How to Integrate the Sex Offender Search API: Complete Developer Guide

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Unlike competitors with weekly updates, our Sex Offender Registry API features daily updates and an exclusive 99.9% Uptime SLA, making it the reliable choice for background checks, security platforms, and public safety applications.

On This Page

Base URL
Authentication
Search Modes
Query Parameters
Response Fields
Result Limits
Error Handling
Code Examples

Base URL

https://api.offenders.io/sexoffender

Authentication

Pass your API key as a query parameter key on every request.

GET /sexoffender?key={YOUR_API_KEY}&firstName=Alice

Get a free API key at offenders.io/pricing. First 50 requests/month are free.

Search Modes

Regular Search

Targeted lookups by name, DOB, address, zip code, or any combination. At least one query param is required.

GET /sexoffender?key={KEY}&firstName=Alice&zipcode=12345

Extensive Mode +$0.05/call

Add &mode=extensive to search through all known aliases on file. Ideal for state-compliance visitor screening (e.g. healthcare facilities).

GET /sexoffender?key={KEY}&firstName=Alice&lastName=Smith&mode=extensive

⚠ Slower response (~2s+). Has rate limit — not for batch processing.

GIS / Geospatial Search EXCLUSIVE

Find offenders within a radius of any GPS coordinate. The only API with native geospatial search. Can combine with name/city filters.

GET /sexoffender?key={KEY}&lat=30.967&lng=-91.116&radius=2&page=1

Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
`key`	string	Your API key (required)	`YOUR_API_KEY`
`firstName`	string	First name of offender	`Alice`
`lastName`	string	Last name of offender	`Smith`
`dob`	string	Date of birth	`1990-01-15`
`city`	string	Residence city	`San Francisco`
`state`	string	Residence state (full name)	`California`
`zipcode`	string	Residence zip code	`94104`
`lat`	number	Latitude (GIS search)	`30.967`
`lng`	number	Longitude (GIS search)	`-91.116`
`radius`	number	Radius in miles (default 1, max 100)	`5`
`mode`	string	Set to `extensive` for alias search	`extensive`
`prefixMatch`	string	Prefix match on `firstName` or `lastName`	`firstName`
`createdAtStart`	string	Filter by when the registrant first appeared in our system. Use this to create alerts for new offenders (e.g., new registrants in a zip code this month).	`2026-01-01`
`createdAtEnd`	string	Filter by first appearance in system	`2026-01-31`
`updatedAtStart`	string	Filter by last update in system	`2026-01-01`
`updatedAtEnd`	string	Filter by last update in system	`2026-01-31`
`faceId`	string	Face ID from Facial Search API	`4d8ade05...`
`uuid`	string	Pull single record by UUID	`807ff46d...`
`personUuid`	string	Pull single record by Person UUID	`83425e56...`
`page`	number	Page number (GIS search pagination)	`3`

Response Fields

Each offender object in the offenders array contains:

Field	Type	Description	Empty
`name`	string	Full name including middle name	`""`
`firstName`	string	First name	`""`
`lastName`	string	Last name	`""`
`aliases`	array	Known aliases (Extensive Mode only)	`[]`
`dob`	ISO date	Date of birth in UTC. Some states report year only (defaults to YYYY-01-01)	`null`
`address`	string	Residence street address	`""`
`city`	string	Residence city	`""`
`state`	string	Residence state (full name)	`""`
`zipcode`	string	Residence zip code	`""`
`locations`	array	All official addresses (Extensive Mode only)	`[]`
`sex`	string	Registered sex	`""`
`age`	string	Age	`""`
`eyeColor`	string	Eye color	`""`
`hairColor`	string	Hair color	`""`
`height`	string	Height	`""`
`weight`	string	Weight	`""`
`race`	string	Race	`""`
`Ethnicity`	string	Ethnicity	`""`
`marks`	string	Marks, tattoos, scars	`""`
`riskLevel`	string	Risk level	`""`
`crime`	string	Crimes committed for registration	`""`
`registrationDate`	ISO date	Date first registered	`null`
`offenderUrl`	string	URL to source state agency page	`null`
`offenderImageUrl`	string	Profile image URL	`null`
`lat`	number	Latitude of address	`-1`
`lng`	number	Longitude of address	`-1`
`jurisdiction`	string	Jurisdiction code (e.g. CA, WV)	`null`
`isAbsconder`	boolean	Known absconder status	`null`
`updatedAt`	ISO date	Last update timestamp	`null`
`uuid`	string	Unique record identifier	`""`
`content`	string	Pre-formatted HTML summary	`""`
`sources`	array	Data source references	`[]`
`page`	number	Current page (GIS only)	`1`
`totalPages`	number	Total pages (GIS only)	`1`
`stateData*`	object	Raw state agency data (experimental)	`null`

* Experimental fields are not guaranteed and may be removed without notice.

Full Example Response

//Response
{
  "offenders": [
    {
      "name": "First M Last",
      "firstName": "First",
      "firstName_nicknames": ["firsty", "firs", "1st"],
      "lastName": "Last",
      "aliases": [
        {
          "prefix": null,
          "givenName": "FIR",
          "middleName": null,
          "surName": "ST",
          "suffix": null
        },
        {
          "prefix": null,
          "givenName": "FIRST",
          "middleName": "M",
          "surName": "LA",
          "suffix": null
        },
        {
          "prefix": null,
          "givenName": "FIRST",
          "middleName": "NONAME",
          "surName": "LAST",
          "suffix": null
        },
        {
          "prefix": null,
          "givenName": "X",
          "middleName": null,
          "surName": "THE X",
          "suffix": null
        }
      ],
      "dob": "1900-10-01T00:00:00.000Z",
      "address": "10000 San Francisco Way",
      "city": "San Francisco",
      "state": "California",
      "zipcode": "94104",
      "locations": [
        {
          "name": null,
          "type": "R",
          "streetAddress": "10000 San Francisco Way",
          "city": "San Francisco",
          "county": "California",
          "state": "CA",
          "zipCode": "94104",
          "zipCodeExtension": null,
          "latitude": 50.12345,
          "longitude": -34.67890
        },
        {
          "name": null,
          "type": "E",
          "streetAddress": "200 FL DRIVE",
          "city": "Miami",
          "county": "Miami-Daide",
          "state": "FL",
          "zipCode": "33129",
          "zipCodeExtension": null,
          "latitude": 34.67890,
          "longitude": -50.12345
        }
      ],
      "sex": "Male",
      "age": "123",
      "offenderUrl": "https://meganslaw.ca.gov/OffenderDisplay.aspx?search...",
      "offenderImageUrl": "https://meganslaw.ca.gov/NSOPWPI.ashx?f=...&NSOPRFlag=True",
      "jurisdiction": "CA",
      "isAbsconder": false,
      "isPredator": true,
      "eyeColor": "Green",
      "hairColor": "Brown",
      "height": "5'11\"",
      "weight": "200 lbs.",
      "race": "White",
      "marks": "tattoo on r_arm (cross / cover the cross with tribal symbol); tattoo on l_arm (pic of a lady); tattoo on l_arm (something); ...",
      "riskLevel": "2",
      "crime": "Crime:  14:81 - Indecent Behavior with Juveniles; Juvenile victim, Conviction date:  2199-09-09, Jurisdiction:  California",
      "registrationDate": "2012-12-31T00:00:00.000Z",
      "content": "&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Zip Code: &lt;/b&gt;94104&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sex: &lt;/b&gt;Male&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Age: &lt;/b&gt;123...",
      "lat": 50.12345,
      "lng": -34.67890,
      "sources": [
        {
          "name": "National Sex Offender Public Website",
          "id": "nsopw",
          "url": "https://www.nsopw.gov/"
        },
        {
          "name": "New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services",
          "id": "criminaljustice.ny.gov",
          "url": "https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/"
        }
      ],
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-02T21:35:42.936Z",
      "uuid": "5893a310-37ce-58d8-b101-39e76a60e94a"
    }
  ]
}

Result Limits

Regular Search: 50 records max. Filter by city or zip for better results.
GIS Search: Radius defaults to 1 mi (max 100 mi). 50 records per page — use page and totalPages to paginate.

Error Handling

Code	Meaning	Example Response
400	Bad Request	`{"error":"Invalid input params","reason":"no query params presented"}`
401	Unauthorized — missing or invalid API key	`{"code":401,"message":"Missing API key"}`
405	Method Not Allowed

Code Examples

JavaScript / Node.js

const res = await fetch(
  `https://api.offenders.io/sexoffender?key=${API_KEY}&zipcode=94104`
)
const { offenders } = await res.json()
console.log(offenders[0].name, offenders[0].city)

Python

import requests

r = requests.get("https://api.offenders.io/sexoffender", params={
    "key": API_KEY,
    "firstName": "Alice",
    "zipcode": "94104"
})
offenders = r.json()["offenders"]

cURL

curl "https://api.offenders.io/sexoffender?key=YOUR_KEY&lat=30.967&lng=-91.116&radius=2"

Batch Processing

Need to process thousands of records? Use our web-based batch tool at batch.offenders.io — upload a CSV with First Name, Last Name, and optional DOB. See the Batch Processing Guide for details.

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