FAQ

1. How do I authenticate with the Spokeo API? All requests to the Spokeo API require authentication using OAuth 2.0 with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) signed with ES256. You’ll first generate a JWT with your client credentials, then exchange it for an access token. The access token should be included in the Authorization header as a Bearer token on each API request.

2. What happens if no match is found for my query? If the Spokeo API cannot resolve an entity, the response will return an empty object with no associated profile data. This allows you to distinguish between a valid query with no results versus an error. You will not be charged for failed lookups.

3. Can I test the API before purchasing a plan? Yes. You can request a free test API key to evaluate Spokeo before committing to a plan. The test key allows you to run limited enrichment calls against our datasets. To request your key, email us at apisupport@spokeo.com or call us at (888) 585-2370.

4. How does Spokeo throttle inbound API calls? The Spokeo API uses a token-bucket rate-limiting system. If you exceed your allowed request rate, the API returns HTTP error code 429 “Too Many Requests” until capacity becomes available again. By default, 17 new requests are added back to your bucket each second.