OAuth Client ID Metadata Document Support in Authorization Servers
Security Recommendation
Authorization servers SHOULD support OAuth Client ID Metadata Documents. This mechanism allows clients (including MCP clients) to present their identity and configuration without requiring pre-registration, by hosting a metadata document at their client_id URL.
How It Works
- Client presents a
client_idthat is an HTTPS URL (e.g.,https://mcp-client.example.com/client-metadata) - Authorization server fetches the metadata document from that URL
- Authorization server validates the client's configuration from the document
- Authorization server uses the metadata for the OAuth flow
Validation Rules
When fetching and processing client metadata documents, the authorization server MUST:
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Fetch over HTTPS | Only retrieve metadata from HTTPS URLs |
Verify client_id match | The client_id in the document must match the URL it was fetched from |
Validate redirect_uris | Ensure redirect URIs are valid and use HTTPS |
| Check grant types | Only allow grant types the server supports |
| Apply security policies | Enforce server-side policies on client configurations |
Implementation Checklist
- Accept
client_idvalues that are HTTPS URLs - Fetch client metadata documents from the
client_idURL - Validate the
client_idfield in the document matches the fetch URL - Validate
redirect_urisfor security (HTTPS, no wildcards) - Apply rate limiting on metadata document fetches
- Cache fetched metadata with appropriate TTL
- Reject metadata documents that fail validation
- Log client metadata fetch attempts for audit


