registry policy IDs evaluated during this check. |
| `mode` | enum | `audit`, `advisory`, or `enforce` — governance mode active when this check was evaluated. Recorded by the governance agent from its runtime configuration at check time, not from a plan field. Lets counterparties, regulators, and auditors distinguish whether an `approved` decision reflects deliberate `enforce` enforcement or `audit`-mode silent logging. |
| `expires_at` | string | Present only when `verdict` is `approved`. The caller must act before this time or re-call. |
| `next_check` | string | When the seller should next call `check_governance` with delivery metrics. Present when the governance agent expects ongoing delivery reporting. |
| `delivery_statement` | object | Canonical retained seller statement. Present on delivery execution checks and used by the buyer as the exact reconciliation target in `report_plan_outcome`. |
| `delivery_statement.canonical_payload` | object | Exact `{seller_reference, delivery_metrics}` record retained so auditors can recompute the statement digest after excluding `statement_digest`. |
| `runtime_attestation_evaluations` | AttestationEvaluation\[] | Ordered evaluator-of-record results, exactly one per request presentation. Each result binds to `check_id`. |
| `runtime_attestation_binding_digest` | string | Required with runtime evaluations. Digest of ordered evaluations and attestation-bound findings; the signed governance context and audit log carry the same value. |
| `governance_context` | string | Opaque authorization context. Present only when `verdict` is `approved`. Attach it to the protocol envelope and forward it on subsequent governance calls; conditions and denied responses never carry one. When runtime attestations are evaluated, the signed context carries the same `runtime_attestation_binding_digest` returned in the response. |
## Error codes
| Code | Recovery | Description |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`PLAN_NOT_FOUND`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/verification/compliance-catalog#error-code-plan-not-found) | correctable | No plan with this ID. The buyer may not have synced the plan yet. |
| [`VALIDATION_ERROR`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/verification/compliance-catalog#error-code-validation-error) | correctable | The request mixes intent and execution fields, omits a shape-dependent field such as `target_agent` or `execution_commitment`, changes a consultation binding, or carries an invalid amount/currency. Correct the named field and retry; send exactly one check shape. |
| [`CAMPAIGN_SUSPENDED`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/verification/compliance-catalog#error-code-campaign-suspended) | transient | Campaign governance is suspended pending human review. Wait for the escalation to resolve; contact the plan operator if it persists. |
| [`PERMISSION_DENIED`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/verification/compliance-catalog#error-code-permission-denied) | correctable | Authenticated identity is missing/mismatched, the buyer-side caller is not authorized by `delegations`, or the target/executing service is not authorized by `approved_sellers`. Retry only with the correct authenticated identity or after authority is granted. |
| [`GOVERNANCE_UNAVAILABLE`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/building/verification/compliance-catalog#error-code-governance-unavailable) | transient | The configured governance agent could not be reached. Retry with backoff; do not perform the governed action while the gate is unavailable. |
## Related tasks
* [`sync_plans`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/sync_plans) -- The plan this governance check validates against
* [`report_plan_outcome`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/report_plan_outcome) -- Report what happened after the action was confirmed
* [`get_plan_audit_logs`](/dist/docs/3.2.0-beta.0/governance/campaign/tasks/get_plan_audit_logs) -- View plan state and audit trail