> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.instantcompliance.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get a customer

Look up an individual customer by Instant Compliance UUID **or** by
your own `external_id`. We auto-detect the format.

```bash theme={null}
# By UUID
curl https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1/customers/550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ic_live_..."

# By external_id
curl https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1/customers/crm-7741 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ic_live_..."
```

## Response shape

See [Data minimisation](/concepts/data-minimisation) for what is and is
not included in the response, and [Customer lifecycle](/concepts/customer-lifecycle)
for how to interpret the status fields.

## Cross-tenant isolation

A UUID that belongs to a different organisation returns `404 not_found`
— never data, never an "exists but you can't see it" leak.


## OpenAPI

````yaml GET /customers/{id}
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Instant Compliance API
  version: 1.0.0
  summary: External integration API for Instant Compliance.
  description: |
    The Instant Compliance v1 API lets your systems push customers into
    Instant Compliance and pull their verification / AML status back out.
    Designed for server-to-server use (CRMs, Zapier, internal back-office
    tools).

    **Base URL:** `https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1`

    **Authentication:** Bearer API key — `Authorization: Bearer ic_live_…`
    Issue keys from **Settings → Developers** in your Instant Compliance
    organisation.

    **Scope:** individual customers (`INDIVIDUAL` and `SOLE_TRADER`, KYC)
    live on `/customers`; entity customers (companies, trusts,
    partnerships, SMSFs — KYB) live on `/entities`.
  contact:
    name: Instant Compliance Support
    email: support@instantcompliance.ai
    url: https://instantcompliance.ai
  license:
    name: Proprietary
servers:
  - url: https://app.instantcompliance.ai/api/v1
    description: Production
security:
  - bearerAuth: []
tags:
  - name: Customers
    description: |
      Create, read, and update individual customer records ingested through
      the external API.
  - name: Entities
    description: |
      Create, read, and update entity customer records (companies, trusts,
      partnerships, SMSFs). Entities verify via KYB instead of KYC; the API
      ingests the record and reports status — verification is started by
      your back-office team in-app.
  - name: Designated services
    description: |
      Read-only catalog of the designated-service codes accepted when
      creating customers.
  - name: Groups
    description: |
      Create group workspaces (multi-party deals/matters — e.g. one per
      property for real-estate integrators) and discover the group
      templates available to your organisation. Requires the Groups
      feature to be enabled for your organisation.
paths:
  /customers/{id}:
    parameters:
      - in: path
        name: id
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
        description: |
          Customer identifier. Accepts either Instant Compliance's UUID
          (`550e8400-…`) or your own `external_id`.
    get:
      tags:
        - Customers
      summary: Get a customer
      operationId: getCustomer
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Customer record.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Customer'
        '401':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/Unauthorized'
        '403':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/ForbiddenScope'
        '404':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/NotFound'
        '429':
          $ref: '#/components/responses/RateLimited'
components:
  schemas:
    Customer:
      type: object
      required:
        - id
        - type
        - full_name
        - kyc_status
        - aml
        - added_via
        - created_at
        - updated_at
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          format: uuid
          description: Instant Compliance customer UUID.
        external_id:
          type: string
          nullable: true
        type:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/CustomerType'
        full_name:
          type: string
        email:
          type: string
          format: email
          nullable: true
        kyc_status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/KycStatus'
        kyc_started_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
        kyc_completed_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
        identity:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/Identity'
        aml:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/AmlBlock'
        added_via:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/AddedVia'
        created_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
        updated_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
      example:
        id: 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000
        external_id: crm-7741
        type: INDIVIDUAL
        full_name: Jane Doe
        email: jane@example.com
        kyc_status: VERIFIED
        kyc_started_at: '2026-06-23T01:00:00Z'
        kyc_completed_at: '2026-06-23T01:12:00Z'
        identity:
          verified_legal_name: JANE DOE
          verified_country: AUS
        aml:
          status: CLEAR
          screened_at: '2026-06-23T01:12:00Z'
          last_reviewed_at: null
          flags:
            pep: false
            sanctions: false
            adverse_media: false
            terrorism: false
        added_via: INTEGRATION
        created_at: '2026-06-22T22:14:00Z'
        updated_at: '2026-06-23T01:12:05Z'
    CustomerType:
      type: string
      enum:
        - INDIVIDUAL
        - SOLE_TRADER
      description: |
        Individual customer types — `/customers` only ingests these.
        Entity customers (companies, trusts, partnerships, SMSFs) live on
        `/entities` with their own `EntityType`.
    KycStatus:
      type: string
      enum:
        - NOT_STARTED
        - PENDING
        - IN_PROGRESS
        - VERIFIED
        - FAILED
        - NOT_REQUIRED
        - AWAITING_RESUBMISSION
    Identity:
      type: object
      nullable: true
      description: |
        Populated only when `kyc_status = VERIFIED`. Deliberately minimal —
        full date of birth and full address are never exposed.
      properties:
        verified_legal_name:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: Legal name extracted from the verified ID document.
        verified_country:
          type: string
          nullable: true
          description: ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code.
    AmlBlock:
      type: object
      required:
        - status
        - flags
      properties:
        status:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/AmlStatus'
        screened_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
        last_reviewed_at:
          type: string
          format: date-time
          nullable: true
        flags:
          type: object
          required:
            - pep
            - sanctions
            - adverse_media
            - terrorism
          properties:
            pep:
              type: boolean
            sanctions:
              type: boolean
            adverse_media:
              type: boolean
            terrorism:
              type: boolean
    AddedVia:
      type: string
      description: How the record entered Instant Compliance.
      enum:
        - ADMIN_MANUAL
        - AI_EXTRACTED
        - CONTACT_PORTAL
        - BULK_IMPORT
        - INTEGRATION
        - SYSTEM
    Error:
      type: object
      required:
        - error
      properties:
        error:
          type: object
          required:
            - code
            - message
          properties:
            code:
              type: string
              enum:
                - unauthorized
                - forbidden_scope
                - not_found
                - validation_failed
                - conflict
                - insufficient_credits
                - rate_limited
                - idempotency_conflict
                - feature_disabled
                - internal
            message:
              type: string
            details:
              type: object
              additionalProperties: true
    AmlStatus:
      type: string
      enum:
        - NOT_SCREENED
        - IN_PROGRESS
        - CLEAR
        - NEEDS_REVIEW
        - RESOLVED
  responses:
    Unauthorized:
      description: Missing, invalid, expired, or revoked API key.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: unauthorized
              message: Invalid or revoked API key.
    ForbiddenScope:
      description: API key lacks the required scope.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: forbidden_scope
              message: This API key does not have the required scope. customers:write
              details:
                required_scope: customers:write
    NotFound:
      description: No customer matching the supplied id in this organisation.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: not_found
              message: Customer not found.
    RateLimited:
      description: Burst or daily rate limit exceeded for this API key.
      headers:
        Retry-After:
          schema:
            type: integer
          description: Seconds to wait before retrying.
      content:
        application/json:
          schema:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
          example:
            error:
              code: rate_limited
              message: Rate limit exceeded. Slow down and retry shortly.
              details:
                limit: 60
                window_seconds: 60
  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      bearerFormat: API Key
      description: |
        Bearer API key issued from **Settings → Developers** in your
        Instant Compliance organisation. Format: `ic_live_…`.

````