diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 81eeec6e0..df76d9b81 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from werkzeug.local import LocalProxy
 
 from app.celery.celery import NotifyCelery
 from app.clients import Clients
+from app.clients.document_download import DocumentDownloadClient
 from app.clients.email.aws_ses import AwsSesClient
 from app.clients.sms.firetext import FiretextClient
 from app.clients.sms.loadtesting import LoadtestingClient
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ deskpro_client = DeskproClient()
 statsd_client = StatsdClient()
 redis_store = RedisClient()
 performance_platform_client = PerformancePlatformClient()
+document_download_client = DocumentDownloadClient()
 
 clients = Clients()
 
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ def create_app(application):
     encryption.init_app(application)
     redis_store.init_app(application)
     performance_platform_client.init_app(application)
+    document_download_client.init_app(application)
     clients.init_app(sms_clients=[firetext_client, mmg_client, loadtest_client], email_clients=[aws_ses_client])
 
     register_blueprint(application)
diff --git a/app/clients/document_download.py b/app/clients/document_download.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb99ac88e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/clients/document_download.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import base64
+
+import requests
+
+
+class DocumentDownloadClient:
+
+    def init_app(self, app):
+        self.api_host = app.config['DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_HOST']
+        self.auth_token = app.config['DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_KEY']
+
+    def get_upload_url(self, service_id):
+        return "{}/services/{}/documents".format(self.api_host, service_id)
+
+    def upload_document(self, service_id, file_contents):
+        response = requests.post(
+            self.get_upload_url(service_id),
+            headers={
+                'Authorization': "Bearer {}".format(self.auth_token),
+            },
+            files={
+                'document': base64.b64decode(file_contents)
+            }
+        )
+        response.raise_for_status()
+
+        return response.json()['document']['url']
diff --git a/app/config.py b/app/config.py
index b9c6b9d9b..035416c70 100644
--- a/app/config.py
+++ b/app/config.py
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ class Config(object):
     TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_HOST = os.environ.get('TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_HOST', 'http://localhost:6013')
     TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_KEY = os.environ.get('TEMPLATE_PREVIEW_API_KEY', 'my-secret-key')
 
+    DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_HOST = os.environ.get('DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_HOST', 'http://localhost:7000')
+    DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_KEY = os.environ.get('DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_KEY', 'auth-token')
+
     LETTER_PROCESSING_DEADLINE = time(17, 30)
 
     MMG_URL = "https://api.mmg.co.uk/json/api.php"
diff --git a/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py b/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e01094192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/app/clients/test_document_download.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import requests
+import requests_mock
+import pytest
+
+from app.clients.document_download import DocumentDownloadClient
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope='function')
+def document_download(client, mocker):
+    client = DocumentDownloadClient()
+    current_app = mocker.Mock(config={
+        'DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_HOST': 'https://document-download',
+        'DOCUMENT_DOWNLOAD_API_KEY': 'test-key'
+    })
+    client.init_app(current_app)
+    return client
+
+
+def test_get_upload_url(document_download):
+    assert document_download.get_upload_url('service-id') == 'https://document-download/services/service-id/documents'
+
+
+def test_upload_document(document_download):
+    with requests_mock.Mocker() as request_mock:
+        request_mock.post('https://document-download/services/service-id/documents', json={
+            'document': {'url': 'https://document-download/services/service-id/documents/uploaded-url'}
+        }, status_code=201)
+
+        resp = document_download.upload_document('service-id', 'abababab')
+
+    assert resp == 'https://document-download/services/service-id/documents/uploaded-url'
+
+
+def test_should_raise_for_status(document_download):
+    with pytest.raises(requests.HTTPError), requests_mock.Mocker() as request_mock:
+        request_mock.post('https://document-download/services/service-id/documents', json={}, status_code=403)
+        document_download.upload_document('service-id', 'abababab')