What data does the OTDCheck API return for a VIN lookup?

A single VIN lookup returns the vehicle's full price history, days-on-lot timeline, open NHTSA recall status, dealer behavior score, and comparable market listings. All data is returned as structured JSON so you can integrate it directly into your application, spreadsheet, or analytics pipeline.

Is there a free tier for the OTDCheck API?

Yes. The Free plan includes 100 API requests per month at no cost, with access to VIN lookups, recall checks, and basic price data. No credit card is required to get started. Upgrade to Pro or Enterprise when you need higher volume or advanced features like full price history and dealer scores.

How do I authenticate with the OTDCheck API?

Authentication uses a Bearer token passed in the Authorization header of every request. After signing up, you receive an API key from your dashboard. Include it as 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' in each request. Keys can be rotated at any time from the account settings page.

Can I use the OTDCheck API for bulk VIN lookups?

Absolutely. The Pro and Enterprise plans support bulk VIN checks. You can submit batches of VINs and receive consolidated JSON responses, making it easy to enrich entire inventory files, loan portfolios, or insurance policy datasets in a single workflow. Enterprise customers also get access to real-time streaming feeds.

What API products can I subscribe to individually?

You can subscribe to VIN Intelligence ($29/mo), Safety Intelligence ($19/mo), Pricing Intelligence ($29/mo), Ownership Costs ($24/mo), Dealer Intelligence ($19/mo), or Marine API ($29/mo) individually. The Core Auto API is always free. Or get All Access for $149/mo to unlock everything with the highest limits.

API for Developers

35 endpoints across 7 product categories. VIN intelligence, safety data, pricing, ownership costs, dealer analytics, and marine data.

Authentication

All API requests require a Bearer token in the Authorization header. Get your API key from the dashboard after signing up.

Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key_here

Free tier keys start with sk_free_, paid keys start with sk_live_. Keys can be rotated at any time from your dashboard. Never share your API key publicly.

Endpoint Reference

35 endpoints grouped by product. Click any endpoint to see parameters, example requests, and example responses.

Core Auto

Free10 endpoints

VIN Intelligence

$29/mo3 endpoints

Safety Intelligence

$19/mo3 endpoints

Pricing Intelligence

$29/mo4 endpoints

Ownership Costs

$24/mo5 endpoints

Dealer Intelligence

$19/mo5 endpoints

Marine

$29/mo5 endpoints

Quick Start

1$ curl -X GET "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1/vin/1HGCV1F34PA123456" \

2 -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..." \

3 -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Response - 200 OK
1{
"vin": "1HGCV1F34PA123456",
"fair_price": {
  "low": 22400,
  "mid": 24100,
  "high": 25800
},
"recalls": [{
  "nhtsa_id": "24V-108",
  "component": "Fuel System",
  "severity": "HIGH"
}],
"days_on_lot": 34,
"dealer_score": "B+"
15}

Code Examples

cURL
# Search for Toyota Camry near 90210
curl "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1/search\
?make=Toyota&model=Camry&zip=90210" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..."

# Get VIN details
curl "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1/vin/\
1HGCV1F34PA123456" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..."

# Check safety ratings
curl "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1/safety/\
1HGCV1F34PA123456" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_..."

Python
import requests

API_KEY = "sk_live_..."
BASE = "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1"
headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"
}

# Search listings
r = requests.get(
    f"{BASE}/search",
    params={"make": "Toyota", "zip": "90210"},
    headers=headers,
)
listings = r.json()["results"]

# Get VIN details
vin = listings[0]["vin"]
detail = requests.get(
    f"{BASE}/vin/{vin}",
    headers=headers,
).json()

print(f"Price: {detail['fair_price']['mid']:,{'}'}")

JavaScript
const API_KEY = "sk_live_...";
const BASE = "https://api.otdcheck.com/v1";

const headers = {
  Authorization: `Bearer ${API_KEY}`,
};

// Search listings
const searchRes = await fetch(
  `${BASE}/search?make=Toyota&zip=90210`,
  { headers }
);
const { results } = await searchRes.json();

// Get VIN details
const vin = results[0].vin;
const detailRes = await fetch(
  `${BASE}/vin/${vin}`,
  { headers }
);
const detail = await detailRes.json();

console.log(
  `Price: $${detail.fair_price.mid}`
);

Who Uses the API?

Developers and Startups

Car-shopping apps, browser extensions, and Slack bots that surface price alerts and recall notifications.

Auto Dealers

Bulk VIN enrichment to benchmark inventory against the broader market and spot overpriced units.

Insurance Companies

Recall status and price history to refine underwriting models and automate total-loss valuations.

Hedge Funds

Market pulse endpoint to track macro trends in used-vehicle supply, pricing velocity, and demand shifts.

Auto Lenders

Verify collateral values at origination and monitor portfolio-level depreciation curves.

Anyone Else

Free-tier users can prototype and validate an integration in minutes. Paid plans scale to millions of requests.

Pricing

Start free. Scale when you need to.

Auto API

Automotive market intelligence

Free

100 calls/mo

VIN lookup
Recall checks
Basic price data
No credit card

ProPOPULAR

$49/mo

25,000 calls/mo

Full price history
Dealer scores
Market analytics
Bulk VIN checks
Email support

Enterprise

$199/mo

100,000 calls/mo

Everything in Pro
Bulk data feeds
Alt data signals
Priority support + SLA
Onboarding call

Marine API

Boat & marine market intelligence