diff --git a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_helpers.py b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_helpers.py
index 8a25abf3a9..682428cc9d 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_helpers.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_helpers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from litellm._logging import verbose_proxy_logger
 from litellm.proxy.guardrails.init_guardrails import guardrail_name_config_map
+from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import UserAPIKeyAuth
 from litellm.types.guardrails import *
 
 
@@ -47,3 +48,44 @@ async def should_proceed_based_on_metadata(data: dict, guardrail_name: str) -> b
             return False
 
     return True
+
+
+async def should_proceed_based_on_api_key(
+    user_api_key_dict: UserAPIKeyAuth, guardrail_name: str
+) -> bool:
+    """
+    checks if this guardrail should be applied to this call
+    """
+    if user_api_key_dict.permissions is not None:
+        # { prompt_injection: true, rail_2: false }
+        verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
+            "Guardrails valid for API Key= %s - checking which to apply",
+            user_api_key_dict.permissions,
+        )
+
+        if not isinstance(user_api_key_dict.permissions, dict):
+            verbose_proxy_logger.error(
+                "API Key permissions must be a dict - %s running guardrail %s",
+                user_api_key_dict,
+                guardrail_name,
+            )
+            return True
+
+        for _guardrail_name, should_run in user_api_key_dict.permissions.items():
+            if should_run is False:
+                verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
+                    "Guardrail %s skipped because request set to False",
+                    _guardrail_name,
+                )
+                continue
+
+            # lookup the guardrail in guardrail_name_config_map
+            guardrail_item: GuardrailItem = guardrail_name_config_map[_guardrail_name]
+
+            guardrail_callbacks = guardrail_item.callbacks
+            if guardrail_name in guardrail_callbacks:
+                return True
+
+        # Do not proceeed if - "metadata": { "guardrails": { "lakera_prompt_injection": false } }
+        return False
+    return True