Auction data API docs
Search any Japanese chassis for free, then get the full auction record as clean JSON. Show it on your site under your own brand.
Need a live key? Create a free business account, open the API & Website tab and press Turn on live API. We set it up within 24 hours. Buy a pack on the Credits tab to open full reports.
Try it now - free test key
No account needed. Use the test key jps_test_key with one of the 3 example cars. The answers have exactly the same layout as a real key, so you can build your whole website first and swap in your own key later.
| Example chassis | What you get |
|---|---|
| TEST1-0000001 | A normal car: full report and 2 past auctions |
| TEST2-0000002 | A USS car: auction sheet and details only |
| TEST0-0000000 | No record found |
Every test answer has "test": true. The test key uses no credits and only answers these 3 cars (up to 60 calls every 10 minutes). Signed in? The Try it box on your API & Website tab shows the same answers with no code.
1. Sign every call with your key
Send your key in the Authorization header. Keep it on your server only - never in a web page or mobile app that customers can open.
An X-API-Key header or an api_key query value also work, but the header above is safest. Make or replace your key on the API & Website tab - a new key stops the old one at once.
2. The calls
| Call | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| GET /search?chassis= | Finds the best auction record we hold for a chassis | Free |
| GET /report?chassis=&ref= | Full record plus every past auction. ref comes from search and is optional - without it we pick the best match | 1 credit |
| GET /report?id= | Opens a report you already bought, using its report_id | Free |
| GET /balance | Shows how many reports you have left | Free |
A credit is used only when a full report is delivered. No record, a timeout or any error never costs a credit. Your dashboard and the API share the same credits.
3. Search (free)
match is exact or close. When we hold no record you get "found": false and an empty list:
4. Full report (1 credit)
report is the newest auction. history lists every auction for the chassis, newest first, with the same fields. Save report_id to open it again for free.
USS cars: USS limits its data, so you get the auction sheet and details only - no sold price and no photos.
A report can take up to 30 seconds. Set your timeout to at least 45 seconds and do not retry a report call while one is still running.
5. Report fields
| chassis | Chassis or VIN of the car |
| auction_house | Auction house name |
| auction_date | Date of the auction (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| lot_number | Lot number at that auction |
| make / model / grade | Maker, model and trim |
| year | Year of the car |
| engine_cc | Engine size in cc |
| mileage | Mileage as listed, e.g. 84 000 km |
| transmission | Gearbox code as listed, e.g. AT, F5 |
| color | Colour |
| score | Auction grade, e.g. 4.5, 4, 3.5, R, RA |
| equipment | Equipment codes as listed |
| start_price / final_price | Prices in Japanese yen (empty when the auction does not share them) |
| result | Result as listed, e.g. sold, not sold, available |
| inspector_notes | Inspector remarks when given |
| photos | How many pictures the auction had |
Prices are auction prices only. Customs duties, shipping and transport are not included.
6. Errors
Every reply has ok. When it is false you also get error and a plain-English message.
| error | HTTP | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| bad_key | 401 | Check the key on your dashboard (API & Website tab). |
| bad_chassis | 400 | Send a valid chassis or VIN. |
| bad_ref | 400 | Run search again and use a fresh ref. |
| no_credits | 402 | Refill on your dashboard (Credits tab). Refills for API accounts take up to 24 hours. |
| not_ready | 403 | Your account is not active yet. Buy a pack on your dashboard (Credits tab). |
| api_not_ready | 403 | Your live API is not on yet. Press Turn on live API on your dashboard (API & Website tab). |
| blocked | 403 | Contact us. |
| slow_down | 429 | Wait 2 seconds between calls. |
| daily_limit | 429 | Free searches reset at midnight (300 a day). |
| test_only | 404 | The test key only answers the 3 example cars. Use your own key for real cars. |
| not_found | 404 | Wrong path or report id. |
| unavailable | 503 | Temporary problem. Try again in a few minutes. No credit was used. |
7. Limits and rules
Up to 300 free searches a day and one call every 2 seconds per account. Reports are limited only by your credits. When only 20% of your last pack is left we email you, so you can refill in time.
- Show the data under your own brand - your own PDFs and links are fine.
- No bulk downloading of pictures: up to 1,000 picture downloads a day, spread through the day.
- Translations and Deeper Scans are made by our team and are on the dashboard only, not in the API.
Full rules: business terms.
8. Code examples
curl
PHP
Node.js
Python
Testing? Put jps_test_key in JPS_KEY and use TEST1-0000001 as the chassis.
WordPress plugin
Sell reports on your own WordPress site with no programmer. Visitors check a chassis for free, pay you through WooCommerce, then get the full report under your name. 1 credit is used only when a paid report is made.
- Install WooCommerce - Plugins → Add New → search "WooCommerce" → Install → Activate.
- Turn on a payment method - WooCommerce → Settings → Payments.
- Install our plugin - download the zip, then Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin → Install → Activate.
- Add your API key - Car Check → Settings. To try first, press Use the free test key.
- Set your price - what your customer pays you for one report.
- Add the check box - Car Check → Overview → Create the page for me, or put [jpsheet_check] on any page.
Needs WordPress 6.5+, PHP 7.4+ and WooCommerce. The plugin's Car Check page shows your credits, every report sold, every search, and a Retry button if a report fails.
Download the pluginNeed help?
Open a ticket on your dashboard (Account → Help) or email [email protected] with your business number (it starts with BIZ-). New here? Start with the quick start.