# approve_request

Approve a pending approval request (requires WRITE_ENABLED=true)

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `approve_request`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/approve-request

## Facts

- Tool: `approve_request`
- Server: ServiceNow MCP Server (`@aartiq/servicenow-mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server.md
- Install: `npx -y @aartiq/servicenow-mcp`
- Homepage: https://github.com/aartiq/servicenow-mcp
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity verified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "approve_request",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why approve_request is rated Medium

This tool creates or modifies data (approval status) reversibly—an approval can typically be revoked or changed. It is not destructive (cannot be undone permanently), not financial (does not move money), and not execute-level (does not run arbitrary code).

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states 'Approve a pending approval request' and requires 'WRITE_ENABLED=true', indicating it modifies the state of approval records in ServiceNow."

## Use case

AI agents use approve_request to create or update resources in ServiceNow MCP Server, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your ServiceNow MCP Server environment.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches ServiceNow MCP Server:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "approve_request": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "approve_request_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on ServiceNow MCP Server (364)

- `delete_attachment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/delete-attachment.md
- `delete_system_property` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/delete-system-property.md
- `delete_uib_page` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/delete-uib-page.md
- `remove_user_from_group` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/remove-user-from-group.md
- `rollback_deployment` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/rollback-deployment.md
- `commit_changeset` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/commit-changeset.md
- `create_business_rule` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/create-business-rule.md
- `create_flow_action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/create-flow-action.md
- `create_scheduled_job` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/create-scheduled-job.md
- `create_script_include` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/create-script-include.md
- `create_ui_action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/create-ui-action.md
- `execute_background_script` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/execute-background-script.md
- `fire_event` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/fire-event.md
- `ml_detect_anomalies` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/ml-detect-anomalies.md
- `ml_train_anomaly_detector` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/ml-train-anomaly-detector.md
- `ml_train_change_risk` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/ml-train-change-risk.md
- `ml_train_incident_classifier` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/ml-train-incident-classifier.md
- `publish_changeset` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/publish-changeset.md
- `run_aggregate_query` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-aggregate-query.md
- `run_atf_suite` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-atf-suite.md
- `run_atf_test` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-atf-test.md
- `run_discovery_scan` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-discovery-scan.md
- `run_security_playbook` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-security-playbook.md
- `run_transform_map` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/run-transform-map.md
- `scan_vulnerabilities` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/scan-vulnerabilities.md
- `switch_update_set` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/switch-update-set.md
- `test_flow` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/test-flow.md
- `trigger_agentic_playbook` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/trigger-agentic-playbook.md
- `trigger_flow` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/trigger-flow.md
- `trigger_scheduled_job` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server/trigger-scheduled-job.md
- …and 334 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/servicenow-mcp-server.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=servicenow-mcp-server · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/servicenow-mcp-server