diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index c2dfed8..a3e5d6f 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The PyKMIP library provides a KMIP client supporting the following operations:
 
 * Create
 * CreateKeyPair
+* Activate
 * Destroy
 * DiscoverVersions
 * Get
diff --git a/kmip/core/factories/payloads/request.py b/kmip/core/factories/payloads/request.py
index 41e5b6c..66ead6b 100644
--- a/kmip/core/factories/payloads/request.py
+++ b/kmip/core/factories/payloads/request.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 from kmip.core.factories.payloads import PayloadFactory
 
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create_key_pair
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import destroy
@@ -54,3 +55,6 @@ class RequestPayloadFactory(PayloadFactory):
 
     def _create_discover_versions_payload(self):
         return discover_versions.DiscoverVersionsRequestPayload()
+
+    def _create_activate_payload(self):
+        return activate.ActivateRequestPayload()
diff --git a/kmip/core/factories/payloads/response.py b/kmip/core/factories/payloads/response.py
index 88e0a49..ca94eb5 100644
--- a/kmip/core/factories/payloads/response.py
+++ b/kmip/core/factories/payloads/response.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 from kmip.core.factories.payloads import PayloadFactory
 
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create_key_pair
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import destroy
@@ -54,3 +55,6 @@ class ResponsePayloadFactory(PayloadFactory):
 
     def _create_discover_versions_payload(self):
         return discover_versions.DiscoverVersionsResponsePayload()
+
+    def _create_activate_payload(self):
+        return activate.ActivateResponsePayload()
diff --git a/kmip/core/messages/payloads/activate.py b/kmip/core/messages/payloads/activate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d33228d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kmip/core/messages/payloads/activate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2015 Hewlett Packard Development Company, L.P.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from kmip.core import attributes
+from kmip.core import enums
+
+from kmip.core.primitives import Struct
+
+from kmip.core.utils import BytearrayStream
+
+
+class ActivateRequestPayload(Struct):
+    """
+    A request payload for the Activate operation.
+
+    The payload contains a UUID of a cryptographic object that that server
+    should activate. See Section 4.19 of the KMIP 1.1 specification for more
+    information.
+
+    Attributes:
+        unique_identifier: The UUID of a managed cryptographic object
+    """
+    def __init__(self,
+                 unique_identifier=None):
+        """
+        Construct a ActivateRequestPayload object.
+        Args:
+            unique_identifier (UniqueIdentifier): The UUID of a managed
+                cryptographic object.
+        """
+        super(ActivateRequestPayload, self).__init__(
+            tag=enums.Tags.REQUEST_PAYLOAD)
+        self.unique_identifier = unique_identifier
+        self.validate()
+
+    def read(self, istream):
+        """
+        Read the data encoding the ActivateRequestPayload object and decode it
+        into its constituent parts.
+        Args:
+            istream (Stream): A data stream containing encoded object data,
+                supporting a read method; usually a BytearrayStream object.
+        """
+        super(ActivateRequestPayload, self).read(istream)
+        tstream = BytearrayStream(istream.read(self.length))
+
+        self.unique_identifier = attributes.UniqueIdentifier()
+        self.unique_identifier.read(tstream)
+
+        self.is_oversized(tstream)
+        self.validate()
+
+    def write(self, ostream):
+        """
+        Write the data encoding the ActivateRequestPayload object to a stream.
+        Args:
+            ostream (Stream): A data stream in which to encode object data,
+                supporting a write method; usually a BytearrayStream object.
+        """
+        tstream = BytearrayStream()
+
+        # Write the contents of the request payload
+        if self.unique_identifier is not None:
+            self.unique_identifier.write(tstream)
+
+        # Write the length and value of the request payload
+        self.length = tstream.length()
+        super(ActivateRequestPayload, self).write(ostream)
+        ostream.write(tstream.buffer)
+
+    def validate(self):
+        """
+        Error check the attributes of the ActivateRequestPayload object.
+        """
+        if self.unique_identifier is not None:
+            if not isinstance(self.unique_identifier,
+                              attributes.UniqueIdentifier):
+                msg = "invalid unique identifier"
+                raise TypeError(msg)
+
+
+class ActivateResponsePayload(Struct):
+    """
+    A response payload for the Activate operation.
+
+    The payload contains the server response to the initial Activate request.
+    See Section 4.19 of the KMIP 1.1 specification for more information.
+
+    Attributes:
+        unique_identifier: The UUID of a managed cryptographic object.
+    """
+    def __init__(self,
+                 unique_identifier=None):
+        """
+        Construct a ActivateResponsePayload object.
+
+        Args:
+            unique_identifier (UniqueIdentifier): The UUID of a managed
+                cryptographic object.
+        """
+        super(ActivateResponsePayload, self).__init__(
+            tag=enums.Tags.RESPONSE_PAYLOAD)
+        if unique_identifier is None:
+            self.unique_identifier = attributes.UniqueIdentifier()
+        else:
+            self.unique_identifier = unique_identifier
+        self.validate()
+
+    def read(self, istream):
+        """
+        Read the data encoding the ActivateResponsePayload object and decode it
+        into its constituent parts.
+
+        Args:
+            istream (Stream): A data stream containing encoded object data,
+                supporting a read method; usually a BytearrayStream object.
+        """
+        super(ActivateResponsePayload, self).read(istream)
+        tstream = BytearrayStream(istream.read(self.length))
+
+        self.unique_identifier = attributes.UniqueIdentifier()
+        self.unique_identifier.read(tstream)
+
+        self.is_oversized(tstream)
+        self.validate()
+
+    def write(self, ostream):
+        """
+        Write the data encoding the ActivateResponsePayload object to a stream.
+
+        Args:
+            ostream (Stream): A data stream in which to encode object data,
+                supporting a write method; usually a BytearrayStream object.
+        """
+        tstream = BytearrayStream()
+
+        # Write the contents of the response payload
+        self.unique_identifier.write(tstream)
+
+        # Write the length and value of the request payload
+        self.length = tstream.length()
+        super(ActivateResponsePayload, self).write(ostream)
+        ostream.write(tstream.buffer)
+
+    def validate(self):
+        """
+        Error check the attributes of the ActivateRequestPayload object.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(self.unique_identifier, attributes.UniqueIdentifier):
+            msg = "invalid unique identifier"
+            raise TypeError(msg)
diff --git a/kmip/services/kmip_client.py b/kmip/services/kmip_client.py
index cc9fe21..84ddac9 100644
--- a/kmip/services/kmip_client.py
+++ b/kmip/services/kmip_client.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+from kmip.services.results import ActivateResult
 from kmip.services.results import CreateResult
 from kmip.services.results import CreateKeyPairResult
 from kmip.services.results import DestroyResult
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ from kmip.core.messages.contents import ProtocolVersion
 
 from kmip.core.messages import messages
 
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create_key_pair
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import destroy
@@ -239,6 +241,19 @@ class KMIPProxy(KMIP):
             results = self._process_batch_items(response)
             return results[0]
 
+    def activate(self, uuid=None, credential=None):
+        """
+        Send an Activate request to the server.
+
+        Args:
+            uuid (string): The unique identifier of a managed cryptographic
+                object that should be activated.
+            credential (Credential): A Credential object containing
+                authentication information for the server. Optional, defaults
+                to None.
+        """
+        return self._activate(uuid, credential=credential)
+
     def get(self, uuid=None, key_format_type=None, key_compression_type=None,
             key_wrapping_specification=None, credential=None):
         return self._get(
@@ -552,6 +567,37 @@ class KMIPProxy(KMIP):
                            payload_secret)
         return result
 
+    def _activate(self, unique_identifier=None, credential=None):
+        operation = Operation(OperationEnum.ACTIVATE)
+
+        uuid = None
+        if unique_identifier is not None:
+            uuid = attr.UniqueIdentifier(unique_identifier)
+
+        payload = activate.ActivateRequestPayload(unique_identifier=uuid)
+
+        batch_item = messages.RequestBatchItem(operation=operation,
+                                               request_payload=payload)
+        message = self._build_request_message(credential, [batch_item])
+        self._send_message(message)
+        message = messages.ResponseMessage()
+        data = self._receive_message()
+        message.read(data)
+        batch_items = message.batch_items
+        batch_item = batch_items[0]
+        payload = batch_item.response_payload
+
+        if payload is None:
+            payload_unique_identifier = None
+        else:
+            payload_unique_identifier = payload.unique_identifier
+
+        result = ActivateResult(batch_item.result_status,
+                                batch_item.result_reason,
+                                batch_item.result_message,
+                                payload_unique_identifier)
+        return result
+
     def _destroy(self,
                  unique_identifier=None,
                  credential=None):
diff --git a/kmip/services/results.py b/kmip/services/results.py
index dfc73ec..8449f45 100644
--- a/kmip/services/results.py
+++ b/kmip/services/results.py
@@ -78,6 +78,22 @@ class CreateKeyPairResult(OperationResult):
         self.public_key_template_attribute = public_key_template_attribute
 
 
+class ActivateResult(OperationResult):
+
+    def __init__(self,
+                 result_status,
+                 result_reason=None,
+                 result_message=None,
+                 uuid=None):
+        super(ActivateResult, self).__init__(
+            result_status, result_reason, result_message)
+
+        if uuid is not None:
+            self.uuid = uuid
+        else:
+            self.uuid = None
+
+
 class RegisterResult(OperationResult):
 
     def __init__(self,
diff --git a/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_request.py b/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_request.py
index 7097d53..c78bdf5 100644
--- a/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_request.py
+++ b/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_request.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import testtools
 from kmip.core.enums import Operation
 from kmip.core.factories.payloads.request import RequestPayloadFactory
 
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create_key_pair
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import destroy
@@ -115,8 +116,8 @@ class TestRequestPayloadFactory(testtools.TestCase):
             self.factory.create, Operation.GET_USAGE_ALLOCATION)
 
     def test_create_activate_payload(self):
-        self._test_not_implemented(
-            self.factory.create, Operation.ACTIVATE)
+        payload = self.factory.create(Operation.ACTIVATE)
+        self._test_payload_type(payload, activate.ActivateRequestPayload)
 
     def test_create_revoke_payload(self):
         self._test_not_implemented(
diff --git a/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_response.py b/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_response.py
index 597accb..369450c 100644
--- a/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_response.py
+++ b/kmip/tests/unit/core/factories/payloads/test_response.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import testtools
 from kmip.core.enums import Operation
 from kmip.core.factories.payloads.response import ResponsePayloadFactory
 
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import create_key_pair
 from kmip.core.messages.payloads import destroy
@@ -115,8 +116,8 @@ class TestResponsePayloadFactory(testtools.TestCase):
             self.factory.create, Operation.GET_USAGE_ALLOCATION)
 
     def test_create_activate_payload(self):
-        self._test_not_implemented(
-            self.factory.create, Operation.ACTIVATE)
+        payload = self.factory.create(Operation.ACTIVATE)
+        self._test_payload_type(payload, activate.ActivateResponsePayload)
 
     def test_create_revoke_payload(self):
         self._test_not_implemented(
diff --git a/kmip/tests/unit/core/messages/payloads/test_activate.py b/kmip/tests/unit/core/messages/payloads/test_activate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c7719a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kmip/tests/unit/core/messages/payloads/test_activate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2015 Hewlett Packard Development Company, L.P.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from testtools import TestCase
+
+from kmip.core import utils
+from kmip.core import attributes
+
+from kmip.core.messages.payloads import activate
+
+
+class TestActivateRequestPayload(TestCase):
+    """
+    Test suite for the ActivateRequestPayload class.
+
+    Test encodings obtained from Sections 4.2 of the KMIP 1.1 Test
+    Cases documentation.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestActivateRequestPayload, self).setUp()
+
+        self.uuid = attributes.UniqueIdentifier(
+            '668eff89-3010-4258-bc0e-8c402309c746')
+
+        self.encoding_a = utils.BytearrayStream((
+            b'\x42\x00\x79\x01\x00\x00\x00\x30\x42\x00\x94\x07\x00\x00\x00\x24'
+            b'\x36\x36\x38\x65\x66\x66\x38\x39\x2D\x33\x30\x31\x30\x2D\x34\x32'
+            b'\x35\x38\x2D\x62\x63\x30\x65\x2D\x38\x63\x34\x30\x32\x33\x30\x39'
+            b'\x63\x37\x34\x36\x00\x00\x00\x00'))
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        super(TestActivateRequestPayload, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_init_with_none(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateRequestPayload object can be constructed with no
+        specified value.
+        """
+        activate.ActivateRequestPayload()
+
+    def test_init_with_args(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateRequestPayload object can be constructed with valid
+        values.
+        """
+        activate.ActivateRequestPayload(unique_identifier=self.uuid)
+
+    def test_validate_with_bad_uuid_type(self):
+        """
+        Test that a TypeError exception is raised when an invalid UUID type
+        is used to construct a ActivateRequestPayload object.
+        """
+        self.assertRaisesRegexp(
+            TypeError, "invalid unique identifier",
+            activate.ActivateRequestPayload, "not-a-uuid")
+
+    def test_read_with_known_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateRequestPayload object with known UUID can be read
+        from a data stream.
+        """
+        payload = activate.ActivateRequestPayload()
+        payload.read(self.encoding_a)
+        expected = '668eff89-3010-4258-bc0e-8c402309c746'
+        observed = payload.unique_identifier.value
+
+        msg = "activate UUID value mismatch"
+        msg += "; expected {0}, received {1}".format(
+            expected, observed)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, observed, msg)
+
+    def test_write_with_known_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateRequestPayload object with a known UUID can be
+        written to a data stream.
+        """
+        stream = utils.BytearrayStream()
+        payload = activate.ActivateRequestPayload(self.uuid)
+        payload.write(stream)
+
+        length_expected = len(self.encoding_a)
+        length_received = len(stream)
+
+        msg = "encoding lengths not equal"
+        msg += "; expected {0}, received {1}".format(
+            length_expected, length_received)
+        self.assertEqual(length_expected, length_received, msg)
+
+        msg = "encoding mismatch"
+        msg += ";\nexpected:\n{0}\nreceived:\n{1}".format(self.encoding_a,
+                                                          stream)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.encoding_a, stream, msg)
+
+
+class TestActivateResponsePayload(TestCase):
+    """
+    Test encodings obtained from Sections 4.2 of the KMIP 1.1 Test
+    Cases documentation.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestActivateResponsePayload, self).setUp()
+
+        self.uuid = attributes.UniqueIdentifier(
+            '668eff89-3010-4258-bc0e-8c402309c746')
+
+        self.encoding_a = utils.BytearrayStream((
+            b'\x42\x00\x7C\x01\x00\x00\x00\x30\x42\x00\x94\x07\x00\x00\x00\x24'
+            b'\x36\x36\x38\x65\x66\x66\x38\x39\x2D\x33\x30\x31\x30\x2D\x34\x32'
+            b'\x35\x38\x2D\x62\x63\x30\x65\x2D\x38\x63\x34\x30\x32\x33\x30\x39'
+            b'\x63\x37\x34\x36\x00\x00\x00\x00'))
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        super(TestActivateResponsePayload, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_init_with_none(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateResponsePayload object can be constructed with no
+        specified value.
+        """
+        activate.ActivateResponsePayload()
+
+    def test_init_with_args(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateResponsePayload object can be constructed with
+        valid values.
+        """
+        activate.ActivateResponsePayload(unique_identifier=self.uuid)
+
+    def test_validate_with_invalid_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Test that a TypeError exception is raised when an invalid Operations
+        list is used to construct a ActivateResponsePayload object.
+        """
+        self.assertRaisesRegexp(
+            TypeError, "invalid unique identifier",
+            activate.ActivateResponsePayload, "not-a-uuid")
+
+    def test_read_with_known_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateResponsePayload object with known UUID can be read
+        from a data stream.
+        """
+        payload = activate.ActivateResponsePayload()
+        payload.read(self.encoding_a)
+        expected = '668eff89-3010-4258-bc0e-8c402309c746'
+        observed = payload.unique_identifier.value
+
+        msg = "activate UUID value mismatch"
+        msg += "; expected {0}, received {1}".format(
+            expected, observed)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, observed, msg)
+
+    def test_write_with_known_uuid(self):
+        """
+        Test that a ActivateResponsePayload object with a known UUID can be
+        written to a data stream.
+        """
+        stream = utils.BytearrayStream()
+        payload = activate.ActivateResponsePayload(self.uuid)
+        payload.write(stream)
+
+        length_expected = len(self.encoding_a)
+        length_received = len(stream)
+
+        msg = "encoding lengths not equal"
+        msg += "; expected {0}, received {1}".format(
+            length_expected, length_received)
+        self.assertEqual(length_expected, length_received, msg)
+
+        msg = "encoding mismatch"
+        msg += ";\nexpected:\n{0}\nreceived:\n{1}".format(self.encoding_a,
+                                                          stream)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.encoding_a, stream, msg)