Accela Civic Platform API

What authentication does the Accela Civic Platform API use?

OAuth 2.0 with the authorization endpoint at GET /oauth2/authorize and token exchange at POST /oauth2/token. Calls also require an X-Accela-Agency header to scope requests to a specific agency. Through Jentic, the OAuth flow is brokered and tokens are stored encrypted in the vault.

Can I schedule and update inspections with the Accela Civic Platform API?

Yes. The /v4/inspections endpoints schedule new inspections, retrieve inspection detail, and update results and notes once an inspector completes a site visit. Inspections are linked to a parent record id, so you must look up or create the record first.

What are the rate limits for the Accela Civic Platform API?

The OpenAPI spec does not document explicit rate limits. Accela publishes per-agency limits in their developer portal that vary by environment (sandbox vs production). Implement exponential backoff on HTTP 429 and treat the limits as agency-specific.

How do I look up a permit by address through Jentic?

Run pip install jentic, then search 'look up a building permit by address'. Jentic returns the GET /v4/records operation with its address filter parameter. Load the schema, supply the address and X-Accela-Agency header, and execute. Three async calls, no manual OAuth wiring.

Does the Accela Civic Platform API expose payment processing?

It exposes fee and payment record data tied to permits and licenses, but it does not itself process card payments. For card capture, agencies typically integrate a separate gateway and post the resulting payment record back into Accela via this API.