License Verification API for Developers
One REST API to verify nurse, PT, pharmacist, contractor, and business licenses in real time — sourced directly from official state licensing boards. Six license types, 31+ states, structured JSON, free tier.
Built for developers who need source-of-truth license data
Most “license verification” tools resell stale data from third-party aggregators. licenseapi.dev queries official state boards in real time and returns the same data a compliance officer would see on the board website.
Official state board sources
Every verification queries the source of truth — the state licensing board — directly. No third-party aggregators, no stale databases, no license data resold from 2018.
Real-time by default
Most verifications return in under 5 seconds from a live board query. Results are cached for up to 1 hour; pass bypass_cache=true to force a fresh pull.
Publicly available data only
All endpoints return publicly posted government records. No PHI, no PII beyond what the state board already publishes, no HIPAA exposure.
Six license verification APIs
Every API on this list queries official state licensing boards directly. Each returns a consistent JSON schema so a single integration pattern works across all license types.
Nurse License Verification API
Real-time RN and LPN license verification across 31 U.S. states from official state nursing boards.
Physical Therapy License Verification API
PT and PTA license verification across 43 states via state boards and the PT Compact directory.
Pharmacist License Verification API
Real-time pharmacist license verification from state pharmacy boards across FL, CA, TX, and NY.
Contractor License Verification API
Contractor license verification with bond and workers comp data from CSLB, TDLR, and DBPR.
Business Name Availability API
Check business name availability in real time across official state business registries.
Business Formation Document API
Generate state-specific LLC and corporation formation documents, formatted and ready to file.
One REST call, one JSON response
All six APIs follow the same request pattern — GET with a license number and state code, authenticated via RapidAPI header. Example below uses the nurse endpoint, but the shape is identical for PT, pharmacist, and contractor.
Request
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://nurse-license-verification.p.rapidapi.com/verify?license_number=RN123456&state=FL' \
--header 'x-rapidapi-host: nurse-license-verification.p.rapidapi.com' \
--header 'x-rapidapi-key: YOUR_API_KEY'Response
{
"license_number": "RN123456",
"name": "Jane Smith",
"state": "FL",
"license_type": "Registered Nurse",
"status": "Active",
"expiration_date": "2027-06-30",
"disciplinary_actions": [],
"verified_at": "2026-04-20T00:00:00Z",
"source_url": "https://flhealthsource.gov/",
"cache_hit": false
}Who integrates license verification APIs
Healthcare staffing platforms
Travel nurse, per diem, and permanent placement agencies automate license verification at onboarding and re-credentialing. Replaces manual lookups through 31 separate state board websites with one API call.
Telehealth and digital health
Telehealth platforms must verify that every provider holds an active, unencumbered license in the patient's state before a visit. The API integrates into provider activation and ongoing compliance workflows.
Home service marketplaces
Contractor marketplaces (home improvement, HVAC, electrical) verify license status, bond coverage, and workers' comp before a contractor can accept jobs. The contractor API returns all three in one call for CA, TX, and FL.
HR, payroll, and EHR platforms
HR tech and EHR companies embedding license compliance into their products use the APIs to automate credential checks at hire, renewal, and audit. Structured JSON integrates cleanly with existing onboarding schemas.
Background check and screening
Background check providers enrich screening reports with real-time license status, expiration, and disciplinary history. Replaces the “we'll get back to you in 48 hours” manual verification step.
Credentialing software
CVO and credentialing SaaS platforms use the APIs as the primary source for primary-source verification (PSV) of nursing, PT, and pharmacist licenses — with a direct link to the official board record for every verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is a license verification API?
A license verification API is a programmatic interface that returns the current status of a professional or business license — nurse, contractor, pharmacist, physical therapist, LLC, etc. — without the caller having to manually search each state board website. licenseapi.dev provides six license verification APIs, each backed by real-time queries to official state licensing boards.
Which license types does this API support?
licenseapi.dev covers Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Physical Therapists (PT), Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA), Pharmacists, and General Contractors, plus business name availability and business formation document generation across U.S. states.
How is this different from Nursys?
Nursys covers registered nurses only and requires board-specific access agreements. licenseapi.dev is a developer-first REST API that covers nurses plus four other license categories, returns standardized JSON, and requires only a RapidAPI key — no separate board agreements. We source directly from official boards, including NURSYS-participating jurisdictions where applicable.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. The free tier includes 50 verifications per month on every API, suitable for evaluation and low-volume use. Paid tiers start at $49/month on RapidAPI with usage-based overage pricing.
How do I authenticate?
All APIs use RapidAPI authentication. Subscribe to the API on RapidAPI and include your x-rapidapi-key header in every request. No OAuth flows, no API key rotation, no enterprise procurement cycle required to start.
What data format does the API return?
Structured JSON. Every endpoint returns a consistent schema: license_number, name, state, license_type, status, expiration_date, disciplinary_actions (array), verified_at timestamp, and source_url linking to the official state board record.
Can I verify licenses in bulk?
The APIs are one-verification-per-request by design. For bulk workflows, make concurrent requests within your plan's rate limit (Pro supports 60 req/min). Enterprise customers can contact contact@licenseapi.dev for higher throughput and batch processing arrangements.
What happens when a state board is temporarily unavailable?
Each API has a /status endpoint returning real-time health for every state portal. If a state board is down, the verification endpoint returns a 503 with the state's status. Cached results (up to 1 hour old) continue to serve normally.
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