> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fastcac.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Search CAC's register > Businesses on CAC's register that match a name or number, best match first: the registered name, the register (BN, RC, IT, LP or LLP), status and registration date. Free, in both modes; test keys search the real register too. At most 30 searches a minute with a live key, 10 with a test key. ## OpenAPI ````yaml /openapi.json get /businesses/search openapi: 3.1.0 info: title: FastCAC API description: Register Nigerian businesses with CAC from your own product. version: '2026-11-01' servers: - url: https://api.fastcac.com/v1 security: - apiKey: [] tags: - name: Account description: Check your key and see your organization. - name: Names description: >- Check a business name against CAC's rules and registry, and the categories it takes, before registering it. - name: Registrations description: Register a Business Name with CAC, from draft to certificate. - name: Lookup description: >- Search CAC's register for free, and look up a business's full record with its officers. - name: Verification description: >- Check that a business your applicant names is real, active and run by the people they say. - name: Monitoring description: >- Watch businesses on CAC's register and get an event when one goes inactive or changes name. - name: Identities description: >- Look up a proprietor's NIN with NIMC, to prefill a registration and use their photo. - name: Balance description: >- Your prepaid wallet: what's available, its transactions and your funding account. - name: Test helpers description: >- Test keys only: move a registration on without waiting, or simulate a deposit. - name: Webhooks description: Endpoints that receive events, and the events sent to them. - name: Webhook events description: What FastCAC POSTs to your webhook endpoints. paths: /businesses/search: get: tags: - Lookup summary: Search CAC's register description: >- Businesses on CAC's register that match a name or number, best match first: the registered name, the register (BN, RC, IT, LP or LLP), status and registration date. Free, in both modes; test keys search the real register too. At most 30 searches a minute with a live key, 10 with a test key. operationId: search_businesses_businesses_search_get parameters: - name: query in: query required: true schema: type: string description: >- A business name, or a registration number with or without its prefix: "Ada Foods", "8911267", "RC 8911267", "BN-8561321". title: Query description: >- A business name, or a registration number with or without its prefix: "Ada Foods", "8911267", "RC 8911267", "BN-8561321". - name: simulate in: query required: false schema: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' description: >- Test keys only: cac_search_unavailable (503). Ignored with a live key. title: Simulate description: >- Test keys only: cac_search_unavailable (503). Ignored with a live key. responses: '200': description: Successful Response content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/V1CacRecordList' examples: By name: value: object: list data: - object: cac_record number: '7654321' type: RC type_label: Company name: ADA FOODS LIMITED status: ACTIVE active: true registered_on: '2024-03-18' - object: cac_record number: '1234567' type: BN type_label: Business name name: ADA FOODS VENTURES status: INACTIVE active: false registered_on: '2023-08-02' has_more: false By number: value: object: list data: - object: cac_record number: '7654321' type: RC type_label: Company name: ADA FOODS LIMITED status: ACTIVE active: true registered_on: '2024-03-18' has_more: false '400': description: The request is invalid; `param` names the field. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' examples: Example: value: error: type: invalid_request_error code: parameter_invalid message: >- Send a business name or registration number, at least 2 characters. param: query request_id: req_Ki1NnJPCI7lXwHsoBtYgBikN '401': description: The API key is missing, malformed, revoked or expired. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' examples: Example: value: error: type: authentication_error code: api_key_missing message: 'Send your API key as `Authorization: Bearer `.' param: null request_id: req_8r9FEwNmLuxQORZX5Qhvkd0q '403': description: >- The key can't do this (for example, a test helper called with a live key). content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' examples: Example: value: error: type: permission_error code: live_mode_unavailable message: >- Live registrations are paused right now. Use a test key (fc_test_…) meanwhile. param: null request_id: req_Td9lI1vsT5ARzv0XD7RGS1tD '404': description: No such object for this key's organization and mode. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' examples: Example: value: error: type: not_found_error code: resource_missing message: 'No such registration: reg_0000000000000000000000.' param: id request_id: req_PLJYvLLT2WjhIywrPjlhgIGv '409': description: >- The object's state doesn't allow this, or the Idempotency-Key was reused. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '429': description: Too many requests; wait for `Retry-After` seconds. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '503': description: '`cac_search_unavailable`: CAC''s search didn''t answer.' content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/V1Error' examples: Example: value: error: type: api_error code: cac_search_unavailable message: CAC's search is busy or down. Try again in a minute. param: null request_id: req_Xezy8XsYQJTtLfZV3IRsSyed components: schemas: V1CacRecordList: properties: object: type: string const: list title: Object default: list data: items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/V1CacRecord' type: array title: Data description: Up to 50 records, best match first. has_more: type: boolean title: Has More description: 'Always false: CAC returns at most 50 records for a search.' type: object required: - data - has_more title: V1CacRecordList Error: properties: error: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorDetail' required: - error title: V1Error type: object V1Error: properties: error: $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorDetail' required: - error title: V1Error type: object V1CacRecord: properties: object: type: string const: cac_record title: Object default: cac_record number: type: string title: Number description: The registration number, digits only, as CAC stores it. type: type: string enum: - BN - RC - IT - LP - LLP title: Type description: >- The register: BN business name, RC company, IT incorporated trustees, LP limited partnership, LLP limited liability partnership. type_label: type: string title: Type Label description: The register in words, such as "Business name". name: type: string title: Name description: The registered name. status: type: string title: Status description: 'As CAC lists it: ACTIVE, INACTIVE, STRUCK OFF and so on.' active: type: boolean title: Active description: True when `status` is ACTIVE. registered_on: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' title: Registered On description: YYYY-MM-DD. type: object required: - number - type - type_label - name - status - active - registered_on title: V1CacRecord ErrorDetail: properties: type: type: string enum: - invalid_request_error - authentication_error - payment_error - permission_error - not_found_error - idempotency_error - rate_limit_error - api_error title: Type code: type: string title: Code description: Stable and machine-readable, e.g. registration_incomplete. message: type: string title: Message description: For a developer to read; may change. param: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' title: Param description: The parameter at fault, as a path like proprietors[0].nin. request_id: anyOf: - type: string - type: 'null' title: Request Id description: Also in the FastCAC-Request-Id header. Quote it to support. details: anyOf: - additionalProperties: true type: object - type: 'null' title: Details description: >- Only on some errors. A 402 insufficient_balance carries amount_due, balance, currency and funding_account (number, bank, name; null until it's active). type: object required: - type - code - message - param - request_id title: ErrorDetail securitySchemes: apiKey: type: http scheme: bearer description: 'Your secret API key: fc_test_… in test mode, fc_live_… in live mode.' ```` This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.