diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
index c4d0d2f8f1c..7a71af1da5c 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
@@ -616,6 +616,14 @@ def get_model_from_request(
         if match:
             model = match.group(1)
 
+    # If still not found, extract from Vertex AI passthrough route
+    # Pattern: /vertex_ai/.../models/{model_id}:*
+    # Example: /vertex_ai/v1/.../models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent
+    if model is None and "/vertex" in route.lower():
+        vertex_match = re.search(r"/models/([^/:]+)", route)
+        if vertex_match:
+            model = vertex_match.group(1)
+
     return model
 
 
diff --git a/tests/local_testing/test_auth_utils.py b/tests/local_testing/test_auth_utils.py
index 11261592c32..72f799a6cf0 100644
--- a/tests/local_testing/test_auth_utils.py
+++ b/tests/local_testing/test_auth_utils.py
@@ -311,3 +311,56 @@ def test_get_internal_user_header_from_mapping_no_internal_returns_none():
     single_mapping = {"header_name": "X-Only-Customer", "litellm_user_role": "customer"}
     result = LiteLLMProxyRequestSetup.get_internal_user_header_from_mapping(single_mapping)
     assert result is None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "request_data, route, expected_model",
+    [
+        # Vertex AI passthrough URL patterns
+        (
+            {},
+            "/vertex_ai/v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            "gemini-1.5-pro"
+        ),
+        (
+            {},
+            "/vertex_ai/v1beta1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.0-pro:streamGenerateContent",
+            "gemini-1.0-pro"
+        ),
+        (
+            {},
+            "/vertex_ai/v1/projects/my-project/locations/asia-southeast1/publishers/google/models/gemini-2.0-flash:generateContent",
+            "gemini-2.0-flash"
+        ),
+        # Model without method suffix (no colon) - should still extract
+        (
+            {},
+            "/vertex_ai/v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-pro",
+            "gemini-pro"  # Should match even without colon
+        ),
+        # Request body model takes precedence over URL
+        (
+            {"model": "gpt-4o"},
+            "/vertex_ai/v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            "gpt-4o"
+        ),
+        # Non-vertex route should not extract from vertex pattern
+        (
+            {},
+            "/openai/v1/chat/completions",
+            None
+        ),
+        # Azure deployment pattern should still work
+        (
+            {},
+            "/openai/deployments/my-deployment/chat/completions",
+            "my-deployment"
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_get_model_from_request_vertex_ai_passthrough(request_data, route, expected_model):
+    """Test that get_model_from_request correctly extracts Vertex AI model from URL"""
+    from litellm.proxy.auth.auth_utils import get_model_from_request
+
+    model = get_model_from_request(request_data, route)
+    assert model == expected_model
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/test_vertex_passthrough_auth.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/test_vertex_passthrough_auth.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..71f2883e8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/test_vertex_passthrough_auth.py
@@ -0,0 +1,385 @@
+
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, AsyncMock, patch
+from litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints import _base_vertex_proxy_route
+from litellm.proxy._types import ProxyException, ProxyErrorTypes
+from fastapi import status
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_model_access_allowed_exact_match():
+    """Verify that users can access Vertex models they have permission for (exact match)"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with access to gemini-1.5-pro
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["gemini-1.5-pro"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = None
+    mock_user_api_key.token = "sk-1234567890abcdef"
+
+    # Mock router
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+    mock_deployment = {
+        "litellm_params": {
+            "model": "vertex_ai/gemini-1.5-pro",
+            "vertex_project": "test-project",
+            "vertex_location": "us-central1",
+            "use_in_pass_through": True
+        }
+    }
+    mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.return_value = mock_deployment
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-1.5-pro"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "my-project", "us-central1")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify - user_api_key_auth was called (which includes model permission check)
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_model_access_denied():
+    """Verify that users cannot access models they don't have permission for"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with access only to gemini-pro, not gemini-1.5-pro
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["gemini-pro"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = None
+    mock_user_api_key.token = "sk-1234567890abcdef"
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-1.5-pro"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        # Simulate access denied by raising ProxyException during user_api_key_auth
+        mock_auth.side_effect = ProxyException(
+            message="Key not allowed to access model",
+            type=ProxyErrorTypes.auth_error,
+            param="model",
+            code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+        )
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute and expect exception
+        with pytest.raises(ProxyException) as exc_info:
+            await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+                endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+                request=mock_request,
+                fastapi_response=mock_response,
+                get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+            )
+
+        # Verify
+        assert exc_info.value.type == ProxyErrorTypes.auth_error
+        assert exc_info.value.code == "401" or exc_info.value.code == status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_wildcard_access():
+    """Verify that wildcard permissions (vertex_ai/*) work correctly"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with wildcard access to all vertex_ai models
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["vertex_ai/*"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = None
+    mock_user_api_key.token = "sk-1234567890abcdef"
+
+    # Mock router
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+    mock_deployment = {
+        "litellm_params": {
+            "model": "vertex_ai/gemini-2.0-flash",
+            "vertex_project": "test-project",
+            "vertex_location": "us-central1",
+            "use_in_pass_through": True
+        }
+    }
+    mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.return_value = mock_deployment
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-2.0-flash"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "my-project", "us-central1")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-2.0-flash:generateContent",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify - user_api_key_auth was called (which includes model permission check)
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_access_group():
+    """Verify that access group permissions work correctly"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with access to a group
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["production-models"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = None
+    mock_user_api_key.token = "sk-1234567890abcdef"
+
+    # Mock router with access groups
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+    mock_deployment = {
+        "litellm_params": {
+            "model": "vertex_ai/gemini-1.5-pro",
+            "vertex_project": "test-project",
+            "vertex_location": "us-central1",
+            "use_in_pass_through": True
+        }
+    }
+    mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.return_value = mock_deployment
+    # Simulate access group matching
+    mock_router.get_model_access_groups.return_value = {"gemini-1.5-pro": ["production-models"]}
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-1.5-pro"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "my-project", "us-central1")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify - user_api_key_auth was called (which includes model permission check)
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_team_alias():
+    """Verify that team model aliases work correctly"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with team alias
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["my-gemini"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = {"my-gemini": "gemini-1.5-pro"}
+    mock_user_api_key.token = "sk-1234567890abcdef"
+
+    # Mock router
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+    mock_deployment = {
+        "litellm_params": {
+            "model": "vertex_ai/gemini-1.5-pro",
+            "vertex_project": "test-project",
+            "vertex_location": "us-central1",
+            "use_in_pass_through": True
+        }
+    }
+    mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.return_value = mock_deployment
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-1.5-pro"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "my-project", "us-central1")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify - user_api_key_auth was called (which includes model permission check)
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_no_model_id():
+    """Verify graceful handling when model_id cannot be extracted"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["*"]
+
+    # Mock router
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value=None), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value="my-project"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value="us-central1"), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "my-project", "us-central1")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = ("my-project", "us-central1")
+
+        # Execute - should not raise exception even though model_id is None
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify - function executed successfully without errors
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_vertex_passthrough_with_router_deployment():
+    """Verify that permission checks don't affect existing router deployment lookup logic"""
+    # Setup mocks
+    mock_request = MagicMock()
+    mock_response = MagicMock()
+    mock_handler = MagicMock()
+
+    # Mock user API key with wildcard access
+    mock_user_api_key = MagicMock()
+    mock_user_api_key.models = ["*"]
+    mock_user_api_key.team_model_aliases = None
+
+    # Mock router with deployment
+    mock_router = MagicMock()
+    mock_deployment = {
+        "litellm_params": {
+            "model": "vertex_ai/gemini-1.5-pro",
+            "vertex_project": "deployment-project",
+            "vertex_location": "deployment-location",
+            "use_in_pass_through": True
+        }
+    }
+    mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.return_value = mock_deployment
+
+    with patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_model_id_from_url", return_value="gemini-1.5-pro"), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_project_id_from_url", return_value=None), \
+         patch("litellm.llms.vertex_ai.common_utils.get_vertex_location_from_url", return_value=None), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_router", mock_router), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.proxy_server.llm_model_list", []), \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.passthrough_endpoint_router") as mock_pt_router, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._prepare_vertex_auth_headers", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_prep_headers, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.create_pass_through_route") as mock_create_route, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints.user_api_key_auth", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_auth, \
+         patch("litellm.proxy.pass_through_endpoints.llm_passthrough_endpoints._override_vertex_params_from_router_credentials") as mock_override:
+
+        # Setup
+        mock_pt_router.get_vertex_credentials.return_value = MagicMock()
+        mock_prep_headers.return_value = ({}, "https://test.url", False, "deployment-project", "deployment-location")
+        mock_create_route.return_value = AsyncMock()
+        mock_auth.return_value = mock_user_api_key
+        mock_override.return_value = (None, None)
+
+        # Execute
+        await _base_vertex_proxy_route(
+            endpoint="v1/projects/my-project/locations/my-location/publishers/google/models/gemini-1.5-pro:generateContent",
+            request=mock_request,
+            fastapi_response=mock_response,
+            get_vertex_pass_through_handler=mock_handler
+        )
+
+        # Verify
+        # 1. user_api_key_auth was called (which includes model permission check)
+        mock_auth.assert_called_once()
+        # 2. get_available_deployment_for_pass_through was called to get project/location
+        mock_router.get_available_deployment_for_pass_through.assert_called_once_with(model="gemini-1.5-pro")
+        # 3. Verify deployment project/location were used in auth headers
+        call_args = mock_prep_headers.call_args
+        assert call_args[1]['vertex_project'] == "deployment-project"
+        assert call_args[1]['vertex_location'] == "deployment-location"