We now officially offer API integration

Hi and welcome to the Car Simulcast API service. You will need a website to use this service. You can get free web hosting here to set up your website and install our API service.

To view your API key and make requests, please login to your API account here. If you haven't already, please create an account.

To generate records and reports with the API, you will need credits available in your API account. For testing, use the VIN 1C6RD6FT1CS310366. You don’t need credits to test the API, and using this VIN will not deduct any credits from your account.

Check Records

Get the number of report type records available for a VIN. This call will not deduct any credits from your balance.

There is a limit on free record checks to prevent misuse for those who installed our API on their websites. If you use the free records check 15 times without generating a report, 1 credit will be deducted from your account. To avoid this deduction, please generate at least 1 report for every 15 free record checks.

<?php
    $api_url = "https://connect.carsimulcast.com/checkrecords/{VIN}";
    $header = array(
        "API-KEY: {Your API_KEY}",
        "API-SECRET: {Your API_SECRET}",
    );
        
    $curl = curl_init($api_url);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "GET");
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
    $response = curl_exec($curl);
    curl_close($curl);
?>

Get Report

This will generate and return the HTML report as a base64 string. You will need to decode the base64 string to retrieve the original HTML, which can then be stored and viewed. Note that the PDF format is only available for the sticker report.

The following are report types

• carfax
• autocheck
• auctions
• sticker

You need credits in your API account to execute this API call. You can use the test VIN to execute this call without deducting any credits from your balance. You can purchase credits from your API account dashboard.

**Note:** You need to set headers for PDF to view the Window Sticker Report. Below is an example of setting headers in PHP:
<?php
header("Content-type: application/pdf");
header("Content-Disposition: inline; filename=sticker.pdf");

<?php
    $api_url = "https://connect.carsimulcast.com/getrecord/{report_type}/{VIN}";
    $header = array(
        "API-KEY: {Your API_KEY}",
        "API-SECRET: {Your API_SECRET}",
    );
        
    $curl = curl_init($api_url);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "GET");
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
    $response = curl_exec($curl);
    curl_close($curl);
?>

Get Balance

Get the credit balance available in your account

<?php
    $api_url = "https://connect.carsimulcast.com/balance";
    $header = array(
        "API-KEY: {Your API_KEY}",
        "API-SECRET: {Your API_SECRET}",
    );
        
    $curl = curl_init($api_url);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "GET");
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
    $response = curl_exec($curl);
    curl_close($curl);
?>

Get VIN using License Plate

Convert a plate number into a VIN number. The states have to be abbreviated. This is a courtesy service which we offer our valued clients at no extra cost.

<?php
    $api_url = "https://connect.carsimulcast.com/checkplate/{state}/{plate_no}";
    $header = array(
        "API-KEY: {Your API_KEY}",
        "API-SECRET: {Your API_SECRET}",
    );
        
    $curl = curl_init($api_url);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "GET");
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
    curl_setopt($curl, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
    $response = curl_exec($curl);
    curl_close($curl);
?>