FDIC BankFind MCP Server

Search Institution History / Structure Changes

fdic_search_history

Read-onlyIdempotent

Find structural-change events like mergers, acquisitions, name changes, and failures for FDIC-insured banks. Filter by certificate, state, date range, or change type to trace an institution's history.

Instructions

Use this when the user wants structural-change events (mergers, acquisitions, name changes, charter conversions, failures) for FDIC-insured institutions, filtered by CERT, type, change code, date range, or state. See fdic://schemas/history for the full field catalog.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`cert`	No	Filter by FDIC Certificate Number to get history for a specific institution
`limit`	No	Maximum number of records to return (1-10000, default: 20)
`fields`	No	Comma-separated list of FDIC field names to return. Leave empty to return all fields. Field names are ALL_CAPS (e.g., NAME, CERT, ASSET, DEP, STALP). Example: NAME,CERT,ASSET,DEP,STALP
`offset`	No	Number of records to skip for pagination (default: 0)
`filters`	No	FDIC API filter using ElasticSearch query string syntax. Combine conditions with AND/OR, use quotes for multi-word values, and [min TO max] for ranges (* = unbounded). Common fields: NAME (institution name), STNAME (state name), STALP (two-letter state code), CERT (certificate number), ASSET (total assets in $thousands), ACTIVE (1=active, 0=inactive). Examples: STNAME:"California", ACTIVE:1 AND ASSET:[1000000 TO *], NAME:"Chase"
`sort_by`	No	Field name to sort results by. Example: ASSET, NAME, FAILDATE
`sort_order`	No	Sort direction: ASC (ascending) or DESC (descending)	ASC

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`count`	Yes
`total`	Yes
`events`	Yes
`offset`	Yes
`has_more`	Yes
`truncated`	No
`next_offset`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed13 schema fields changedv3.0.1Sep 22, 2026
- changedInput schema / $schema
```
Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / cert / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedInput schema / properties / offset / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- changedOutput schema / $schema
```
Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / count / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / count / minimum
```
Added value: +-9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / events / items / propertyNames
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / next_offset / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / next_offset / minimum
```
Added value: +-9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / offset / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / offset / minimum
```
Added value: +-9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / total / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / total / minimum
```
Added value: +-9007199254740991
```

Changed1 schema field changedv1.26.0May 1, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "count": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "events": {
+      "items": {
+        "additionalProperties": {},
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "has_more": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "next_offset": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "offset": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "total": {
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "truncated": {
+      "type": "boolean"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "total",
+    "offset",
+    "count",
+    "has_more",
+    "events"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv1.1.3Mar 19, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and destructiveHint=false, covering safety. The description adds domain context (event types) but no behavioral details like pagination behavior, rate limits, or result format. Since annotations cover safety, the description's additional value is limited, though it does mention filtering options.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences: the first states when to use and what it does; the second points to a schema reference. No redundancy, front-loaded, and every word earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the presence of an output schema and annotations, the description covers purpose and usage adequately. It references a full field catalog, which is helpful. It does not explain pagination or error handling, but those are in schema. Missing a note that this is historical data only, but that is implied by 'history'.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so parameters are fully documented. The description adds a high-level summary of filterable dimensions but does not explain parameter syntax or semantics beyond what the schema already provides. Baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool retrieves structural-change events (mergers, acquisitions, name changes, etc.) for FDIC-insured institutions, which distinguishes it from sibling tools like fdic_search_institutions (general search) or fdic_search_financials (financial data). The verb 'search' and resource 'history' are specific.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It explicitly states 'Use this when the user wants structural-change events' and lists filtering dimensions (CERT, type, change code, date range, state). While it does not mention alternatives or exclusions, the purpose is clear enough to route correctly. A slight gap: no direct statement about when not to use it.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.