1. Acceptance
By creating a ChangeUs API key, you ("Developer") agree to these API Terms of Service ("Terms") on behalf of yourself or the organization you represent. If you do not agree, do not create an API key or access the API. These Terms supplement the ChangeUs General Terms of Service, which also apply.
2. What the API provides
The ChangeUs Developer API ("API") provides programmatic access to a database of US government officials, agencies, and contact information ("Civic Data"). Civic Data is aggregated from public records, government websites, and community submissions. ChangeUs makes reasonable efforts to keep data accurate but does not guarantee completeness, currency, or fitness for any particular purpose.
3. Permitted uses
You may use the API to:
- Power features in your own product that connect people with government
- Display official contact information to your users
- Build civic engagement tools, constituent services, or government-facing software
- Conduct research or analysis for non-commercial purposes
4. Prohibited uses
You may not:
- Resell or relicense the raw Civic Data as a standalone data product or API without a separate written agreement with ChangeUs
- Bulk export or mirror the database — API access is per-request; systematic crawling or replication is not permitted
- Use the data to harass, spam, or contact government officials in ways that violate applicable law
- Represent ChangeUs data as your own original work without attribution
- Use the API in any product whose primary purpose is to compete directly with ChangeUs's core civic engagement platform
5. Attribution
Any product that displays Civic Data to end users must include a visible attribution such as "Official data provided by ChangeUs" or "Powered by ChangeUs." The attribution must link to https://changeus.org.
6. Rate limits and quotas
API access is subject to monthly request quotas based on your tier. Exceeding your quota will result in a 429 response until the quota resets at the start of the next calendar month. ChangeUs reserves the right to adjust quotas with reasonable notice.
7. API key security
You are responsible for keeping your API keys secure. Do not embed keys in client-side code or public repositories. If a key is compromised, revoke it immediately from your developer dashboard and generate a new one. ChangeUs is not liable for usage resulting from compromised keys.
8. Data accuracy disclaimer
Civic Data is provided "as is." Government contact information changes frequently. ChangeUs does not warrant that any data is current, complete, or error-free. You are responsible for validating data before relying on it for consequential purposes. If you find an error, please submit a correction.
9. Termination
ChangeUs may suspend or revoke API access at any time if you violate these Terms, abuse the API, or if continued access poses legal or operational risk. You may stop using the API and revoke your keys at any time.
10. Changes to these Terms
ChangeUs may update these Terms with 30 days' notice via email or in-app notification. Continued use of the API after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
11. Contact
Questions about these Terms: eric@changeus.org