Create Criminal Check
curl --request POST \
--url https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'X-API-Key: <api-key>' \
--data '
{
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "123-45-6789",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"primary_address": "123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704",
"additional_addresses": [
"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556",
"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601"
],
"reference_id": "Check1234",
"source_states": [
"CA",
"IL"
]
}
'import requests
url = "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks"
payload = {
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "123-45-6789",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"primary_address": "123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704",
"additional_addresses": ["456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556", "456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601"],
"reference_id": "Check1234",
"source_states": ["CA", "IL"]
}
headers = {
"X-API-Key": "<api-key>",
"Content-Type": "application/json"
}
response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)
print(response.text)const options = {
method: 'POST',
headers: {'X-API-Key': '<api-key>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
body: JSON.stringify({
check_type: 'instant_criminal',
first_name: 'John',
last_name: 'Smith',
date_of_birth: '1990-01-15',
ssn: '123-45-6789',
middle_name: 'Mary Louise',
phone_number: '+14155552671',
primary_address: '123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704',
additional_addresses: ['456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556', '456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601'],
reference_id: 'Check1234',
source_states: ['CA', 'IL']
})
};
fetch('https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks', options)
.then(res => res.json())
.then(res => console.log(res))
.catch(err => console.error(err));<?php
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt_array($curl, [
CURLOPT_URL => "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks",
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "POST",
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
'check_type' => 'instant_criminal',
'first_name' => 'John',
'last_name' => 'Smith',
'date_of_birth' => '1990-01-15',
'ssn' => '123-45-6789',
'middle_name' => 'Mary Louise',
'phone_number' => '+14155552671',
'primary_address' => '123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704',
'additional_addresses' => [
'456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556',
'456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601'
],
'reference_id' => 'Check1234',
'source_states' => [
'CA',
'IL'
]
]),
CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
"Content-Type: application/json",
"X-API-Key: <api-key>"
],
]);
$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);
curl_close($curl);
if ($err) {
echo "cURL Error #:" . $err;
} else {
echo $response;
}package main
import (
"fmt"
"strings"
"net/http"
"io"
)
func main() {
url := "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks"
payload := strings.NewReader("{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}")
req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)
req.Header.Add("X-API-Key", "<api-key>")
req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")
res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
defer res.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks")
.header("X-API-Key", "<api-key>")
.header("Content-Type", "application/json")
.body("{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}")
.asString();require 'uri'
require 'net/http'
url = URI("https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks")
http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true
request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["X-API-Key"] = '<api-key>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}"
response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body{
"id": "d8e260ba-9fa4-4182-93a8-d0fa398aeb72",
"created_at": "2026-10-29T05:44:48.143819",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "XXXXX1234",
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"results": [
{
"category": "arrest",
"person": {
"addresses": [
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "123 Main St",
"zip": "12345"
}
],
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"date_precision": "FULL",
"doc_number": "1234567890",
"ethnicity": "Hispanic-American",
"eye_color": "HAZ",
"first_name": "John",
"gender": "M",
"hair_color": "BRN",
"height": "601",
"last_name": "Smith",
"middle_name": "Michael",
"name_aliases": [
"Mohn Jichael Smith"
],
"race": "W",
"weight": "180"
},
"source": {
"category": "arrest",
"name": "KY Franklin County Inmates",
"county": "Franklin",
"county_fips_code": "17031",
"state": "CA"
},
"cases": [
{
"case_number": "2025-99999",
"type": "<string>",
"status": "<string>",
"file_date": "2025-01-01",
"file_date_precision": "FULL",
"arresting_agency": "Franklin County Sheriff",
"arrest_date": "2025-01-01",
"arrest_date_precision": "FULL",
"court_name": "Franklin County Circuit Court",
"court_county": "Franklin",
"identity_match_confidence_level": "high",
"charges": [
{
"description": "SHOPLIFTING",
"offense_date": "2025-01-01",
"offense_date_precision": "ONLY_YEAR",
"legal_code": "433.234",
"type": "felony",
"category": "Criminal Intent",
"subcategory": "Accessory",
"subsubcategory": "SHOPLIFTING",
"record_date": "2025-01-01",
"record_date_precision": "ONLY_YEAR",
"city": "Indian Hills",
"county": "Jefferson",
"state": "CA",
"sentences": [
{
"conviction_date": "2025-01-01",
"conviction_date_precision": "FULL",
"details": "fine, 1D"
}
],
"dispositions": [
{
"disposition_type": "Conviction",
"disposition": "GLT",
"disposition_date": "2025-01-01",
"disposition_date_precision": "FULL"
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
],
"updated_at": "2026-10-29T05:44:48.143837",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"email": "john.doe@example.com",
"primary_address": {
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "123 Main St",
"zip": "12345"
},
"additional_addresses": [
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "456 Test Blvd",
"zip": "12345"
}
],
"reference_id": "Check1234"
}{
"detail": [
{
"loc": [
"<string>"
],
"msg": "<string>",
"type": "<string>",
"input": "<unknown>",
"ctx": {}
}
]
}Criminal Checks
Create Criminal Check
Create a new criminal check.
POST
/
criminal_checks
Create Criminal Check
curl --request POST \
--url https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'X-API-Key: <api-key>' \
--data '
{
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "123-45-6789",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"primary_address": "123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704",
"additional_addresses": [
"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556",
"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601"
],
"reference_id": "Check1234",
"source_states": [
"CA",
"IL"
]
}
'import requests
url = "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks"
payload = {
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "123-45-6789",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"primary_address": "123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704",
"additional_addresses": ["456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556", "456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601"],
"reference_id": "Check1234",
"source_states": ["CA", "IL"]
}
headers = {
"X-API-Key": "<api-key>",
"Content-Type": "application/json"
}
response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers)
print(response.text)const options = {
method: 'POST',
headers: {'X-API-Key': '<api-key>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
body: JSON.stringify({
check_type: 'instant_criminal',
first_name: 'John',
last_name: 'Smith',
date_of_birth: '1990-01-15',
ssn: '123-45-6789',
middle_name: 'Mary Louise',
phone_number: '+14155552671',
primary_address: '123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704',
additional_addresses: ['456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556', '456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601'],
reference_id: 'Check1234',
source_states: ['CA', 'IL']
})
};
fetch('https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks', options)
.then(res => res.json())
.then(res => console.log(res))
.catch(err => console.error(err));<?php
$curl = curl_init();
curl_setopt_array($curl, [
CURLOPT_URL => "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks",
CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "POST",
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
'check_type' => 'instant_criminal',
'first_name' => 'John',
'last_name' => 'Smith',
'date_of_birth' => '1990-01-15',
'ssn' => '123-45-6789',
'middle_name' => 'Mary Louise',
'phone_number' => '+14155552671',
'primary_address' => '123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704',
'additional_addresses' => [
'456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556',
'456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601'
],
'reference_id' => 'Check1234',
'source_states' => [
'CA',
'IL'
]
]),
CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
"Content-Type: application/json",
"X-API-Key: <api-key>"
],
]);
$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);
curl_close($curl);
if ($err) {
echo "cURL Error #:" . $err;
} else {
echo $response;
}package main
import (
"fmt"
"strings"
"net/http"
"io"
)
func main() {
url := "https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks"
payload := strings.NewReader("{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}")
req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)
req.Header.Add("X-API-Key", "<api-key>")
req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")
res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
defer res.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks")
.header("X-API-Key", "<api-key>")
.header("Content-Type", "application/json")
.body("{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}")
.asString();require 'uri'
require 'net/http'
url = URI("https://api.baselayer.com/criminal_checks")
http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true
request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["X-API-Key"] = '<api-key>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n \"check_type\": \"instant_criminal\",\n \"first_name\": \"John\",\n \"last_name\": \"Smith\",\n \"date_of_birth\": \"1990-01-15\",\n \"ssn\": \"123-45-6789\",\n \"middle_name\": \"Mary Louise\",\n \"phone_number\": \"+14155552671\",\n \"primary_address\": \"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704\",\n \"additional_addresses\": [\n \"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556\",\n \"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601\"\n ],\n \"reference_id\": \"Check1234\",\n \"source_states\": [\n \"CA\",\n \"IL\"\n ]\n}"
response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body{
"id": "d8e260ba-9fa4-4182-93a8-d0fa398aeb72",
"created_at": "2026-10-29T05:44:48.143819",
"first_name": "John",
"last_name": "Smith",
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"ssn": "XXXXX1234",
"check_type": "instant_criminal",
"results": [
{
"category": "arrest",
"person": {
"addresses": [
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "123 Main St",
"zip": "12345"
}
],
"date_of_birth": "1990-01-15",
"date_precision": "FULL",
"doc_number": "1234567890",
"ethnicity": "Hispanic-American",
"eye_color": "HAZ",
"first_name": "John",
"gender": "M",
"hair_color": "BRN",
"height": "601",
"last_name": "Smith",
"middle_name": "Michael",
"name_aliases": [
"Mohn Jichael Smith"
],
"race": "W",
"weight": "180"
},
"source": {
"category": "arrest",
"name": "KY Franklin County Inmates",
"county": "Franklin",
"county_fips_code": "17031",
"state": "CA"
},
"cases": [
{
"case_number": "2025-99999",
"type": "<string>",
"status": "<string>",
"file_date": "2025-01-01",
"file_date_precision": "FULL",
"arresting_agency": "Franklin County Sheriff",
"arrest_date": "2025-01-01",
"arrest_date_precision": "FULL",
"court_name": "Franklin County Circuit Court",
"court_county": "Franklin",
"identity_match_confidence_level": "high",
"charges": [
{
"description": "SHOPLIFTING",
"offense_date": "2025-01-01",
"offense_date_precision": "ONLY_YEAR",
"legal_code": "433.234",
"type": "felony",
"category": "Criminal Intent",
"subcategory": "Accessory",
"subsubcategory": "SHOPLIFTING",
"record_date": "2025-01-01",
"record_date_precision": "ONLY_YEAR",
"city": "Indian Hills",
"county": "Jefferson",
"state": "CA",
"sentences": [
{
"conviction_date": "2025-01-01",
"conviction_date_precision": "FULL",
"details": "fine, 1D"
}
],
"dispositions": [
{
"disposition_type": "Conviction",
"disposition": "GLT",
"disposition_date": "2025-01-01",
"disposition_date_precision": "FULL"
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
],
"updated_at": "2026-10-29T05:44:48.143837",
"middle_name": "Mary Louise",
"phone_number": "+14155552671",
"email": "john.doe@example.com",
"primary_address": {
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "123 Main St",
"zip": "12345"
},
"additional_addresses": [
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "456 Test Blvd",
"zip": "12345"
}
],
"reference_id": "Check1234"
}{
"detail": [
{
"loc": [
"<string>"
],
"msg": "<string>",
"type": "<string>",
"input": "<unknown>",
"ctx": {}
}
]
}Authorizations
Body
application/json
Create a criminal check request.
The type of criminal check to run.
Available options:
instant_criminal, sex_offender_registry Example:
"instant_criminal"
The first name of the person
Minimum string length:
2Examples:
"John"
"Jane"
The last name of the person
Minimum string length:
2Examples:
"Smith"
"Doe"
The date of birth of the person. Cannot be in the future.
Example:
"1990-01-15"
The social security number of the person
Required string length:
9 - 11Pattern:
^\d{3}-?\d{2}-?\d{4}$Example:
"123-45-6789"
The middle name of the person
Example:
"Mary Louise"
Phone number in E.164 format (US numbers start with +1).
Pattern:
^\+[1-9]\d{1,14}$Example:
"+14155552671"
The primary address to search for criminal records
Example:
"123 Main St, Springfield, IL 62704"
A list of additional addresses to search
Example:
[
"456 Test Blvd, Anytown, GA 44556",
"456 Oak Ave, Chicago, IL 60601"
]
An optional reference ID to associate with the request. Limited to alphanumeric characters and hyphens.
Maximum string length:
64Pattern:
^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]{1,64}$Example:
"Check1234"
A list of states criminal records must originate from. When supplied, records are filtered to the specified states only. Records without a source state are always included.
Available options:
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, PR, VI, AE, AA, AP, GU, AS Example:
["CA", "IL"]
Response
Successful Response
The unique identifier of the criminal check.
Example:
"d8e260ba-9fa4-4182-93a8-d0fa398aeb72"
The date and time when the criminal check was created.
Example:
"2026-10-29T05:44:48.143819"
The first name of the person.
Example:
"John"
The last name of the person.
Example:
"Smith"
The date of birth of the person.
Example:
"1990-01-15"
The social security number of the person, masked up to the final four digits
Example:
"XXXXX1234"
The type of criminal check that was run.
Available options:
instant_criminal, sex_offender_registry Example:
"instant_criminal"
Array of criminal records; empty when none are found.
Show child attributes
Show child attributes
The date and time when the criminal check was last updated.
Example:
"2026-10-29T05:44:48.143837"
The middle name of the person.
Example:
"Mary Louise"
The phone number of the person in E.164 format.
Example:
"+14155552671"
The email address of the person.
Example:
"john.doe@example.com"
The primary address of the person.
Show child attributes
Show child attributes
Example:
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "123 Main St",
"zip": "12345"
}
A list of additional addresses of the person.
Show child attributes
Show child attributes
Example:
[
{
"city": "Anytown",
"state": "CA",
"street": "456 Test Blvd",
"zip": "12345"
}
]
The reference ID associated with this request.
Maximum string length:
64Example:
"Check1234"