Frequently Asked Questions

Are there specific service requests that can currently be submitted via Open311 API?

How long does the application process take to activate a Production API key?

  • Please allow 10 business days from the date Austin 3-1-1 received a completed application for processing.

What are the Open311 API Terms of Service?

What else is the City of Austin doing to be "open" and how can developers get involved?

Which character set must developers use when submitting into Open311?

  • Open311 supports UTF8 Unicode character set.

Are there any specific characters that Open311 app users should avoid when entering text into character fields?

  • The ampersand, &, should be avoided when entered by an end user within an attribute character or description field. Austin Open311 will truncate any text after it. For example, text entered into the description field as “Left & Right Side” will be shortened to “Left” as it is submitted into Austin 3-1-1’s customer service request database.

Which Open311 API methods are supported?

  • All six API methods have been implemented:

What are the requirements to submit (POST) a service request into Open311?

  • The required arguments to submit service requests into Open311 are: service code, location latitude and longitude, any required attributes, and either a photo or a description (one is required).

Why are duplicate service request POST blocked?

  • Austin’s implementation of Open311 is designed to block identical service request submissions to minimize spamming.

Are developer’s required to manage users of their app?

  • Yes. Austin 311 may request that a developer block/blacklist a user of their app if the specific user is in violation of the terms of service .

For additional questions and answers, please see the Connected Bits FAQ.