REST API endpoints for labels - GitHub Enterprise Cloud Docs

About labels

You can use the REST API to manage labels for a repository and add or remove labels to issues and pull requests. Every pull request is an issue, but not every issue is a pull request. For this reason, "shared" actions for both features, like managing assignees, labels, and milestones, are provided within the Issues endpoints.

List labels for an issue

Lists all labels for an issue.

Fine-grained access tokens for "List labels for an issue"

This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:

The fine-grained token must have at least one of the following permission sets:

"Issues" repository permissions (read)
"Pull requests" repository permissions (read)

This endpoint can be used without authentication or the aforementioned permissions if only public resources are requested.

Parameters for "List labels for an issue"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
`accept` string Setting to `application/vnd.github+json` is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
`owner` string Required The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
`repo` string Required The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
`issue_number` integer Required The number that identifies the issue.

Query parameters
Name, Type, Description
`per_page` integer The number of results per page (max 100). For more information, see "Using pagination in the REST API." Default: `30`
`page` integer The page number of the results to fetch. For more information, see "Using pagination in the REST API." Default: `1`

HTTP response status codes for "List labels for an issue"

Status code	Description
`200`	OK
`301`	Moved permanently
`404`	Resource not found
`410`	Gone

Code samples for "List labels for an issue"

If you access GitHub at GHE.com, replace api.github.com with your enterprise's dedicated subdomain at api.SUBDOMAIN.ghe.com.

Request example

get/repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels

curl -L \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
  -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10" \
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/labels

Response

Status: 200

[
  {
    "id": 208045946,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDY=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/bug",
    "name": "bug",
    "description": "Something isn't working",
    "color": "f29513",
    "default": true
  },
  {
    "id": 208045947,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDc=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/enhancement",
    "name": "enhancement",
    "description": "New feature or request",
    "color": "a2eeef",
    "default": false
  }
]

Add labels to an issue

Adds labels to an issue.

Fine-grained access tokens for "Add labels to an issue"

This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:

The fine-grained token must have at least one of the following permission sets:

"Issues" repository permissions (write)
"Pull requests" repository permissions (write)

Parameters for "Add labels to an issue"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
`accept` string Setting to `application/vnd.github+json` is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
`owner` string Required The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
`repo` string Required The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
`issue_number` integer Required The number that identifies the issue.

Body parameters
Name, Type, Description
`labels` array The labels to add to the issue's existing labels. You can also pass an `array` of labels directly, but GitHub recommends passing an object with the `labels` key. To replace all of the labels for an issue, use "Set labels for an issue."

HTTP response status codes for "Add labels to an issue"

Status code	Description
`200`	OK
`301`	Moved permanently
`404`	Resource not found
`410`	Gone
`422`	Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed.

Code samples for "Add labels to an issue"

If you access GitHub at GHE.com, replace api.github.com with your enterprise's dedicated subdomain at api.SUBDOMAIN.ghe.com.

Request example

post/repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels

curl -L \
  -X POST \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
  -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10" \
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/labels \
  -d '{"labels":["bug","enhancement"]}'

Response

Status: 200

[
  {
    "id": 208045946,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDY=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/bug",
    "name": "bug",
    "description": "Something isn't working",
    "color": "f29513",
    "default": true
  },
  {
    "id": 208045947,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDc=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/enhancement",
    "name": "enhancement",
    "description": "New feature or request",
    "color": "a2eeef",
    "default": false
  }
]

Set labels for an issue

Removes any previous labels and sets the new labels for an issue.

Fine-grained access tokens for "Set labels for an issue"

This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:

The fine-grained token must have at least one of the following permission sets:

"Issues" repository permissions (write)
"Pull requests" repository permissions (write)

Parameters for "Set labels for an issue"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
`accept` string Setting to `application/vnd.github+json` is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
`owner` string Required The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
`repo` string Required The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
`issue_number` integer Required The number that identifies the issue.

Body parameters
Name, Type, Description
`labels` array of strings The names of the labels to set for the issue. The labels you set replace any existing labels. You can pass an empty array to remove all labels. Alternatively, you can pass a single label as a `string` or an `array` of labels directly, but GitHub recommends passing an object with the `labels` key. You can also add labels to the existing labels for an issue. For more information, see "Add labels to an issue."

HTTP response status codes for "Set labels for an issue"

Status code	Description
`200`	OK
`301`	Moved permanently
`404`	Resource not found
`410`	Gone
`422`	Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed.

Code samples for "Set labels for an issue"

If you access GitHub at GHE.com, replace api.github.com with your enterprise's dedicated subdomain at api.SUBDOMAIN.ghe.com.

Request example

put/repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels

curl -L \
  -X PUT \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
  -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10" \
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/labels \
  -d '{"labels":["bug","enhancement"]}'

Response

Status: 200

[
  {
    "id": 208045946,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDY=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/bug",
    "name": "bug",
    "description": "Something isn't working",
    "color": "f29513",
    "default": true
  },
  {
    "id": 208045947,
    "node_id": "MDU6TGFiZWwyMDgwNDU5NDc=",
    "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/octocat/Hello-World/labels/enhancement",
    "name": "enhancement",
    "description": "New feature or request",
    "color": "a2eeef",
    "default": false
  }
]

Remove all labels from an issue

Removes all labels from an issue.

Fine-grained access tokens for "Remove all labels from an issue"

This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:

The fine-grained token must have at least one of the following permission sets:

"Issues" repository permissions (write)
"Pull requests" repository permissions (write)

Parameters for "Remove all labels from an issue"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
`accept` string Setting to `application/vnd.github+json` is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
`owner` string Required The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
`repo` string Required The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
`issue_number` integer Required The number that identifies the issue.

HTTP response status codes for "Remove all labels from an issue"

Status code	Description
`204`	No Content
`301`	Moved permanently
`404`	Resource not found
`410`	Gone

Code samples for "Remove all labels from an issue"

If you access GitHub at GHE.com, replace api.github.com with your enterprise's dedicated subdomain at api.SUBDOMAIN.ghe.com.

Request example

delete/repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels

curl -L \
  -X DELETE \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR-TOKEN>" \
  -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2026-03-10" \
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/issues/ISSUE_NUMBER/labels

Response

Status: 204

Remove a label from an issue

Removes the specified label from the issue, and returns the remaining labels on the issue. This endpoint returns a 404 Not Found status if the label does not exist.

Fine-grained access tokens for "Remove a label from an issue"

This endpoint works with the following fine-grained token types:

The fine-grained token must have at least one of the following permission sets:

"Issues" repository permissions (write)
"Pull requests" repository permissions (write)

Parameters for "Remove a label from an issue"

Headers
Name, Type, Description
`accept` string Setting to `application/vnd.github+json` is recommended.

Path parameters
Name, Type, Description
`owner` string Required The account owner of the repository. The name is not case sensitive.
`repo` string Required The name of the repository without the `.git` extension. The name is not case sensitive.
`issue_number` integer Required The number that identifies the issue.
`name` string Required

HTTP response status codes for "Remove a label from an issue"

Status code	Description
`200`	OK
`301`	Moved permanently
`404`	Resource not found
`410`	Gone

Code samples for "Remove a label from an issue"

If you access GitHub at GHE.com, replace api.github.com with your enterprise's dedicated subdomain at api.SUBDOMAIN.ghe.com.

Request example

delete/repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels/{name}