# GLEIF API

> GLEIF returns legal entity records and corporate parent data as a workflow and API.

GLEIF, or Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation, returns LEI records from a company name or LEI, optionally narrowed by registered country. Get corporate parents returns reported parents and direct children from a company name or LEI, optionally narrowed by country and child count.

- Page: https://fous.com/workflows/gleif
- Handle: `@gleif`
- Category: [Government](https://fous.com/workflows/category/government)
- Source website: https://search.gleif.org
- Last verified: Sep 29, 2026
- Fous is not affiliated with GLEIF.

## Methods

### Get corporate parents

Operation `get_corporate_parents`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Find a company’s reported direct and ultimate accounting-consolidation parents, parent-reporting reasons, and direct children in the LEI system. Children are limited to the requested number; only entities with LEIs are shown.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `company` | string | yes | `"5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"` | Legal company name or 20-character LEI, such as Unilever PLC. |
| `country` | string | no | `"United Kingdom"` | Country name or two-letter code to distinguish namesakes, such as United Kingdom or GB. |
| `max_children` | integer | no | `3` | Most direct children to show, such as 50 (up to 200). |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "company"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "company": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Legal company name or 20-character LEI, such as Unilever PLC.",
      "examples": [
        "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12",
        "Unilever PLC"
      ]
    },
    "country": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "Country name or two-letter code to distinguish namesakes, such as United Kingdom or GB.",
      "examples": [
        "United Kingdom"
      ]
    },
    "max_children": {
      "type": "integer",
      "default": 50,
      "maximum": 200,
      "minimum": 1,
      "description": "Most direct children to show, such as 50 (up to 200).",
      "x-fous-developer": true,
      "examples": [
        3
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "company": "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"
    },
    {
      "company": "Unilever PLC"
    },
    {
      "company": "Unilever PLC",
      "country": "United Kingdom",
      "max_children": 3
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `lei` | string | `"5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"` |  |
| `country` | string or null | `"United States of America"` |  |
| `children` | array |  |  |
| `children[].lei` | string | `"213800HCGYEJXD99N110"` |  |
| `children[].status` | string or null | `"Active"` |  |
| `children[].country` | string or null | `"Canada"` |  |
| `children[].page_url` | string or null | `"https://search.gleif.org/#/record/213800HCGYEJXD99N110"` |  |
| `children[].legal_name` | string or null | `"UNILEVER CANADA INC."` |  |
| `page_url` | string or null | `"https://search.gleif.org/#/record/5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"` |  |
| `legal_name` | string or null | `"Bloomberg Finance L.P."` |  |
| `direct_parent` | any |  |  |
| `ultimate_parent` | any |  |  |
| `direct_parent_reason` | string or null | `"The accounting consolidation definition for parent relationships does not apply to the entity"` |  |
| `direct_children_total` | integer | `0` |  |
| `ultimate_parent_reason` | string or null | `"The accounting consolidation definition for parent relationships does not apply to the entity"` |  |
| `ultimate_children_total` | integer | `0` |  |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "company": "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "lei": "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12",
  "country": "United States of America",
  "children": [],
  "page_url": "https://search.gleif.org/#/record/5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12",
  "legal_name": "Bloomberg Finance L.P.",
  "direct_parent": {
    "lei": "549300B56MD0ZC402L06",
    "country": "United States of America",
    "page_url": "https://search.gleif.org/#/record/549300B56MD0ZC402L06",
    "legal_name": "Bloomberg L.P.",
    "relationship_start_date": "2007-06-05"
  },
  "ultimate_parent": {
    "lei": "549300RMUDWPHCUQNE66",
    "country": "United States of America",
    "page_url": "https://search.gleif.org/#/record/549300RMUDWPHCUQNE66",
    "legal_name": "Bloomberg Inc.",
    "relationship_start_date": "2007-06-05"
  },
  "direct_parent_reason": null,
  "direct_children_total": 0,
  "ultimate_parent_reason": null,
  "ultimate_children_total": 0
}
```

### Get legal entity

Operation `get_legal_entity`, version 1. 1 credit per call.

Get the official LEI record for a company name or LEI, optionally narrowing namesakes by registered country. Prefers active records with the closest name. GLEIF does not publish a distinct last-renewal date; its last-update date is not a renewal date.

**Input**

| Field | Type | Required | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `company` | string | yes | `"Apple Inc."` | Company legal name or 20-character LEI, for example Siemens AG or HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394. |
| `country` | string | no | `"Germany"` | Registered country name or two-letter code, for example Germany or DE. |

**Input schema**

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "company"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "company": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Company legal name or 20-character LEI, for example Siemens AG or HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394.",
      "examples": [
        "Apple Inc.",
        "Siemens AG",
        "529900QBVWXMWANH7H45"
      ]
    },
    "country": {
      "type": "string",
      "default": "",
      "description": "Registered country name or two-letter code, for example Germany or DE.",
      "examples": [
        "Germany"
      ]
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "examples": [
    {
      "company": "Apple Inc."
    },
    {
      "company": "Siemens AG",
      "country": "Germany"
    },
    {
      "company": "529900QBVWXMWANH7H45"
    }
  ]
}
```

**Output**

| Field | Type | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `lei` | string | `"HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394"` | Legal Entity Identifier. |
| `link` | string | `"https://search.gleif.org/#/record/HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394"` | Record on GLEIF public search. |
| `country` | string or null | `"United States of America"` | Registered country name. |
| `legal_form` | string or null | `"For-Profit Corporation General Stock"` | Legal form name. |
| `legal_name` | string | `"Apple Inc."` | Official registered name. |
| `other_names` | array |  | Other reported names. |
| `direct_parent` | object or null |  | Reported direct parent; null if none reported. |
| `direct_parent.lei` | string or null | `"W38RGI023J3WT1HWRP32"` | Parent LEI. |
| `direct_parent.name` | string or null | `"Siemens Aktiengesellschaft"` | Parent legal name. |
| `entity_status` | string or null | `"Active"` | Legal entity status in words. |
| `legal_address` | string or null | `"C/O C T Corporation System, 330 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 700, Glendale, CA, 91203, United States of America"` | Single-line registered legal address. |
| `ultimate_parent` | object or null |  | Reported ultimate parent; null if none reported. |
| `ultimate_parent.lei` | string or null | `"W38RGI023J3WT1HWRP32"` | Parent LEI. |
| `ultimate_parent.name` | string or null | `"Siemens Aktiengesellschaft"` | Parent legal name. |
| `next_renewal_date` | string or null | `"2027-03-08"` | Next LEI renewal date (YYYY-MM-DD). |
| `headquarters_address` | string or null | `"One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States of America"` | Single-line headquarters address. |
| `registration_authority` | string or null | `"Secretary of State — Business Entity Records"` | Name of the registering authority. |
| `lei_registration_status` | string or null | `"Issued"` | LEI registration status in words. |
| `initial_registration_date` | string or null | `"2012-06-06"` | Date the LEI was first registered (YYYY-MM-DD). |
| `local_registration_number` | string or null | `"806592"` | Local business registration number. |

**Example input**

```json
{
  "company": "Apple Inc."
}
```

**Example output**

```json
{
  "lei": "HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394",
  "link": "https://search.gleif.org/#/record/HWUPKR0MPOU8FGXBT394",
  "country": "United States of America",
  "legal_form": "For-Profit Corporation General Stock",
  "legal_name": "Apple Inc.",
  "other_names": [
    "Apple Computer, Inc."
  ],
  "direct_parent": null,
  "entity_status": "Active",
  "legal_address": "C/O C T Corporation System, 330 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 700, Glendale, CA, 91203, United States of America",
  "ultimate_parent": null,
  "next_renewal_date": "2027-03-08",
  "headquarters_address": "One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA, 95014, United States of America",
  "registration_authority": "Secretary of State — Business Entity Records",
  "lei_registration_status": "Issued",
  "initial_registration_date": "2012-06-06",
  "local_registration_number": "806592"
}
```

## Quick start

Call the API with a Fous API key (`FOUS_API_KEY`). To create one, turn on Developer mode in Fous Studio, then open Keys & connections → API keys (https://app.fous.com/keys).

```bash
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
: "${FOUS_API_KEY:?Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example}"

curl 'https://api.fous.com/v1/query' \
  --fail-with-body --silent --show-error --max-time 120 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "api": "@gleif",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_corporate_parents",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "company": "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}'
```

```python
# Save as fous.py and run with python3 fous.py. No packages needed.
# First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
import json
import os
import urllib.error
import urllib.request

api_key = os.environ.get("FOUS_API_KEY")
if not api_key:
    raise RuntimeError("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example")

body = json.loads("{\n  \"api\": \"@gleif\",\n  \"visibility\": \"public\",\n  \"operation\": \"get_corporate_parents\",\n  \"version\": 1,\n  \"input\": {\n    \"company\": \"5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12\"\n  },\n  \"response\": {\n    \"format\": \"json\"\n  }\n}")
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.fous.com/v1/query",
    data=json.dumps(body).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    method="POST",
)
try:
    with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=120) as response:
        result = json.load(response)
except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
    raise RuntimeError(f"HTTP {error.code}: {error.read().decode('utf-8', errors='replace')}") from error
if result.get("success") is False:
    raise RuntimeError(result.get("error", {}).get("message", "Request failed"))
print(json.dumps(result["data"]["output"], indent=2))
```

```typescript
// Save as fous.mts and run with npx tsx fous.mts.
// First set your key: export FOUS_API_KEY='YOUR_FOUS_API_KEY'
const apiKey = process.env.FOUS_API_KEY;
if (!apiKey) throw new Error("Set FOUS_API_KEY before running this example");

const response = await fetch("https://api.fous.com/v1/query", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(120_000),
  body: JSON.stringify({
  "api": "@gleif",
  "visibility": "public",
  "operation": "get_corporate_parents",
  "version": 1,
  "input": {
    "company": "5493001KJTIIGC8Y1R12"
  },
  "response": {
    "format": "json"
  }
}),
});
type ApiResult = { success: boolean; data?: { output: unknown }; error?: { message: string } };
const result: ApiResult = await response.json();
if (!response.ok || result.success === false) {
  throw new Error(result.error?.message ?? `HTTP ${response.status}`);
}
if (!result.data) throw new Error("Missing API response data");
console.log(result.data.output);
```

Or describe the data in plain language: send `{"api":"@gleif","prompt":"Describe the data you need, with every detail"}` to the same URL. Fous fills in the input, runs the method that fits and returns only the fields you asked for; `data.route.calls[].request` is the exact call it made. Routing is free; the run costs the same.

## Use cases

- Verify a company’s registered name and LEI.
- Review an entity’s legal and headquarters addresses.
- Identify reported direct and ultimate corporate parents.
- Explore reported direct children of a company.
- Distinguish companies with similar names by country.

## FAQ

### Is Fous affiliated with GLEIF?

No. Fous is not affiliated with GLEIF. This workflow reads the public search.gleif.org website and returns its data.

### How much does it cost?

Each run costs 1 credit. With pay-as-you-go, a credit costs 1¢; monthly plans cost less per credit.

### Do I need a GLEIF account?

No. You only need a Fous account.

### How current is the data?

Fous gets the data from search.gleif.org when you run it; repeating the same request within a day may return the saved result. Fous checks this workflow automatically; it last passed a check on Sep 29, 2026.

### What is a company’s LEI and registered name?

Get legal entity returns the LEI and official registered name from a company name or LEI, optionally narrowed by registered country.

### Who are a company’s reported corporate parents?

Get corporate parents returns reported direct and ultimate parents and their reporting reasons, using a company name or LEI and optionally a country.

### Which direct children are reported for a company?

Get corporate parents returns direct children with LEIs; you can specify the maximum number to show.

## Related

- [Companies House API](https://fous.com/workflows/companies-house.md): Companies House returns UK public-register company details, officers, people with significant control and recent filings; records may be incomplete, and ceased entries are optional.
- [Annuaire des Entreprises API](https://fous.com/workflows/annuaire-des-entreprises.md): French government directory of public company registrations.
- [EUR-Lex API](https://fous.com/workflows/eur-lex.md): EUR-Lex provides official EU legislation, relevance-ranked filtered searches, and article text from the latest consolidation when available, with stated general application dates.
- [SEC EDGAR API](https://fous.com/workflows/sec-edgar.md): SEC EDGAR provides filings, annual and quarterly financials, exact-phrase matches, up to 200 insider trades, and quarterly 13F manager holdings; older filings appear when available.
- [ABN Lookup API](https://fous.com/workflows/abn-lookup.md): Search Australian businesses by name or ABN and check public registration details.
- [Forbes API](https://fous.com/workflows/forbes.md): Forbes provides business news, real-time billionaire rankings and wealth that can change during the trading day, plus ranked Global 2000 companies with financial figures and company profiles.
- [Glassdoor API](https://fous.com/workflows/glassdoor.md): Employee reviews and company ratings.
- [Google Patents API](https://fous.com/workflows/google-patents.md): Google Patents searches public records and provides patent details and company summaries; legal status is estimated, and citations, claims, and company breakdowns have record limits.
- [All Government workflows](https://fous.com/workflows/category/government)