# NHTSA Safety API (recalls, complaints, safety ratings)

**Canonical:** https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/nhtsa-safety-api/  
**Provider:** U.S. Department of Transportation — https://apis.io/providers/us-dot/  
**Base URL:** https://api.nhtsa.gov  
**Documentation:** https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis

NHTSA Safety API (recalls, complaints, safety ratings) is one of 12 APIs that [U.S. Department of Transportation](https://apis.io/providers/us-dot/) publishes on the [APIs.io](https://apis.io/) network. Tagged areas include Automotive, Recalls, Safety, Consumer Protection, and NHTSA. The published artifact set on APIs.io includes API documentation.

The NHTSA public safety API that powers the dynamic search applications on nhtsa.gov. Three families: /recalls for safety recalls by vehicle or campaign number, /complaints for consumer complaints filed with NHTSA (each with ODI number, crash and fire flags, injury and death counts and incident dates), and /SafetyRatings for the New Car Assessment Program 5-Star Safety Ratings walked by model year, make and model. Verified anonymously with HTTP 200 on 2026-07-28 — complaintsByVehicle for a 2020 Honda Accord returned 341 records and /SafetyRatings returned 37 model years. No API key. Governed by the NHTSA API Use Policy published at the base host.

## Machine-readable artifacts (2)

- **Documentation** — https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis
- **TermsOfService** — https://api.nhtsa.gov/

## Other U.S. Department of Transportation APIs (11)

- [FAA Aeronautic Product Release API (APRA)](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/faa-aeronautic-product-release-api/)
- [FAA Air Carrier Pilot Records Database (PRD) API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/faa-air-carrier-prd-api/)
- [FAA Safety Assurance System (SAS) API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/faa-safety-assurance-system-api/)
- [FAA Data Catalog (CKAN Action API v3)](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/faa-data-catalog-ckan-api/)
- [DOT Data Hub Open Data API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/dot-data-hub-soda-api/)
- [Bureau of Transportation Statistics Open Data API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/bts-open-data-soda-api/)
- [NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog) API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/nhtsa-vpic-api/)
- [FRA Safety Data Web Services](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/fra-safety-data-api/)
- [FMCSA QCMobile API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/fmcsa-qcmobile-api/)
- [USDOT ITS JPO Operational Data Environment (ODE) REST API](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/its-jpo-ode-rest-api/)
- [U.S. Department of Transportation Airport Status Web Service](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/us-dot-faa-airport-status-web-service-openapi/)

## Tags

Automotive, Recalls, Safety, Consumer Protection, NHTSA, Open Data

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Profiled by [API Evangelist](https://apievangelist.com) and published on [APIs.io](https://apis.io/apis/us-dot/nhtsa-safety-api/). The API's provider profile, Kin Score and agent-readiness rating are at https://apis.io/providers/us-dot/.