diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index 4d5367d01025e13cc112ffabd70874b3d356838c..a29a55a581d83d46fd85cd181efe52c215a1625e 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -344,6 +344,9 @@ REST_FRAMEWORK = {
     'COERCE_DECIMAL_TO_STRING': False,
     'EXCEPTION_HANDLER':
         'superevents.api.exceptions.gracedb_exception_handler',
+    'DEFAULT_PERMISSION_CLASSES': (
+        'rest_framework.permissions.IsAuthenticatedOrReadOnly',
+    )
 }
 
 # Location of packages installed by bower