API reference

Official government offices and resources for property, land and GIS questions across the United States. Version 1.0.0, base URL https://api.gisfinder.com/v1.

Generated from the OpenAPI 3.1 document. Start with the overview for keys, limits, paging and errors.

GET /jurisdictions/resolve Jurisdiction chain and responsible offices for a point, an address or a place
GET /resources Ranked official resources for a place or a point
GET /places/{jurisdiction_id} Full directory for one place
GET /topics The topic vocabulary
GET /guides/{topic} Plain-language guide for a topic, with a state's rules
GET /screening Screening facts for a point
GET /search Find places and resources by name
GET /openapi.json This document as JSON

`GET /jurisdictions/resolve`

Jurisdiction chain and responsible offices for a point, an address or a place

Give exactly one of: lat and lon; address (free text, geocoded by GISFinder, cached for a day); or place and state (a county, city, town or township name and a two-letter state code). Returns the state, county, county subdivision and place from largest to smallest, and for each function (assessment, tax_collection, recording, zoning, permits, gis) the body that performs it, its office and its resources. An address or place name that matches several candidates answers 409 with the candidates in choices; ask again with a coordinate from the list or a more specific name.

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`lat`	query	number (from -90, to 90)	Latitude, with lon
`lon`	query	number (from -180, to 180)	Longitude, with lat
`address`	query	string (up to 200 characters)	A street address, for example 350 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN
`place`	query	string (up to 100 characters)	A county, city, town or township name, with state
`state`	query	StateCode	Two-letter state or territory code, with place

Responses:

200 Resolved: envelope with data ResolveResult
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
404 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
409 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem
503 RFC 9457 problem: Problem

`GET /resources`

Ranked official resources for a place or a point

Give jurisdiction_id or lat and lon. With a topic, returns the resources for that topic from the place up to its state and the national level, the place's own first. Without a topic (only with jurisdiction_id), returns the place's own resources. The order is the same for every caller.

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`jurisdiction_id`	query	JurisdictionId
`lat`	query	number (from -90, to 90)
`lon`	query	number (from -180, to 180)
`topic`	query	Topic	Required with lat and lon
`limit`	query	integer (from 1, to 100, default 50)	Items per page
`cursor`	query	string (up to 200 characters)	The next_cursor of the previous page, unchanged. Only valid with the same other parameters.

Responses:

200 Resources, best first: envelope with data ResourcePage
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
404 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem

`GET /places/{jurisdiction_id}`

Full directory for one place

The place, its chain, its offices, the responsible body per function, and its own resources (paged).

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`jurisdiction_id` required	path	JurisdictionId
`limit`	query	integer (from 1, to 100, default 50)	Items per page
`cursor`	query	string (up to 200 characters)	The next_cursor of the previous page, unchanged. Only valid with the same other parameters.

Responses:

200 The place directory: envelope with data PlacePage
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
404 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem

`GET /topics`

The topic vocabulary

Every topic with a plain description, the functions it belongs to, and its GISFinder page. Topics are added, never renamed.

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body

Responses:

200 Topics: envelope with data TopicList
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem

`GET /guides/{topic}`

Plain-language guide for a topic, with a state's rules

The GISFinder guide text for the topic as plain text sections, and with state the state's own rules, for example who assesses property there and at which level of government. Topics without a guide return the topic description and the state's rules. Links to outside sources are on the guide page (page_url).

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`topic` required	path	Topic
`state`	query	StateCode

Responses:

200 Guide: envelope with data Guide
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
404 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem

`GET /screening`

Screening facts for a point

Flood zone (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer), wetlands (USFWS National Wetlands Inventory), soil (USDA SSURGO), elevation (USGS 3D Elevation Program), Minnesota shoreland (DNR Public Waters Inventory, Minnesota only) and the county's EPA radon zone. Every fact is screening for the exact point only, never an official determination, and names the office that decides. A fact that could not be checked has status unknown; try again later.

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`lat` required	query	number (from -90, to 90)
`lon` required	query	number (from -180, to 180)

Responses:

200 Screening facts: envelope with data Screening
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
404 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem
503 RFC 9457 problem: Problem

`GET /search`

Find places and resources by name

Matches place names (counties, cities, towns, townships) and directory resource names. It is a name lookup, not a question answerer, and never searches for people.

Parameter	In	Type	About
`X-Request-Id`	header	string	Echoed as request_id; 8 to 64 characters of letters, digits, dot, underscore or hyphen. Otherwise GISFinder makes one.
`If-None-Match`	header	string	An ETag from an earlier response; a match answers 304 without a body
`q` required	query	string (up to 200 characters)
`state`	query	StateCode
`limit`	query	integer (from 1, to 50, default 10)

Responses:

200 Matches, best first: envelope with data SearchResult
304 The data has not changed since the ETag in If-None-Match
400 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
401 RFC 9457 problem: Problem
429 Too many requests; wait Retry-After seconds: Problem

`GET /openapi.json`

This document as JSON

Responses:

200 OpenAPI 3.1 document

Schemas

Problem

Field	Type	About
`type` always present	string	Stable, one of https://www.gisfinder.com/problems/{bad-parameter,bad-point,bad-cursor,unknown-topic,unknown-state,unknown-jurisdiction,outside-coverage,address-not-found,place-not-found,ambiguous,invalid-key,rate-limited,lookup-limit,busy,upstream-unavailable,not-found,method-not-allowed,internal-error}
`title` always present	string
`status` always present	integer
`detail` always present	string
`request_id` always present	string
`choices`	array of Choice	With ambiguous (409), the candidates to choose from

Choice

Field	Type	About
`label` always present	string
`lat`	number
`lon`	number
`jurisdiction_id`	JurisdictionId
`page_url`	string

Envelope

Field	Type	About
`data` always present	any
`sources` always present	array of Source
`as_of` always present	string
`request_id` always present	string
`notices` always present	array of string	Plain-language caveats

Source

Field	Type	About
`name` always present	string
`url` always present	string
`publisher` always present	string or null
`official` always present	boolean
`retrieved_at` always present	string or null
`license_class` always present	one of `"open"`, `"public_record"`, `"restricted_no_redistribution"`, `"licensed_third_party"`, `"unknown"`
`verified_status`	one of `"verified"`, `"not_yet_verified"`, `"possibly_broken"`
`verified_at`	string or null

StateCode

Two-letter postal code of a state, DC or territory

string, pattern ^[A-Za-z]{2}$

JurisdictionId

Census GEOID with type prefix (state:27, county:27001, cousub:2700143000, place:2743000); district: for bodies that are not Census units; country:us

string, pattern ^(state:\d{2}|county:\d{5}|cousub:\d{10}|place:\d{7}|district:[a-z0-9-]+|country:us)$

Topic

one of "parcel_map", "county_gis", "assessor", "property_tax_payment", "tax_collector", "recorder_deeds", "plats_surveys", "zoning", "building_permits", "septic_well", "wetlands", "floodplain", "soils", "elevation", "roads_right_of_way", "public_land", "property_records_general"

Function

one of "assessment", "tax_collection", "recording", "zoning", "permits", "gis"

Point

Field	Type	About
`type` always present	`"Point"`
`coordinates` always present	array of number	Longitude, latitude (WGS84)

Jurisdiction

Field	Type	About
`jurisdiction_id` always present	JurisdictionId
`type` always present	one of `"country"`, `"state"`, `"county"`, `"cousub"`, `"place"`, `"district"`
`name` always present	string
`legal_type`	string or null	Census legal word: county, parish, borough, city, town, township, village, charter township, plantation
`state`	string or null	Two-letter postal code
`same_as`	array of JurisdictionId
`ocd_id`	string or null
`tiger_vintage`	string or null
`page_url` always present	string

Office

Field	Type	About
`office_id` always present	string	Opaque, stable, never reused
`name` always present	string
`kind`	string or null
`jurisdiction_id` always present	JurisdictionId
`phone`	string or null
`email`	string or null
`url`	string or null
`address`	string or null
`person`	object or null
`verified_status`	one of `"verified"`, `"not_yet_verified"`, `"possibly_broken"`
`verified_at`	string or null
`page_url`	string

Resource

Field	Type	About
`resource_id` always present	string	Opaque, stable, never reused
`name` always present	string
`description`	string or null
`url` always present	string
`search_url_template`	string or null	Stored deep-link template with {pin} or {q}
`topics` always present	array of Topic
`jurisdiction_id`	JurisdictionId
`publisher`	string or null
`provider`	string or null	Vendor that runs the page for the publisher
`official` always present	boolean
`verified_status` always present	one of `"verified"`, `"not_yet_verified"`, `"possibly_broken"`
`verified_at`	string or null
`verification_method`	one of `"automated"`, `"browser"`, `"manual"`, `null`
`last_http_status`	integer or null
`license_class` always present	`"open"`
`source_kind`	string	How the record was gathered; unknown where GISFinder has no saved source trail
`page_url` always present	string

FunctionEntry

Field	Type	About
`function` always present	one of `"assessment"`, `"tax_collection"`, `"recording"`, `"zoning"`, `"permits"`, `"gis"`, `"exemptions"`
`jurisdiction_id` always present	JurisdictionId or null	Null when no body in the chain performs the function here (proposal CCP-10); basis then says who does, where known
`office_name` always present	string or null
`office`	Office or null
`resources` always present	array of Resource	Under the function topics; for tax_collection the property_tax_payment page comes first
`role`	one of `"primary"`, `"secondary"`, `"delinquent"`
`levy_scope`	one of `"county"`, `"municipal"`, `"school"`, `"special"`, `"all"`, `null`
`basis`	string or null	Plain-language reason this body performs the function
`evidence_url`	string or null
`also`	array of FunctionEntry	Further bodies that perform the same function for this point, such as a second tax bill (proposal CCP-3); the entry itself is the primary one

Functions

Field	Type	About
`assessment`	FunctionEntry or null
`tax_collection`	FunctionEntry or null
`recording`	FunctionEntry or null
`zoning`	FunctionEntry or null
`permits`	FunctionEntry or null
`gis`	FunctionEntry or null

ResolveResult

Field	Type	About
`match` always present	object
`point` always present	Point or null	Null when resolved by place name
`jurisdictions` always present	array of Jurisdiction	State, county, county subdivision, place, from largest to smallest
`functions` always present	Functions

ResourcePage

Field	Type	About
`jurisdiction` always present	Jurisdiction
`point`	Point or null
`topic` always present	Topic or null
`resources` always present	array of Resource
`next_cursor` always present	string or null

PlacePage

Field	Type	About
`jurisdiction` always present	Jurisdiction
`chain` always present	array of Jurisdiction
`offices` always present	array of Office
`resources` always present	array of Resource	The place's own resources
`functions` always present	Functions
`next_cursor` always present	string or null

TopicInfo

Field	Type	About
`topic` always present	Topic
`name` always present	string
`description` always present	string
`functions` always present	array of Function
`page_url` always present	string
`guide_url` always present	string or null

TopicList

Field	Type	About
`topics` always present	array of TopicInfo
`functions` always present	object	Each function and the topics that serve it (contract 4.3)
`aliases` always present	object	Deprecated topic names and the topic that replaced each

Rule

Field	Type	About
`office` always present	string or null	The office name used in the state
`level` always present	one of `"state"`, `"county"`, `"town"`, `"city"`, `null`	Level of government that does the job
`where` always present	string or null	Plain words for the level, for example Each county
`note`	string or null

StateRules

Field	Type	About
`state` always present	string
`name` always present	string
`assessment` always present	Rule
`tax_collection` always present	Rule
`recording` always present	Rule
`zoning` always present	Rule or null
`exemptions` always present	Rule or null
`page_url`	string

Guide

Field	Type	About
`topic` always present	Topic
`state` always present	string or null
`title` always present	string
`summary` always present	string
`sections` always present	array of object
`page_url` always present	string
`state_rules` always present	StateRules or null
`state_summary` always present	string or null	Plain sentences on who does this job in the state
`also` always present	array of object	Other guides on the same topic

Decider

Field	Type	About
`description` always present	string	Who makes the official decision
`function` always present	Function or null	The function whose office is given
`office` always present	FunctionEntry or null	The responsible local body from the responsibility model, where one applies

Fact

Field	Type	About
`status` always present	string	Per fact: flood sfha, moderate, minimal, unmapped, unknown; wetlands yes, near, no, unknown; soils ok, none, unknown; elevation ok, unknown; shoreland likely, no, unknown; radon zone_1, zone_2, zone_3, not_listed
`summary` always present	string	Plain-language result
`detail` always present	string or null
`values` always present	object	Machine values, for example zone, subtype, base_flood_elevation_ft, firm_panel, feet, map_unit
`dataset` always present	string	The data the fact was read from
`publisher` always present	string
`as_of` always present	string or null	Source date where known: FIRM panel effective date, wetland image year, soil survey version, elevation acquisition date, radon map edition
`caveat` always present	string
`decided_by` always present	Decider
`resources` always present	array of Resource	Directory resources to confirm the fact

Screening

Field	Type	About
`kind` always present	`"screening"`	Every fact here is screening
`point` always present	Point
`jurisdictions` always present	array of Jurisdiction
`facts` always present	object

SearchResult

Field	Type	About
`places` always present	array of Jurisdiction
`resources` always present	array of Resource