diff --git a/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAccessForbiddenException.java b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAccessForbiddenException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..105c65e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAccessForbiddenException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package com.sparkpost.exception;
+
+public class SparkPostAccessForbiddenException extends SparkPostException {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 4127644290615861545L;
+
+    private static final String MESSAGE = "API key has no required permission to perform this action.";
+
+    public SparkPostAccessForbiddenException() {
+        super(MESSAGE);
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException.java b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6db8dce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/exception/SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package com.sparkpost.exception;
+
+public class SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException extends SparkPostException {
+
+    private static final long serialVersionUID = 3695537080454452130L;
+
+    private static final String MESSAGE = "Authorization failed. Check your API key.";
+
+    public SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException() {
+        super(MESSAGE);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/transport/RestConnection.java b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/transport/RestConnection.java
index b7b545a..a3a97c5 100644
--- a/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/transport/RestConnection.java
+++ b/libs/sparkpost-lib/src/main/java/com/sparkpost/transport/RestConnection.java
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 import com.sparkpost.Client;
 import com.sparkpost.exception.SparkPostException;
 import com.sparkpost.exception.SparkPostIllegalServerResponseException;
+import com.sparkpost.exception.SparkPostAccessForbiddenException;
+import com.sparkpost.exception.SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException;
 import com.sparkpost.model.responses.Response;
 
 /**
@@ -37,6 +39,9 @@ public class RestConnection {
     private static final Base64 BASE64 = new Base64();
     private static final String DEFAULT_CHARSET = "UTF-8";
 
+    private static final int UNAUTHORIZED_RESPONSE_STATUS_CODE = 401;
+    private static final int ACCESS_FORBIDDEN_RESPONSE_STATUS_CODE = 403;
+
     /**
      * Default endpoint to use for connections :
      * https://api.sparkpost.com/api/v1/
@@ -262,7 +267,14 @@ private Response receiveResponse(HttpURLConnection conn, Response response) thro
             if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
                 logger.error("Server Response:" + response);
             }
-            throw new SparkPostException("Error reading server response: " + ex.toString() + ": " + sb.toString() + "(" + response.getResponseMessage() + ")");
+
+            if (response.getResponseCode() == UNAUTHORIZED_RESPONSE_STATUS_CODE) {
+                throw new SparkPostAuthorizationFailedException();
+            } else if (response.getResponseCode() == ACCESS_FORBIDDEN_RESPONSE_STATUS_CODE) {
+                throw new SparkPostAccessForbiddenException();
+            } else {
+                throw new SparkPostException("Error reading server response: " + ex.toString() + ": " + sb.toString() + "(" + response.getResponseMessage() + ")");
+            }
         }
         return response;