Government APIs
Government data and services
This directory lists 29 government APIs. 3 of them require no API key and support CORS, so you can call them directly from browser JavaScript with no backend and no sign-up. Every entry shows whether it needs authentication, serves over HTTPS and allows cross-origin requests, so you can pick one that fits your stack before you read a single doc page.
Best Government APIs for Developers
A government API allows developers to access public records, legislative data, census statistics, and civic information published by national and local government agencies. These APIs power transparency tools, civic tech applications, and policy research platforms.
CodeHelper's curated government API collection includes APIs covering census data, legislation, public spending, court records, and official statistics from multiple countries.
What to look for in a government API
- Data freshness: Legislative and regulatory data changes frequently; prefer APIs that update in real time or near real time.
- Documentation quality: Government APIs vary widely in documentation quality; check for example requests and response schemas before committing.
- Bulk download support: For large-scale analysis, APIs with bulk export endpoints or data dump options are more efficient than paginated REST calls.
How to use this API directory
- Browse the curated list of APIs below.
- Click any API to visit its documentation.
- Check the Auth column to understand what credentials you need.
Whether you are building a civic transparency tool or a legislative tracker, this free curated API directory saves you hours of research.