FBI Wanted API
Free FBI Wanted API with no key: most wanted fugitives, missing persons and case data with photos, descriptions and reward details. Tested curl example.
Endpoint tested and returned HTTP 200 on 2026-08-19
What is the FBI Wanted API?
The FBI Wanted API is a free, key-free API published by the FBI that returns its wanted persons, missing persons and seeking-information cases, including photographs, physical descriptions and reward amounts.
This is an official FBI public data feed covering fugitives, missing persons, kidnappings and cases where the Bureau is seeking information. Each record carries photographs, physical descriptors, the field office handling it and any reward.
The data is sensitive by nature. Records describe real ongoing investigations involving real people, so if you surface it, link back to the official FBI page rather than presenting it as your own dataset, and keep it current — records are removed when cases close.
Quick facts
- Base URL
https://api.fbi.gov- Authentication
- No API key required.
- Rate limit
- No published limit; reasonable use expected.
- Pricing
- Free public domain US government data.
- CORS
- Not enabled — call it from your server
- Official docs
- Read the docs
How to use the FBI Wanted API
Every request below was executed against the live API on 2026-08-19, and the response shown is the real body it returned — not an illustration.
1. Fetch a wanted persons record
GET https://api.fbi.gov/wanted/v1/list?pageSize=1
curl 'https://api.fbi.gov/wanted/v1/list?pageSize=1'const res = await fetch("https://api.fbi.gov/wanted/v1/list?pageSize=1");
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${res.status}`);
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);import requests
res = requests.get("https://api.fbi.gov/wanted/v1/list?pageSize=1", timeout=20)
res.raise_for_status()
print(res.json()){
"total": 1230,
"items": [
{
"files": [
{
"url": "https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/victor-eduardo-morales-zelaya/download.pdf",
"name": "English"
},
{
"url": "https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cei/victor-eduardo-morales-zelaya/cuervospanish.pdf/@@download/file/CuervoSpanish.pdf",
"name": "EN ESPAOL"
}
],
"age_range": null,
"uid": "7d54d3dc154843ddaae748d03fb8f375",
"weight": "220 pounds",
"occupations": null,
"field_offices": [
"houston"
],
"locations": null,
"reward_text": "The United States Department of State's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5,000,000 for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Victor Eduardo Morales Zelaya.",
"sex": "Male",
"hair": "black",
"ncic": null,
"dates_of_birth_used": [
"July 11, 1974"
],
"caution": "<p>Victor Eduardo Morales Zelaya is allegedly a national leader and high-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras and a close associate of Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, <a data-urltype=\"/view\" data-val=\"https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/yulan-adonay-archaga-carias\" href=\"https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/yulan-adonay-archaga-carias\" data-linktype=\"external\">Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias</a>. Morales Zelaya allegedly coordinated the gang’s drug trafficking business, acts of violence (including murders and kidnappings) against rivals, and the movement of proceeds from the gang’s illicit activities. He is also aParameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
pageSize | integer | Optional | Results per page, up to 50. 20 |
page | integer | Optional | Page number. 2 |
title | string | Optional | Filter by case title. bank |
field_offices | string | Optional | Filter by FBI field office. chicago |
poster_classification | string | Optional | Case type such as missing, ten or default. missing |
Response fields
totalinteger- Total records matching the query.
items[].titlestring- Subject or case title.
items[].descriptionstring- Short case description.
items[].imagesarray- Photograph URLs at several sizes with captions.
items[].reward_textstring- Reward offered, when applicable.
items[].field_officesarray- FBI field offices handling the case.
items[].urlstring- Canonical FBI page for the record — link here.
What you can build with the FBI Wanted API
- Display current most-wanted or missing-persons listings on a public safety site
- Build alerting for new cases in a specific field office region
- Support journalism and research into federal cases
- Practise handling paginated APIs with rich media attachments
Common errors and how to fix them
Empty items array
Filters matched nothing, or the page is beyond the result set.
Fix: Check `total` before paginating further.
Stale records
Cases close and records are withdrawn.
Fix: Re-fetch regularly and always link to the canonical `url`; never cache indefinitely.
FBI Wanted API — frequently asked questions
Is the FBI Wanted API free?
Yes, it is an official FBI public API with no key required, and the data is US government public domain.
What kinds of cases does it cover?
Wanted fugitives including the Ten Most Wanted, missing persons, kidnappings, and cases where the FBI is seeking information from the public.
Can I use this data on my own site?
The data is public domain, but it describes real people in active investigations. Link back to the official FBI record, keep your copy current, and remove records once they disappear from the feed.
How do I filter to a specific case type?
Use poster_classification, with values such as missing, ten (Ten Most Wanted) or default for standard wanted notices.
Tools that pair with this API
JSON Formatter
Format, beautify and minify JSON online with 2-space, 4-space or tab indentation. Sort keys alphabetically and catch syntax errors instantly — free and private.
Image Cropper
Crop images online to an exact rectangle with pixel-precise x, y, width and height inputs or aspect-ratio presets. Free, private and browser-based.
FBI Wanted is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with ByteTools or ByteVancer. Details on this page were verified on 2026-08-19; always check the official documentation before relying on this API in production, as terms and limits can change.