Getting started with the API

The most common thing you'll want to do with the API is to screen a set of people or companies for their presence on a watchlist. To get started:

• Follow the matching API quickstart tutorial to make your first screening call and interpret the response, including how to authenticate requests using your API key.
• Browse the full API documentation for a detailed overview of the functionality that is available. There's also an OpenAPI JSON spec that you can use the generate an API client in your favorite language.
• Learn about the entities and search APIs.
• Dig into the detailed data dictionary to learn which types of entities, properties and relationships are used in the data.
• Explore the Frequently Asked Questions regarding the API and data format.
• Most important: our support team is excited to work with you and answer your questions.

Next steps#

Once you've performed your first set of requests against the API, here's some more in-depth resources you might be interested in:

• Deep dives on how to compose a request, and how to interpret the response.
• Accessing and using the nested relationship data in our API (e.g. to see sanctions details, family and business relationships, etc).
• Learn how to tune the matching algorithm to fit your use case and reduce the number of false matches in response to your queries.
• Read up on the supported matching algorithms.
• There's matches! Understand entity risk tagging and sanctions programs to determine if a match result is sanctioned, sanction-linked, a PEP, or some other category of risk.
• Once you've integrated the API, check if running the service on-premise is a better option for you in terms of privacy, scaling, and pricing.

Commercials#

The OpenSanctions API has very simple, transparent pricing. Our simple pay-as-you-go metering model gives you full flexibility, and doesn't lock you into any contracts.

• Find more details in the commercial section of the FAQ.
• Please feel free to set up a call with us to discuss pricing. We're keen to discuss volume use discounts starting at 20,000 req/mo.
• Visit your account page to view usage statistics and manage your API key, configure billing details, etc.