diff --git a/src/faster_whisper_server/config.py b/src/faster_whisper_server/config.py
index 14b4230c..1feefdaa 100644
--- a/src/faster_whisper_server/config.py
+++ b/src/faster_whisper_server/config.py
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ class Config(BaseSettings):
 
     model_config = SettingsConfigDict(env_nested_delimiter="__")
 
+    api_key: str | None = None
     log_level: str = "debug"
     host: str = Field(alias="UVICORN_HOST", default="0.0.0.0")
     port: int = Field(alias="UVICORN_PORT", default=8000)
diff --git a/src/faster_whisper_server/dependencies.py b/src/faster_whisper_server/dependencies.py
index 985585c0..6b273ddd 100644
--- a/src/faster_whisper_server/dependencies.py
+++ b/src/faster_whisper_server/dependencies.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 from functools import lru_cache
 from typing import Annotated
 
-from fastapi import Depends
+from fastapi import Depends, HTTPException, status
+from fastapi.security import HTTPAuthorizationCredentials, HTTPBearer
 
 from faster_whisper_server.config import Config
 from faster_whisper_server.model_manager import PiperModelManager, WhisperModelManager
@@ -31,3 +32,16 @@ def get_piper_model_manager() -> PiperModelManager:
 
 
 PiperModelManagerDependency = Annotated[PiperModelManager, Depends(get_piper_model_manager)]
+
+
+security = HTTPBearer()
+
+
+async def verify_api_key(
+    config: ConfigDependency, credentials: Annotated[HTTPAuthorizationCredentials, Depends(security)]
+) -> None:
+    if credentials.credentials != config.api_key:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
+
+
+ApiKeyDependency = Depends(verify_api_key)
diff --git a/src/faster_whisper_server/main.py b/src/faster_whisper_server/main.py
index 6936460e..f59036bd 100644
--- a/src/faster_whisper_server/main.py
+++ b/src/faster_whisper_server/main.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 )
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
 
-from faster_whisper_server.dependencies import get_config, get_model_manager
+from faster_whisper_server.dependencies import get_config, get_model_manager, verify_api_key
 from faster_whisper_server.logger import setup_logger
 from faster_whisper_server.routers.list_models import (
     router as list_models_router,
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ async def lifespan(_app: FastAPI) -> AsyncGenerator[None, None]:
             model_manager.load_model(model_name)
         yield
 
-    app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan)
+    dependencies = []
+    if config.api_key is not None:
+        dependencies.append(verify_api_key)
+
+    app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan, dependencies=dependencies)
 
     app.include_router(stt_router)
     app.include_router(list_models_router)