diff --git a/.changeset/nasty-moose-trade.md b/.changeset/nasty-moose-trade.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf101f447c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nasty-moose-trade.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/search-common': patch
+---
+
+Add optional resourceRef field to the IndexableDocument type for use when authorizing access to documents.
diff --git a/packages/search-common/api-report.md b/packages/search-common/api-report.md
index c4950e3556..dcbbbee1bf 100644
--- a/packages/search-common/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/search-common/api-report.md
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ export interface DocumentDecorator {
 //
 // @public
 export interface IndexableDocument {
+  authorization?: {
+    resourceRef: string;
+  };
   location: string;
   text: string;
   title: string;
diff --git a/packages/search-common/src/types.ts b/packages/search-common/src/types.ts
index f73665de5b..bac6967d19 100644
--- a/packages/search-common/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/search-common/src/types.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,17 @@ export interface IndexableDocument {
    * is clicked).
    */
   location: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Optional authorization information to be used when determining whether this
+   * search result should be visible to a given user.
+   */
+  authorization?: {
+    /**
+     * Identifier for the resource.
+     */
+    resourceRef: string;
+  };
 }
 
 /**