# nyc-311-mcp

An [MCP (Model Context Protocol)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) server for the [NYC 311 Public API](https://api-portal.nyc.gov/) — the city-services calendar, emergency and weather status alerts, and 311 service-request lookup.

NYC 311 is the city's central hub for non-emergency city services. This server exposes the public 311 API so an AI assistant can answer questions like whether alternate-side parking is suspended today, whether a Code Blue cold-weather alert is in effect, or what the status of a filed service request is.

Vibe coded with [Claude](https://claude.ai) by [BetaNYC](https://beta.nyc).

---

## What it does

Exposes 4 tools over MCP:

| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| `get_calendar` | Alternate Side Parking, Collections (trash/recycling/compost), and Schools status for a date or range (max 90 days) |
| `get_status` | Current city status for an emergency or weather condition (Code Blue, fire hydrants, OEM alerts, snow) |
| `get_service_request` | Look up one 311 service request by number |
| `get_service_request_list` | Bulk look up multiple service requests in one call |

---

## Tools reference

### `get_calendar`

Returns Alternate Side Parking, Collections (trash/recycling/compost), and Schools status for a single date or a date range. The range may not exceed 90 days. If no parameters are given, it defaults to today. Dates are interpreted in the America/New_York timezone — "today" means today in New York, regardless of the server's local time.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `date` | string | no | today | Single date, YYYY-MM-DD — used for both ends if no range given |
| `from_date` | string | no | — | Range start, YYYY-MM-DD |
| `to_date` | string | no | — | Range end, YYYY-MM-DD |

```
get_calendar()                                       → today
get_calendar(date="2026-07-04")
get_calendar(from_date="2026-07-01", to_date="2026-07-07")
```

Sample response (a normal weekday):

```json
{
  "days": [
    {
      "today_id": "20260622",
      "items": [
        { "type": "Alternate Side Parking", "status": "IN EFFECT", "details": "Alternate side parking and meters are in effect." },
        { "type": "Collections", "status": "ON SCHEDULE", "details": "Trash, recycling, and compost collections are on schedule." },
        { "type": "Schools", "status": "OPEN", "details": "Public schools are open." }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

The three `type` values are `Alternate Side Parking`, `Collections` (trash, recycling, and compost), and `Schools`. On holidays each item also carries an `exceptionName` — for example, a Memorial Day lookup returns `"status": "SUSPENDED"` with `"exceptionName": "Memorial Day 2026"`.

---

### `get_status`

Returns the current city status for one emergency or weather condition.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `type` | string | yes | — | One of: `CodeBlue`, `FireHydrant`, `OEM`, `SnowOnSidewalk`, `SnowOnStreet` |

| `type` value | What it reports |
|---|---|
| `CodeBlue` | Extreme-cold-weather shelter alert (Code Blue) |
| `FireHydrant` | Fire-hydrant clearing status |
| `OEM` | Office of Emergency Management active alerts |
| `SnowOnSidewalk` | Snow-on-sidewalk clearing status |
| `SnowOnStreet` | Snow-on-street clearing status |

```
get_status(type="CodeBlue")
get_status(type="SnowOnStreet")
```

---

### `get_service_request`

Look up one 311 service request by its number. Returns the agency, problem type, status (Open / In Progress / Closed / Cancelled), timestamp, and address as provided by the API.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `sr_number` | string | yes | — | Service request number, format `311-XXXXXXXX` |

```
get_service_request(sr_number="311-17323508")
```

---

### `get_service_request_list`

Bulk look up multiple service requests in a single call. Returns the same per-request data as `get_service_request`.

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `sr_numbers` | string[] | yes | — | Array of service request numbers |

```
get_service_request_list(sr_numbers=["311-17323508", "311-17323514"])
```

---

## Common workflows

### Check today's city services before heading out

```
get_calendar()                       → is alternate-side parking suspended? are schools open?
get_status(type="SnowOnStreet")      → is street snow-clearing under way?
```

### Watch for a cold-weather emergency

```
get_status(type="CodeBlue")          → is an extreme-cold shelter alert in effect?
get_status(type="OEM")               → any other active OEM alerts?
```

### Plan around a holiday week

```
get_calendar(from_date="2026-07-01", to_date="2026-07-07")   → ASP / collection / schools across the week
```

### Track filed complaints

```
get_service_request(sr_number="311-17323508")                          → one request's current status
get_service_request_list(sr_numbers=["311-17323508", "311-17323514"])  → several at once
```

---

## Prerequisites

- Node.js 18 or later
- An NYC 311 Public API subscription key (free)

---

## API key

**Yes — a free API key is required.** The NYC 311 Public API requires a subscription key on every request. Get one (free) from the NYC API portal and set it as the `NYC_311_API_KEY` environment variable:

1. Go to [api-portal.nyc.gov](https://api-portal.nyc.gov/) and register / sign in.
2. Subscribe to the **NYC 311 Public Developers** product (see the table below for which product to choose).
3. On your [profile page](https://api-portal.nyc.gov/profile), copy a subscription key. Each subscription has a **primary** and a **secondary** key — either one works; the pair exists so you can rotate keys without downtime.
4. Set it as the `NYC_311_API_KEY` environment variable, e.g. `export NYC_311_API_KEY="your-subscription-key"`.

### Which product to subscribe to

The portal lists three NYC 311 products. This server's tools (calendar, status, and service-request **lookup**) only need the public read API:

| Product | Use it if… | Approval |
|---|---|---|
| **NYC 311 Public Developers** | ✅ Recommended for this server. General-public access to the read API, with a standard rate limit. | Self-serve |
| **NYC 311 Public — High Demand** | You need a higher rate limit than the standard tier provides. | Admin approval in some cases |
| **NYC 311 Developer Partner** | You need to **create** service requests (this server does not — it only reads). | Admin approval required |

The key is sent as the `Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key` header on every request. The server reads it lazily — it only fails when you actually call a tool without a key set, never at startup.

---

## Installation

### Option 1 — npx (no install required)

```bash
NYC_311_API_KEY=your_key npx @betanyc/nyc-311-mcp
```

### Option 2 — global install

```bash
npm install -g @betanyc/nyc-311-mcp
NYC_311_API_KEY=your_key nyc-311-mcp
```

### Option 3 — build from source

```bash
git clone https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-311-mcp.git
cd nyc-311-mcp
npm install
npm run build
NYC_311_API_KEY=your_key npm start
```

Run the test suite (builds first; no API key or network needed):

```bash
npm test
```

---

## Configuration

### Claude Desktop

Add to your `claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nyc-311": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@betanyc/nyc-311-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "NYC_311_API_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Claude Code

Add to your project's `.claude/settings.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nyc-311": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@betanyc/nyc-311-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "NYC_311_API_KEY": "your_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

---

## Example usage

Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant things like:

- *"Is alternate-side parking suspended today?"*
- *"Are schools open on July 4th?"*
- *"Is there a Code Blue in effect right now?"*
- *"What's the status of service request 311-17323508?"*
- *"Look up these three 311 complaints for me."*

---

## Notes & limitations

- **Service-request lookup is by number only.** The API resolves a known SR number (`311-XXXXXXXX`); it does not search complaints by address, agency, or area. For citywide complaint analysis, use the [311 Service Requests dataset](https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Social-Services/311-Service-Requests-from-2010-to-Present/erm2-nwe9) on NYC Open Data instead.
- **Calendar range cap.** `get_calendar` accepts a span of up to 90 days; longer ranges are rejected before the request is sent.
- **Response shapes.** `get_calendar` returns the documented `days` / `items` structure. The status and service-request endpoints are returned as the API's raw JSON — their exact field set is defined by the upstream API and is passed through unchanged.
- **Rate limits** are governed by your subscription tier on the NYC API portal, not by this server.

---

## Data source

All data comes from the [NYC 311 Public API](https://api-portal.nyc.gov/), operated by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI). Access requires a free subscription key.

This is an independent, community-built project from BetaNYC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official product of the City of New York.

---

## Related projects

Part of BetaNYC's family of MCP servers for NYC and NYS civic data:

- **[nyc-record-mcp](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-record-mcp)** — City Record notices: procurement, awards, public hearings
- **[nyc-checkbook-mcp](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-checkbook-mcp)** — City spending, contracts, budget, payroll, and revenue
- **[nyc-council-mcp](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-council-mcp)** — City Council legislation, hearings, votes, and members
- **[nyc-charter-laws-rules](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-charter-laws-rules)** — NYC Charter, Administrative Code, and Rules of the City of New York
- **[nys-openlegislation-mcp](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nys-openlegislation-mcp)** — New York State bills, laws, members, and committees

## About BetaNYC

This project is built and maintained by [BetaNYC](https://beta.nyc), New York's
civic technology and open-data community. We work to improve lives in New York
through civic design, technology, data, and public-interest technology.

**Come do civic tech with us.** We run public events, meetups, and hands-on
data classes throughout the year — including [NYC School of Data](https://www.schoolofdata.nyc/)
and [CityCamp NYC](https://citycamp.nyc), and we host frequent civic-tech gatherings. See what's coming up on our
[events calendar](https://www.beta.nyc/events/).

**Sustain this work.** These MCP servers are free and open source. To help keep this work going and find BetaNYC's
tools, please consider [donating and becoming a Beta
Builder](https://beta.nyc/donate).

## Building on this? Tell us!

If you build something with this project, we'd love to hear about it. We can help other New Yorkers find it. BetaNYC publishes a weekly newsletter,
*This Week in NYC's Civic Technology and Open Data*.

- **[Subscribe to the newsletter](https://beta.nyc/newsletter)** to keep up with
  NYC civic tech, open data, and public-interest technology.
- **Built something, or found a story worth sharing?** [Submit a link for the
  newsletter](https://www.beta.nyc/newsletter-inbox/) and we'll consider it for
  an upcoming issue.

## Related BetaNYC MCP servers

BetaNYC maintains a suite of open-source MCP servers for NYC and NYS civic data.
See the full directory, with install details for each, at
**[beta.nyc/ai-tools](https://beta.nyc/ai-tools)**.

> **Working with the wider NYC Open Data portal?** For citywide complaint analysis
> beyond single service-request lookup, the 311 Service Requests dataset lives on
> NYC Open Data. Query it, and the rest of the catalog, with
> [socrata-mcp-server](https://github.com/npstorey/socrata-mcp-server)
> (`socrata-mcp-server` on npm), a third-party MCP by [Nathan Storey](https://github.com/npstorey).

---

## Contributing

Issues and pull requests welcome at [github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-311-mcp](https://github.com/BetaNYC/nyc-311-mcp).

## Releases

Releases are automated. Pushing a tag `vX.Y.Z` that matches the version in
`package.json` triggers `.github/workflows/release.yml`, which runs the tests,
publishes `@betanyc/nyc-311-mcp` to npm (with provenance), and creates a
GitHub Release with generated notes. Version history lives in
[CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md). Publishing requires the `NPM_TOKEN` repository
secret.

---

## Support our work

Freedom isn't free. [Support BetaNYC](https://beta.nyc/donate/).

## License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 BetaNYC

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.