How do I authenticate with the API?

Pass your API key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header: Authorization: Bearer {api_key}. Keys are available from your dashboard after signing up.

What response format does the API return?

All endpoints return JSON. Successful responses include a data object. Error responses include an error object with a message and status code.

Are there SDKs available?

Official SDKs are available for Node.js and Python. A community PHP SDK is also available. The REST API works with any HTTP client.

What are the API rate limits?

Rate limits depend on your plan: Starter 500 requests/day, Growth 5,000/day, Scale 50,000/day, Enterprise custom. You'll receive a 429 response when limits are exceeded.

Is there a sandbox environment for testing?

Yes. All plans include sandbox access at sandbox.api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1. Sandbox uses representative data and does not count against rate limits.

API Documentation - BizCompliance API

Quick Start

Make your first API call in under 2 minutes. Pass your API key in the Authorization header and query for requirements by business type and location.

Authentication: Include your API key as a Bearer token in every request header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

            SHELL
            
            # Get compliance requirements for a Restaurant in San Francisco, CA
curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/requirements?business_type=restaurant&city=San+Francisco&state=CA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

            JSON RESPONSE
            
          

            {
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "business_type": "restaurant",
    "location": {
      "city": "San Francisco",
      "state": "CA",
      "county": "San Francisco County"
    },
    "requirements": [
      {
        "id": "req_biz_lic_sf_ca",
        "name": "SF Business Registration Certificate",
        "type": "business_license",
        "issuing_authority": {
          "name": "SF Office of the Treasurer",
          "url": "https://sftreasurer.org/business",
          "phone": "(415) 554-6134"
        },
        "fee_range": { "min": 90, "max": 500, "currency": "USD" }
      }
      // ... more requirements
    ]
  }
}
          

Authentication

All API requests require an API key. Pass it as a Bearer token in the Authorization header on every request. Generate your API key from your dashboard after signing up.

Keep your API key secret. Never expose it in client-side JavaScript or public repositories. All requests must be made server-side.

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

            CURL
            
            curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/requirements?business_type=restaurant&city=Austin&state=TX" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Rate Limits by Plan

          
                Plan
                Requests / Day
                Requests / Month
              
                Starter
                100 req/day
                ~3,000 / month
              
                Growth
                500 req/day
                ~15,000 / month
              
                Scale
                3,000 req/day
                ~90,000 / month

Plan	Requests / Day	Requests / Month
Starter	100 req/day	~3,000 / month
Growth	500 req/day	~15,000 / month
Scale	3,000 req/day	~90,000 / month

Authentication Error Responses

            JSON - 401 Unauthorized
            
          

            {
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_api_key",
    "message": "The API key provided is invalid or has been revoked.",
    "details": "Regenerate your key at https://bizcomplianceapi.com/dashboard"
  }
}
          

Endpoints

GET /v1/requirements License & permit requirements by business type and location

Returns the complete list of licenses, permits, and registrations required to operate a given business type legally in a specific city and state. Each requirement includes the issuing authority, estimated fees, renewal schedule, application checklist, and penalty information for non-compliance.

Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
business_type	string	Required	Business type slug (e.g. `restaurant`, `retail`, `contractor`). See `/v1/business-types` for the full list.
city	string	Required	City name (e.g. `San Francisco`, `Austin`, `New York City`)
state	string	Required	Two-letter state code (e.g. `CA`, `TX`, `NY`)
county	string	Optional	County name for county-level requirements. Improves accuracy when a city spans multiple counties.

                  SHELL
                  
                  curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/requirements?business_type=restaurant&city=San+Francisco&state=CA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

                  JSON
                  
                

                  {
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "business_type": "restaurant",
    "location": {
      "city": "San Francisco",
      "state": "CA",
      "county": "San Francisco County"
    },
    "requirements": [
      {
        "id": "req_biz_lic_sf_ca",
        "name": "SF Business Registration Certificate",
        "type": "business_license",
        "category": "municipal",
        "issuing_authority": {
          "name": "SF Office of the Treasurer & Tax Collector",
          "url": "https://sftreasurer.org/business",
          "phone": "(415) 554-6134"
        },
        "fee_range": {
          "min": 90,
          "max": 500,
          "currency": "USD"
        },
        "renewal": {
          "frequency": "annual",
          "month": 5
        },
        "application_checklist": [
          "Completed application form",
          "Federal EIN",
          "Proof of business entity (LLC/Corp docs)",
          "Payment of registration fee"
        ],
        "penalty": {
          "min_fine": 500,
          "max_fine": 5000,
          "other_consequences": [
            "Forced closure",
            "Lease termination clause triggered"
          ]
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}
                

GET /v1/business-types List all supported business types

Returns the complete list of business type slugs accepted by the /v1/requirements endpoint. Use this to populate dropdowns or validate input before submitting requests.

SHELL

                  curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/business-types" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
                

JSON

                  {
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    { "id": "restaurant", "name": "Restaurant / Food Service", "category": "food_beverage", "description": "Full-service dining establishments" },
    { "id": "retail", "name": "Retail Store", "category": "retail", "description": "Physical retail locations selling goods" },
    { "id": "contractor", "name": "General Contractor", "category": "construction", "description": "Licensed general contractors" }
    // ... 44 more business types
  ]
}
                

GET /v1/locations List all supported locations

Returns all cities, states, and counties currently in our compliance database. Check this endpoint before making requirements lookups to verify your target location is covered.

Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
state	string	Optional	Filter by two-letter state code (e.g. `CA`) to return only cities in that state.

SHELL

                  curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/locations?state=CA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
                

JSON

                  {
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    { "city": "San Francisco", "state": "CA", "county": "San Francisco County" },
    { "city": "Los Angeles", "state": "CA", "county": "Los Angeles County" },
    { "city": "San Diego", "state": "CA", "county": "San Diego County" },
    { "city": "Sacramento", "state": "CA", "county": "Sacramento County" }
  ]
}
                

POST /v1/monitor Add a business to renewal monitoring

Creates a monitoring subscription for a business. You will receive webhook notifications at the specified lead-day intervals before each license or permit renewal deadline. Monitoring is billed at $3 per business per month.

Request Body (application/json)

Field	Type	Required	Description
business_id	string	Required	Your internal identifier for this business (max 128 chars)
business_type	string	Required	Business type slug (e.g. `restaurant`)
city	string	Required	City where the business operates
state	string	Required	Two-letter state code
webhook_url	string	Required	HTTPS URL to receive webhook POST requests. Must return 2xx to acknowledge receipt.
lead_days	number[]	Optional	Days before renewal to trigger alerts. Defaults to `[30, 60, 90]`.

SHELL

                  curl -X POST "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/monitor" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "business_id": "biz_8f3a9c12d4e7",
    "business_type": "restaurant",
    "city": "San Francisco",
    "state": "CA",
    "webhook_url": "https://yourapp.com/webhooks/compliance",
    "lead_days": [30, 60, 90]
  }'
                

JSON

                  {
  "success": true,
  "monitor_id": "mon_7b2e4f91a3c6",
  "next_check": "2026-04-10T08:00:00Z"
}
                

GET /v1/monitor/{monitor_id} Get monitoring status

Returns the current status of a monitoring subscription, including all active licenses being tracked and any upcoming renewal alerts scheduled.

SHELL

                  curl "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/monitor/mon_7b2e4f91a3c6" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
                

JSON

                  {
  "success": true,
  "monitor_id": "mon_7b2e4f91a3c6",
  "business_type": "restaurant",
  "location": { "city": "San Francisco", "state": "CA" },
  "active_licenses": [
    { "id": "req_biz_lic_sf_ca", "name": "SF Business Registration Certificate", "status": "active" }
  ],
  "upcoming_renewals": [
    { "id": "req_health_permit_sf_ca", "renewal_due": "2026-06-30", "days_until": 88 }
  ]
}
                

DELETE /v1/monitor/{monitor_id} Remove monitoring

Permanently removes a monitoring subscription. No further webhook alerts will be sent for this business. Billing stops at the end of the current billing period.

SHELL

                  curl -X DELETE "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/monitor/mon_7b2e4f91a3c6" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
                

JSON

                  {
  "success": true,
  "monitor_id": "mon_7b2e4f91a3c6",
  "status": "deleted",
  "deleted_at": "2026-04-03T15:44:02Z"
}
                

Error Codes

All API errors return a consistent JSON structure with a machine-readable code and a human-readable message.

            JSON - Error Response Format
            
          

            {
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "missing_parameter",
    "message": "Required parameter 'business_type' is missing.",
    "details": "See https://bizcomplianceapi.com/docs/#ep-requirements for required parameters."
  }
}
          

          
                Status
                Name
                Description
              
                400
                Bad Request
                A required parameter is missing or invalid. Check that business_type, city, and state are all present and correctly formatted.
              
                401
                Unauthorized
                The Authorization header is missing, the Bearer token is malformed, or the API key has been revoked. Regenerate your key from the dashboard.
              
                403
                Forbidden - Plan Limit
                Your API key is valid but your plan does not allow access to this endpoint or feature. Upgrade your plan to proceed.
              
                404
                Not Found
                The requested city/state combination is not in our coverage database, or the specified monitor ID does not exist. Use /v1/locations to check supported locations.
              
                429
                Rate Limited
                Your daily request limit has been exceeded. The X-RateLimit-Reset response header contains the UTC timestamp when your limit resets. Upgrade to increase limits.
              
                500
                Server Error
                An unexpected error occurred on our end. These are rare and automatically reported. Retry the request with exponential backoff. If it persists, contact support.

Status	Name	Description
400	Bad Request	A required parameter is missing or invalid. Check that `business_type`, `city`, and `state` are all present and correctly formatted.
401	Unauthorized	The `Authorization` header is missing, the Bearer token is malformed, or the API key has been revoked. Regenerate your key from the dashboard.
403	Forbidden - Plan Limit	Your API key is valid but your plan does not allow access to this endpoint or feature. Upgrade your plan to proceed.
404	Not Found	The requested city/state combination is not in our coverage database, or the specified monitor ID does not exist. Use `/v1/locations` to check supported locations.
429	Rate Limited	Your daily request limit has been exceeded. The `X-RateLimit-Reset` response header contains the UTC timestamp when your limit resets. Upgrade to increase limits.
500	Server Error	An unexpected error occurred on our end. These are rare and automatically reported. Retry the request with exponential backoff. If it persists, contact support.

SDKs & Libraries

Official language SDKs are in development. In the meantime, the API is simple enough to use directly with any HTTP client. Below are SDK status and raw fetch/axios examples.

🔷

Node.js

Coming Soon

🐍

Python

Coming Soon

🥂

Go

Coming Soon

💎

Ruby

Coming Soon

              JAVASCRIPT
              
            

              const res = await fetch(
  'https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/requirements?business_type=restaurant&city=Austin&state=TX',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${YOUR_API_KEY}`
    }
  }
);

if (!res.ok) {
  const err = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
  throw new Error(err?.error?.message || `Request failed (${res.status})`);
}

const data = await res.json();
console.log(data.data.requirements);
            

              JAVASCRIPT
              
            

              import axios from 'axios';

const client = axios.create({
  baseURL: 'https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${YOUR_API_KEY}`
  }
});

const { data } = await client.get('/requirements', {
  params: {
    business_type: 'restaurant',
    city: 'Austin',
    state: 'TX'
  }
});

console.log(data.data.requirements);
            

              PYTHON
              
            

              import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.bizcomplianceapi.com/v1/requirements",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {YOUR_API_KEY}"},
    params={
        "business_type": "restaurant",
        "city": "Austin",
        "state": "TX"
    }
)

response.raise_for_status()
data = response.json()
print(data["data"]["requirements"])
            

Webhook Events

When a monitoring subscription is active, BizCompliance API sends HTTP POST requests to your webhook_url when key events occur. Your endpoint must return a 2xx status to acknowledge receipt - we retry up to 3 times with exponential backoff on failure.

Security: Validate webhook payloads by checking the X-BizCompliance-Signature header against a HMAC-SHA256 signature of the raw request body using your API key as the secret.

renewal_upcoming

Fired when a monitored license or permit renewal is approaching. Triggered at each interval specified in lead_days (default: 90, 60, and 30 days before the renewal deadline).

requirement_changed

Fired when a tracked requirement changes - such as a fee increase, new application form, updated issuing authority, or changed renewal schedule. Allows your platform to notify affected businesses proactively.

              JSON - POST to your webhook_url
              
            

              {
  "event": "renewal_upcoming",
  "monitor_id": "mon_7b2e4f91a3c6",
  "business_id": "biz_8f3a9c12d4e7",
  "days_until_renewal": 30,
  "requirement": {
    "id": "req_health_permit_sf_ca",
    "name": "SF Health Department Permit",
    "renewal_due": "2026-05-31",
    "fee_estimate": 390,
    "authority_url": "https://www.sfdph.org/dph/EH"
  },
  "sent_at": "2026-05-01T08:00:00Z"
}
            

              JSON - POST to your webhook_url
              
            

              {
  "event": "requirement_changed",
  "monitor_id": "mon_7b2e4f91a3c6",
  "requirement_id": "req_health_permit_sf_ca",
  "change_type": "fee_updated",
  "changes": {
    "fee_range": {
      "previous": { "min": 258, "max": 695 },
      "current": { "min": 285, "max": 740 }
    }
  },
  "sent_at": "2026-04-03T12:00:00Z"
}
            

BizCompliance API Documentation

Quick Start

Authentication

Rate Limits by Plan

Authentication Error Responses

Endpoints

Error Codes

SDKs & Libraries

Webhook Events