> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.baselayer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Welcome to Baselayer!

## What is Baselayer

Baselayer helps financial institutions, fintechs, and marketplaces verify business identity and assess risk through real-time data and simple APIs. Whether you're onboarding merchants, underwriting loans, or monitoring existing customers, Baselayer provides the structured, authoritative data you need to make confident decisions.

This documentation will help you understand how business verification works, which products to use, and how to integrate Baselayer into your workflows.

***

## First Steps

<Columns cols={3}>
  <Card title="Business Verification" href="/docs/business-verification-basics" icon="building">
    **5 min** · Understanding the basics of the challenge we are solving.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" href="/docs/authentication" icon="key-skeleton">
    How to use your API keys correctly.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Getting Started" href="/docs/getting-started" icon="rocket-launch">
    **3 min** · How to make your first Baselayer API request.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Versioning" href="/docs/api-versioning-compatibility" icon="gears">
    Build for forward compatibility with our API.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sandbox vs. Production" href="/docs/sandbox-vs-production-environments" icon="compass-drafting">
    Leverage our sandbox environment during implementation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Baselayer with LLMs" href="/docs/how-to-use-baselayer-with-llms" icon="robot">
    Leverage Claude or ChatGPT to set up quickly your integration.
  </Card>
</Columns>

***

<Info>
  Want your assistant to run Baselayer searches for you, not just write integration code? Connect the Baselayer MCP to Claude or ChatGPT. See the [MCP Overview](/docs/mcp) to get set up.
</Info>

***

## Baselayer Documentation Structure

**Every Baselayer product follows the same core structure** in this documentation. At a minimum, each product’s documentation includes these pages:

* **Basics:** what the product does, key concepts, terminology, and when to use it.
* **API Quickstart:** the fastest path to a successful first request (auth + a simple example).
* **Best Practices:** guidance on real-world usage - recommended workflows, edge cases, rate limits, and common pitfalls.

Some products may include **additional pages** when needed to explain product-specific behavior or advanced concepts. For example, Business Search includes a dedicated page for Scores & Ratings to clarify how scoring works and how to interpret results.

***

## Baselayer Products

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Business Search" href="/docs/business-search" icon="magnifying-glass">
    Foundation for all workflows - registration, TIN, sanctions, officers, risk scores.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Online Presence" href="/docs/online-presence-basics" icon="globe">
    Website discovery, industry prediction, digital legitimacy assessment.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Portfolio Monitoring" href="/docs/portfolio-monitoring" icon="briefcase">
    Continuous monitoring for status changes, new liens, bankruptcies, sanctions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lien Search & Filing" href="/docs/lien-search-basics" icon="file">
    Search liens and filings tied to businesses.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Docket Search" href="/docs/litigation-bankruptcy-search-basics" icon="gavel">
    Identify litigation and bankruptcy history.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Consumer Solutions" href="/docs/consumer-checks-basics" icon="user">
    Verify consumers and support compliant identity workflows.
  </Card>
</Columns>

***

## Typical Implementation Path

Most customers implement Baselayer in phases, starting with foundational products and expanding based on risk appetite and use case requirements.

| Phase | Products | When to Implement | Implementation Time | Typical Use Cases |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| **Phase 1: Foundation** | • Business Search | Start here for all implementations | **1 week** | All business onboarding, vendor verification |
| **Phase 2: Online Presence** | • Online Presence | Review the digital footprint of applicants | **1-2 weeks** | Merchant underwriting and sole prop verification |
| **Phase 3: Risk Enhancement** | • Lien Search <br />• Docket Search | Add for higher-value relationships or lending | **1-2 weeks** | Business lending, factoring, large merchants |
| **Phase 4: Ongoing Management** | • Portfolio Monitoring | Implement for continuous risk tracking and compliance | **2 weeks** | Regulatory compliance (CDD), ongoing risk management |

***

## Use Cases

Baselayer supports diverse workflows across financial services and marketplaces:

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Bank Account Opening" href="/docs/bank-account-opening" icon="coins">
    Streamlined onboarding with faster verification and fewer false declines.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Processors" href="/docs/payments" icon="money-bill-transfer">
    Underwrite merchants quickly and monitor risk as they scale.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Marketplaces" href="/docs/marketplaces" icon="cart-shopping">
    Vet sellers at signup and continuously monitor for new risk.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business Lending" href="/docs/lending" icon="building-columns">
    Complete workflow to verify identity, credit and fraud risk.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Factoring & Equipment Financing" href="/docs/factoring-equipment-financing" icon="truck">
    Rapid credit decisions and collateral review.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sole Prop Verification" href="/docs/sole-prop-verification" icon="person-shelter">
    Verify individuals behind small businesses and reduce fraud exposure.
  </Card>
</Columns>

***

## Need Help?

* **Implementation questions**: Contact your Baselayer account manager
* **Technical support**: See [FAQs](https://support.baselayer.com) or reach out to [support@baselayer.com](mailto:support@baselayer.com)
* **API specifications**: Browse the complete [API Reference](/api-reference)
* **Status updates**: Check the [Baselayer Status Page](https://status.baselayer.com) for system health and maintenance windows

Ready to start? Head to [Authentication](/docs/authentication) to set up your API keys.


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