Los Angeles Open Data Standards & APIs Policy

Technology and Data California 3 Minutes Read · published February 02, 2026 Flag of California

Los Angeles, California publishes datasets and APIs through official portals to improve transparency, service delivery, and reuse by residents and developers. The City Open Data Portal provides catalogs, dataset schemas, and publisher guidance for departments and the public via the central portal data.lacity.org[1]. For geospatial and mapping datasets the GeoHub hosts authoritative spatial layers and metadata GeoHub[2]. Publication and technical coordination are managed by the Information Technology Agency and partner departments; see ITA for governance and operational contacts City ITA Open Data[3].

Scope & Legal Basis

The City publishes machine-readable datasets and APIs for public use while protecting privacy, security, and restricted records. The open data effort covers city operational datasets, spatial layers, and APIs supplied by department dataset owners. Specific legal obligations and exemptions are described across portal guidance and departmental policies; if a statutory municipal code section applies it will be referenced on the responsible department page or dataset record.

Publication Standards

  • Dataset metadata must include title, description, publisher contact, update cadence, and license or terms.
  • Datasets should be in machine-readable formats (CSV, JSON, GeoJSON) with schema documentation and field definitions.
  • Publishers must record update frequency and a last-updated timestamp for each dataset.
  • APIs should provide versioning, stable endpoints, and rate-limit or usage guidance when applicable.
Departments remain responsible for dataset accuracy and timely updates.

Penalties & Enforcement

Fine amounts: not specified on the cited pages; consult the responsible department or ITA for enforcement details City ITA Open Data[3].

  • Monetary fines: not specified on the cited pages.
  • Escalation (first/repeat/continuing offences): not specified on the cited pages.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: dataset removal, publication suspension, or administrative orders are possible remedies per portal governance guidance.
  • Enforcer: Information Technology Agency (ITA) coordinates open data governance; departmental dataset stewards manage compliance and corrections City ITA Open Data[3].
  • Inspection and complaint pathway: submit issues via the dataset record contact on the Open Data Portal or the GeoHub contact pages data.lacity.org[1] GeoHub[2].
  • Appeals/review: not specified on the cited pages; contact ITA or the dataset owner for appeal, and inquire about administrative review timelines.
If you believe a dataset was removed or altered improperly, contact the dataset owner and ITA immediately.

Applications & Forms

Published guidance for dataset submission, schema templates, and API onboarding is available on the City Open Data Portal and GeoHub dataset pages. A single universal “publication form” is not published on the central portal; departments typically use dataset submission workflows and templates on the portal data.lacity.org[1].

Confirm required metadata and license before submitting a dataset.

How-To

  1. Identify the dataset owner within the city department and confirm that the data is non-restricted and cleared for publication.
  2. Prepare the dataset in a machine-readable format with a clear schema, field definitions, and a descriptive metadata record.
  3. Use the portal dataset submission workflow or contact the GeoHub team for spatial layers to request publication and an API endpoint if required.
  4. Follow up with the departmental steward and ITA for onboarding, review, and any necessary redaction or privacy assessment.
  5. Monitor the published dataset, respond to data quality reports, and publish updates according to the declared cadence.
Request an API version only after publishing a stable, well-documented dataset.

FAQ

How do I request a dataset not currently published?
Submit a data request via the Open Data Portal contact for the department or use GeoHub contact forms; include purpose and preferred format.
Are published datasets free to reuse?
Dataset reuse is governed by the license or terms listed on each dataset record; check the dataset metadata for reuse conditions.
Who decides if data is exempt from publication?
Departmental dataset stewards coordinate exemptions for privacy, security, or legal restrictions, often in consultation with ITA and legal counsel.
How do I report an error in a published dataset?
Use the dataset record’s contact information on the portal or file an issue with the dataset owner and copy ITA when appropriate.

Key Takeaways

  • Use official portals and follow metadata and format requirements before publishing.
  • Department stewards and ITA coordinate governance, exemptions, and technical onboarding.
  • Report issues through dataset contacts and escalate to ITA when necessary.

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