Permisapi MCP

What Evan-Crx/permisapi-mcp MCP server does

Evan-Crx/permisapi-mcp MCP server connects MCP clients to PermisAPI, a service covering more than 1.2 million French building permits from Sitadel data for residential and non-residential projects since 2014. It is intended for natural-language research across permits, addresses, parcels, planning rules, property transactions, risks, and construction activity.

The free tools cover permit searches, individual permit details, and fuzzy address matching. Pro tools add nearby DVF sales, a merchant-dealer opportunity score, explanations of that score, PLU zoning, BRGM risk data, parcel geometry, existing-building information, parcel lookups, neighboring parcels, composite permit views, project economics, and local construction companies. Business tools support custom polygon searches, commune density statistics, and enrichment of a client-provided list.

How it works

Evan-Crx/permisapi-mcp MCP server offers two connection modes. The hosted option uses Streamable HTTP at https://mcp.permisapi.fr/mcp; an older SSE interface is also available at /sse with /messages/. Clients authenticate with a PermisAPI Bearer token. The local option runs the Python package as an stdio process and reads the key from the PERMISAPI_KEY environment variable.

The MCP layer acts as an authenticated proxy to api.permisapi.fr. The README states that it does not store data on the MCP server and that the API key remains on the user side rather than being exposed to the language model. Inputs are validated, including permit-number formats and parameter ranges. Most operations are read-only GET requests; polygon search and bulk enrichment use POST requests while remaining read-only from the PermisAPI perspective.

The get_permit_full_view tool combines six related fetches into one call. The score explanation tool reports the weighted signals behind the MDB score, while economics estimates a budget range and construction scenario using permit surfaces and referenced construction-cost sources.

Setup and configuration

Local use requires Python 3.10 or newer. Install the package with:

pip install permisapi-mcp

Configure an MCP client to run permisapi-mcp and set PERMISAPI_KEY to a key obtained from PermisAPI. The hosted configuration instead uses the MCP URL and an Authorization: Bearer ... header. Claude Desktop, Claude.ai web, Cursor, Windsurf, ChatGPT custom GPTs, and other MCP-compatible clients are mentioned as supported connection targets, though client-specific setup differs.

The service applies plan-based limits. Free access includes basic search and details, while Explorer, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans differ in geographic coverage and tool availability. Free access is limited to one selected department, with Paris as the default; higher plans expand coverage, with Pro and above covering France.

Tools and capabilities

• Search permits using multiple filters and retrieve individual permit records.
• Find addresses fuzzily and compare nearby DVF transactions over a 12-year period.
• Evaluate and explain MDB opportunity signals in French.
• Retrieve PLU zoning, BRGM risks, cadastral geometry, neighboring parcels, and existing buildings.
• Search custom GeoJSON polygons, calculate commune density statistics, and enrich up to 1,000 permit rows.
• Estimate project economics and identify local BTP companies by trade, radius, and workforce size.

Limitations and notes

A PermisAPI key is required for both hosted and local use, even though a free plan is available. Access to enrichment tools depends on the subscription plan, and geographic availability varies by plan. The data and analysis are returned from PermisAPI; the server itself is not described as a general-purpose cadastral, financial, or legal authority. The repository is licensed under MIT.