diff --git a/.changeset/honest-pans-crash.md b/.changeset/honest-pans-crash.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c294068ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/honest-pans-crash.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@hyperlane-xyz/registry': minor
+---
+
+feat: authenticated github registry
diff --git a/.env.test b/.env.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b0ad7344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.test
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Test Github token
+GITHUB_TOKEN=""
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b78e26767..86a330f57 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ yarn-error.log*
 # local env files
 .env*.local
 
+# env file
+.env
+
 # typescript
 *.tsbuildinfo
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1cf3b85ba..6d7714971 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@
     "@changesets/cli": "^2.26.2",
     "@eslint/js": "^9.1.1",
     "@hyperlane-xyz/sdk": "7.0.0",
+    "@types/chai-as-promised": "^8",
     "@types/mocha": "^10.0.1",
     "@types/node": "^16.9.1",
     "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.7.0",
-    "chai": "^4.3.6",
+    "chai": "^5.1.2",
+    "chai-as-promised": "^8.0.1",
+    "dotenv": "^16.4.7",
     "eslint": "^9.0.0",
     "eslint-config-prettier": "^9.1.0",
     "eslint-plugin-yml": "^1.14.0",
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@
     "prettier": "prettier --write ./chains ./deployments",
     "prepare": "husky",
     "release": "yarn build && yarn changeset publish",
-    "test:unit": "yarn build && mocha --config .mocharc.json './test/unit/*.test.ts' --exit",
+    "test:unit": "yarn build && mocha --require dotenv/config --config .mocharc.json './test/unit/*.test.ts' --exit",
     "test:health": "yarn build && mocha --config .mocharc.json './test/health/*.test.ts' --exit --parallel",
     "version:prepare": "yarn changeset version && yarn install --no-immutable",
     "version:check": "yarn changeset status"
diff --git a/src/registry/GithubRegistry.ts b/src/registry/GithubRegistry.ts
index ab59c61b6..d58807d09 100644
--- a/src/registry/GithubRegistry.ts
+++ b/src/registry/GithubRegistry.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ export class GithubRegistry extends BaseRegistry implements IRegistry {
   public readonly repoOwner: string;
   public readonly repoName: string;
   public readonly proxyUrl: string | undefined;
+  private readonly authToken: string | undefined;
 
   constructor(options: GithubRegistryOptions = {}) {
     super({ uri: options.uri ?? DEFAULT_GITHUB_REGISTRY, logger: options.logger });
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ export class GithubRegistry extends BaseRegistry implements IRegistry {
     this.repoOwner = pathSegments.at(-2)!;
     this.repoName = pathSegments.at(-1)!;
     this.proxyUrl = options.proxyUrl;
+    this.authToken = options.authToken;
   }
 
   getUri(itemPath?: string): string {
@@ -189,10 +191,14 @@ export class GithubRegistry extends BaseRegistry implements IRegistry {
   }
 
   public async getApiRateLimit(): Promise<GithubRateResponse['resources']['core']> {
+    const baseHeader = {
+      'X-GitHub-Api-Version': '2022-11-28',
+    };
+
     const response = await fetch(`${GITHUB_API_URL}/rate_limit`, {
-      headers: {
-        'X-GitHub-Api-Version': '2022-11-28',
-      },
+      headers: this.authToken
+        ? { ...baseHeader, Authorization: `Bearer ${this.authToken}` }
+        : baseHeader,
     });
     const { resources } = (await response.json()) as GithubRateResponse;
     return resources.core;
@@ -225,7 +231,12 @@ export class GithubRegistry extends BaseRegistry implements IRegistry {
 
   protected async fetch(url: string): Promise<Response> {
     this.logger.debug(`Fetching from github: ${url}`);
-    const response = await fetch(url);
+    const useToken = !(this.proxyUrl && url.startsWith(this.proxyUrl)) && !!this.authToken;
+    const response = await fetch(url, {
+      headers: useToken
+        ? { 'X-GitHub-Api-Version': '2022-11-28', Authorization: `token ${this.authToken}` }
+        : undefined,
+    });
     if (!response.ok)
       throw new Error(`Failed to fetch from github: ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
     return response;
diff --git a/test/unit/registry.test.ts b/test/unit/registry.test.ts
index 03419baad..61d20855f 100644
--- a/test/unit/registry.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/registry.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any */
-import { expect } from 'chai';
+import { use as chaiUse, expect } from 'chai';
+import chaiAsPromised from 'chai-as-promised';
 import sinon from 'sinon';
 
 import type { ChainMetadata } from '@hyperlane-xyz/sdk';
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ const MOCK_ADDRESS = '0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001';
 // Must be kept in sync with value in canonical registry's main branch
 const ETH_MAILBOX_ADDRESS = '0xc005dc82818d67AF737725bD4bf75435d065D239';
 
+chaiUse(chaiAsPromised);
+
 describe('Registry utilities', () => {
   const githubRegistry = new GithubRegistry({ branch: GITHUB_REGISTRY_BRANCH });
   expect(githubRegistry.repoOwner).to.eql('hyperlane-xyz');
@@ -186,7 +189,7 @@ describe('Registry utilities', () => {
 
   describe('ProxiedGithubRegistry', () => {
     const proxyUrl = 'http://proxy.hyperlane.xyz';
-    let proxiedGithubRegistry;
+    let proxiedGithubRegistry: GithubRegistry;
     let getApiRateLimitStub;
     beforeEach(() => {
       proxiedGithubRegistry = new GithubRegistry({ branch: GITHUB_REGISTRY_BRANCH, proxyUrl });
@@ -209,6 +212,56 @@ describe('Registry utilities', () => {
       );
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Authenticated GithubRegistry', () => {
+    const proxyUrl = 'http://proxy.hyperlane.xyz';
+    let authenticatedGithubRegistry;
+    let invalidTokenGithubRegistry;
+    let getApiRateLimitStub;
+    before(function () {
+      if (!process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN) {
+        console.log('Skipping tests because GITHUB_TOKEN is not defined');
+        this.skip();
+      }
+    });
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      authenticatedGithubRegistry = new GithubRegistry({
+        branch: GITHUB_REGISTRY_BRANCH,
+        proxyUrl,
+        authToken: process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN,
+      });
+      invalidTokenGithubRegistry = new GithubRegistry({
+        branch: GITHUB_REGISTRY_BRANCH,
+        proxyUrl,
+        authToken: 'invalid_token',
+      });
+      getApiRateLimitStub = sinon.stub(authenticatedGithubRegistry, 'getApiRateLimit');
+    });
+    afterEach(() => {
+      sinon.restore();
+    });
+    it('always uses the authenticated api if rate limit has been not been hit', async () => {
+      getApiRateLimitStub.returns({ remaining: 10 });
+      expect(await authenticatedGithubRegistry.getApiUrl()).to.equal(
+        `${GITHUB_API_URL}/repos/hyperlane-xyz/hyperlane-registry/git/trees/main?recursive=true`,
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should fallback to proxy url if public rate limit has been hit', async () => {
+      getApiRateLimitStub.returns({ remaining: 0 });
+      expect(await authenticatedGithubRegistry.getApiUrl()).to.equal(
+        `${proxyUrl}/repos/hyperlane-xyz/hyperlane-registry/git/trees/main?recursive=true`,
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should fetch chains with authenticated token', async () => {
+      expect(invalidTokenGithubRegistry.getChains()).to.eventually.be.fulfilled;
+    });
+
+    it('should fail fetching chains with invalid authentication token', async () => {
+      expect(invalidTokenGithubRegistry.getChains()).to.eventually.be.rejected;
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe('Registry regex', () => {
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 9dedf2d91..978a858d8 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -1913,10 +1913,13 @@ __metadata:
     "@changesets/cli": "npm:^2.26.2"
     "@eslint/js": "npm:^9.1.1"
     "@hyperlane-xyz/sdk": "npm:7.0.0"
+    "@types/chai-as-promised": "npm:^8"
     "@types/mocha": "npm:^10.0.1"
     "@types/node": "npm:^16.9.1"
     "@typescript-eslint/parser": "npm:^7.7.0"
-    chai: "npm:^4.3.6"
+    chai: "npm:^5.1.2"
+    chai-as-promised: "npm:^8.0.1"
+    dotenv: "npm:^16.4.7"
     eslint: "npm:^9.0.0"
     eslint-config-prettier: "npm:^9.1.0"
     eslint-plugin-yml: "npm:^1.14.0"
@@ -3319,6 +3322,24 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/chai-as-promised@npm:^8":
+  version: 8.0.1
+  resolution: "@types/chai-as-promised@npm:8.0.1"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/chai": "npm:*"
+  checksum: 10/827f7d8d5af15761e4b4c0ef08134e12835b28b6da91dd75e4d3e76c856cee9f3dd8bef45d4c1219237951e3e588c3f70d7271b38e626415126c63b057bf2fba
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"@types/chai@npm:*":
+  version: 5.0.1
+  resolution: "@types/chai@npm:5.0.1"
+  dependencies:
+    "@types/deep-eql": "npm:*"
+  checksum: 10/0f829d4f4be06d6a32c9d89ac08c356df89bafc4b923d8b7fd56cf78d681f5fddfe7aa3391b747f076c57129428f4df694026f344ad3bf8bda65e2ca50c0fd37
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/connect@npm:^3.4.33":
   version: 3.4.38
   resolution: "@types/connect@npm:3.4.38"
@@ -3328,6 +3349,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/deep-eql@npm:*":
+  version: 4.0.2
+  resolution: "@types/deep-eql@npm:4.0.2"
+  checksum: 10/249a27b0bb22f6aa28461db56afa21ec044fa0e303221a62dff81831b20c8530502175f1a49060f7099e7be06181078548ac47c668de79ff9880241968d43d0c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/http-cache-semantics@npm:*":
   version: 4.0.4
   resolution: "@types/http-cache-semantics@npm:4.0.4"
@@ -3884,6 +3912,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"assertion-error@npm:^2.0.1":
+  version: 2.0.1
+  resolution: "assertion-error@npm:2.0.1"
+  checksum: 10/a0789dd882211b87116e81e2648ccb7f60340b34f19877dd020b39ebb4714e475eb943e14ba3e22201c221ef6645b7bfe10297e76b6ac95b48a9898c1211ce66
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "async-limiter@npm:~1.0.0":
   version: 1.0.1
   resolution: "async-limiter@npm:1.0.1"
@@ -4360,7 +4395,18 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"chai@npm:^4.3.4, chai@npm:^4.3.6":
+"chai-as-promised@npm:^8.0.1":
+  version: 8.0.1
+  resolution: "chai-as-promised@npm:8.0.1"
+  dependencies:
+    check-error: "npm:^2.0.0"
+  peerDependencies:
+    chai: ">= 2.1.2 < 6"
+  checksum: 10/1938d9f00b1ae197b47c01a9ff8455d3719bc4638103fa5ad254a32e27bc663ba8530fecfa840309e254c2a52ef171c194b7fb25615f8c5d33022d64456f07f9
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
+"chai@npm:^4.3.4":
   version: 4.4.1
   resolution: "chai@npm:4.4.1"
   dependencies:
@@ -4375,6 +4421,19 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"chai@npm:^5.1.2":
+  version: 5.1.2
+  resolution: "chai@npm:5.1.2"
+  dependencies:
+    assertion-error: "npm:^2.0.1"
+    check-error: "npm:^2.1.1"
+    deep-eql: "npm:^5.0.1"
+    loupe: "npm:^3.1.0"
+    pathval: "npm:^2.0.0"
+  checksum: 10/e8c2bbc83cb5a2f87130d93056d4cfbbe04106e12aa798b504816dbe3fa538a9f68541b472e56cbf0f54558b501d7e31867d74b8218abcd5a8cc8ba536fba46c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "chalk@npm:5.3.0, chalk@npm:^5.3.0":
   version: 5.3.0
   resolution: "chalk@npm:5.3.0"
@@ -4419,6 +4478,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"check-error@npm:^2.0.0, check-error@npm:^2.1.1":
+  version: 2.1.1
+  resolution: "check-error@npm:2.1.1"
+  checksum: 10/d785ed17b1d4a4796b6e75c765a9a290098cf52ff9728ce0756e8ffd4293d2e419dd30c67200aee34202463b474306913f2fcfaf1890641026d9fc6966fea27a
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "chokidar@npm:3.5.3":
   version: 3.5.3
   resolution: "chokidar@npm:3.5.3"
@@ -5021,6 +5087,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"deep-eql@npm:^5.0.1":
+  version: 5.0.2
+  resolution: "deep-eql@npm:5.0.2"
+  checksum: 10/a529b81e2ef8821621d20a36959a0328873a3e49d393ad11f8efe8559f31239494c2eb889b80342808674c475802ba95b9d6c4c27641b9a029405104c1b59fcf
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "deep-is@npm:^0.1.3":
   version: 0.1.4
   resolution: "deep-is@npm:0.1.4"
@@ -5169,6 +5242,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"dotenv@npm:^16.4.7":
+  version: 16.4.7
+  resolution: "dotenv@npm:16.4.7"
+  checksum: 10/f13bfe97db88f0df4ec505eeffb8925ec51f2d56a3d0b6d916964d8b4af494e6fb1633ba5d09089b552e77ab2a25de58d70259b2c5ed45ec148221835fc99a0c
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "eastasianwidth@npm:^0.2.0":
   version: 0.2.0
   resolution: "eastasianwidth@npm:0.2.0"
@@ -7876,6 +7956,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"loupe@npm:^3.1.0":
+  version: 3.1.2
+  resolution: "loupe@npm:3.1.2"
+  checksum: 10/8f5734e53fb64cd914aa7d986e01b6d4c2e3c6c56dcbd5428d71c2703f0ab46b5ab9f9eeaaf2b485e8a1c43f865bdd16ec08ae1a661c8f55acdbd9f4d59c607a
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "lowercase-keys@npm:^2.0.0":
   version: 2.0.0
   resolution: "lowercase-keys@npm:2.0.0"
@@ -9004,6 +9091,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"pathval@npm:^2.0.0":
+  version: 2.0.0
+  resolution: "pathval@npm:2.0.0"
+  checksum: 10/b91575bf9cdf01757afd7b5e521eb8a0b874a49bc972d08e0047cfea0cd3c019f5614521d4bc83d2855e3fcc331db6817dfd533dd8f3d90b16bc76fad2450fc1
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "pbkdf2@npm:^3.0.17":
   version: 3.1.2
   resolution: "pbkdf2@npm:3.1.2"