diff --git a/internal/ratelimit/config.go b/internal/ratelimit/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97c5207082
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ratelimit/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+package ratelimit
+
+import (
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	// DefaultLimiterMaxEntries is the default maximum number of quotas that
+	// can be tracked by the rate limiter.
+	DefaultLimiterMaxEntries = 16384 // TODO: pick a meaningful default value
+)
+
+// Config is used to configure rate limits. Each config is used to specify
+// the maximum number of requests that can be made in a time period for the
+// corresponding resources and actions.
+type Config struct {
+	Resources []string      `hcl:"resources"`
+	Actions   []string      `hcl:"actions"`
+	Per       string        `hcl:"per"`
+	Limit     int           `hcl:"limit"`
+	PeriodHCL string        `hcl:"period"`
+	Period    time.Duration `hcl:"-"`
+	Unlimited bool          `hcl:"unlimited"`
+}
+
+// Configs is an ordered set of Config.
+type Configs []*Config
diff --git a/internal/ratelimit/doc.go b/internal/ratelimit/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..129b14b66b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/ratelimit/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// Copyright (c) HashiCorp, Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BUSL-1.1
+
+// Package ratelimit provides the rate limit configuration and http middleware
+// for use by the controller's http API.
+package ratelimit