API changelog

Every change to the GovDir API, newest first. Removals and changes in meaning are announced here at least 12 months ahead and marked with Deprecation and Sunset headers.

Deprecations in progress

None.

2026-10-06: version 1.4.0

• Lower limits for callers without a key, because copying the directory through the API was cheaper than through the website: all callers without a key share 600 requests and 100 place and resource list requests a day, and each network address can make 30 list requests a day. The MCP server allows 1,000 tool calls a day for all users together. The numbers are in the limits table.
• Without a key, a page of /places/{jurisdiction_id} or /resources holds at most 50 items and /search returns at most 20 places and 20 resources. A larger limit is not an error: the answer holds the first 50 (or 20) in the same order, and lists carry next_cursor for the rest. Keys are not affected.

2026-10-05: version 1.3.0

• Requests without a key also count toward limits shared by all callers without a key: one for every request, and a smaller one for /places/{jurisdiction_id} and /resources, which also covers the MCP server. Over a shared limit the API answers 429 with Retry-After, like the per-address limits. The numbers are in the limits table. Keys are not affected.

2026-10-04: version 1.2.0

• /jurisdictions/resolve takes jurisdiction_id, so the choices of an ambiguous place can be resolved directly.
• place can name the county after a comma, like Washington, Door County. A place that is not in that county answers 404 instead of returning the county.
• place can end with its two-letter state, like Washington, Door County, WI, instead of a separate state.
• Address answers for API and MCP callers mark a parcel found only from the address point as unverified and list it as a candidate, because the point can land on a neighboring lot.

2026-10-03: version 1.1.0

• /county-data answers county-wide parcel questions from PublicGIS (live since 2026-09-28, now listed here).
• Fix: when the parcel database does not answer, /county-data returns 503 with type busy or upstream-unavailable, never cached, instead of 200 with state down.
• Fix: a place name that matches several places answers 409 with a detail that points to /places/{jurisdiction_id}, the call that takes the jurisdiction_id of a choice.
• Fix: the 429 detail only suggests an API key when keys can be obtained.

2026-09-26: version 1.0.0

• First public version at https://api.govdir.com/v1: /jurisdictions/resolve, /resources, /places/{jurisdiction_id}, /topics, /guides/{topic}, /screening and /search.
• Anonymous use with per-address limits; API keys with higher limits.
• Screening covers flood zones, wetlands, soils, elevation, Minnesota shoreland and the county's EPA radon zone.