Govinfo Gov GovInfo API

Can I search across all GovInfo collections at once with this API?

Yes, but the search service takes a POST, not a GET. GPO's official document declares only a POST operation on /search, and a GET to that path returns HTTP 400 with the message '/search does not support GET requests. Please use a POST method, supplying a JSON request body with your query.' The JSON body accepts query, pageSize, offsetMark, sorts, historical and resultLevel; there is no collection parameter, so you scope a query by using field operators such as congress and publishdate inside the query string. Results carry packageId values that can then be fetched via /packages/{packageId}/summary for full metadata.

What are the rate limits for the GovInfo API?

GovInfo is fronted by the api.data.gov gateway, whose developer manual states that rate limits may vary by service but the default is an hourly limit of 1,000 requests per hour per API key. Exceeding it returns HTTP 429 with code OVER_RATE_LIMIT, and GovInfo's own message on that response points you to govinfo@gpo.gov. Plan batch jobs accordingly and cache package summaries since the underlying documents rarely change after publication.

How do I retrieve documents published on or after a given date through Jentic?

Install Jentic One, import the GovInfo API from the Jentic API Directory, then have your agent search for 'retrieve government documents published on a date'. Jentic returns the GET /published/{dateStr} operation. Load its schema and supply dateStr in YYYY-MM-DD form. GPO's official document marks both the collection filter and pageSize as required on this operation, so pass a collection code such as FR and a pageSize as well; a call with no collection returns HTTP 500. The response lists packages with a dateIssued on or after that date, so filter or bound the result yourself if you need a single day.

Is the GovInfo API free to use?

Yes, the GovInfo API is free. GPO's official document states that the API requires an API.data.gov key and links to its signup page at `https://www.govinfo.gov/api-signup`, and the api.data.gov developer manual puts the default at 1,000 requests per hour per key. GovInfo is operated by the U.S. Government Publishing Office as a public service.

What document formats can I get back from a package?

Each package summary returned by /packages/{packageId}/summary includes download URLs for the formats GPO publishes for that document type - typically PDF, XML, HTML, and a metadata MODS file. Not every collection offers every format, so check the download object on the response before requesting a specific file.

Is there a GovInfo API MCP server?

You do not need an MCP server to give your agent the GovInfo API. Jentic connects it directly from the Jentic API Directory: import the API, store your api.data.gov key once in your self-hosted Jentic One instance, and your agent gets the full 7-endpoint surface across collections, packages, granules, published dates, and search. Operations are discovered on demand, so no extra server's tool definitions sit in the agent's context, and your rules decide which of them the agent may call.

Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do with the GovInfo API?

Yes. Because you run Jentic One yourself, your own rules decide which GovInfo operations the agent may call, so you can grant only the read operations you want, such as /search and /packages/{packageId}/summary while withholding the others. Since GovInfo puts the collection and package id in the URL path, a rule can pin the agent to a single collection like FR or CFR or to one package id. Every operation here is read-only, so the agent can retrieve and cite documents but cannot alter anything, and any operation you do not name is not available to it.