---
title: "Executes search of File AUthorities (Record creators)"
method: GET
path: "/search/v1/fileauthorities"
tags: ["SearchForFileAuthorities"]
---

# Executes search of File AUthorities (Record creators)

`GET /search/v1/fileauthorities`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/API`
- URL: `https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/API/search/v1/fileauthorities`
- Auth: none declared
- TypeScript: <https://skmtc.dev/the-national-archives/apis/discovery/docs/search/v1/fileauthorities/get.ts> (a function with typed inputs; its response is checked against the schema)

## Query parameters

- `sps.fileAuthorityEntityTypes` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthorityCategories` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthoritySubCategories` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthorityGender` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthourityCountries` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthorityRegions` string[]
- `sps.fileAuthorityCounties` string[]
- `sps.dateFrom` string, date-time
- `sps.dateTo` string, date-time
- `sps.oldCountyName` string
- `sps.timePeriods` string[]
- `sps.townName` string
- `sps.searchRestrictionFields` string[]
- `sps.searchQuery` string, required
- `sps.returnHighlighted` boolean
- `sps.sortByOption` 'RELEVANCE' | 'REFERENCE_ASCENDING' | 'DATE_ASCENDING' | 'DATE_DESCENDING' | 'TITLE_ASCENDING' | 'TITLE_DESCENDING'
- `sps.page` integer
- `sps.resultsPageSize` integer
- `sps.titleFirstLetter` string
- `sps.batchStartMark` string
- `sps.preferenceQueryStringParameter` string

## Response `200`

OK

- FileAuthoritySearchResultsViewModel: ViewModel representing the search results for file authority assets, including various facets for filtering.
  - `FileAuthorityAssets` FileAuthoritySearchResultViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of file authority assets returned by the search.
    - `AltName` string: Gets or sets the alternative name for the file authority.
    - `SubjectType` string: Gets or sets the subject type of the file authority.
    - `RepositoriesCount` integer: Gets or sets the number of repositories associated with the file authority.
    - `CollectionCount` integer: Gets or sets the number of collections associated with the file authority.
    - `Places` string[]: Gets or sets the list of places associated with the file authority.
    - `Collections` NRARepositoryViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of collections associated with the file authority.
      - `RepositoryId` string
      - `RepositoryName` string
    - `CoveringDates` string: Gets or sets the covering dates for the asset.
    - `Description` string: Gets or sets the description of the asset.
    - `EndDate` string: Gets or sets the end date of the asset.
    - `NumEndDate` integer: Gets or sets the numeric representation of the end date.
    - `NumStartDate` integer: Gets or sets the numeric representation of the start date.
    - `StartDate` string: Gets or sets the start date of the asset.
    - `Id` string: Gets or sets the unique identifier of the asset.
    - `Reference` string: Gets or sets the reference code of the asset.
    - `Score` number, float: Gets or sets the relevance score of the asset.
    - `Source` string: Gets or sets the source of the asset.
    - `Title` string: Gets or sets the title of the asset.
  - `NACategories` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of National Archives categories facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `NASubCategories` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of National Archives sub-categories facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Gender` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of gender facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `EntityTypes` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of entity type facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Countries` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of country facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Regions` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of region facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Counties` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of county facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Towns` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of town facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Places` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of place facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `TimePeriods` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of time period facet items.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `TitleFirstLetters` FacetItemViewModel[]: Gets or sets the list of title first letter facets.
    - `Code` string
    - `Count` integer
  - `Count` integer: Gets or sets the total count of search results.
  - `NextBatchMark` string: Gets or sets the marker for the next batch of results.

## Other responses

- `400`: Bad request
- `404`: Not found
- `500`: Internal Server Error

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/the-national-archives/apis/discovery.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/the-national-archives/apis/discovery/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/the-national-archives/apis/discovery/revisions/1e8c76e26ab1?raw)